The Serpent and the Rainbow

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: This book details the adventures of an ethnobotanist as he tries to uncover the mystery behind zombies in Haiti. In the beginning of the book, Davis describes how a New York psychologist named Nate Klein described to him the odd story of Clairvius Narcisse, who was pronounced dead and buried, yet showed up 18 years later back in the market place of his hometown claiming that he had been made a zombi and made to work as a slave until he escaped with some other zombies. Klein was completely convinced of the veracity of Narcisse's story, and wanted Davis to travel to Haiti to discover which herbs and other toxins were used to "kill" Narcisse and then bring him back to life again. Davis accepts the mission, and then travels to Haiti to investigate zombies and Haitian Voodoo. But in order to discover how people are changed into zombies, he has to first gain the confidence and respect of the Voodoo leaders. Davis eventually accomplishes most of what he set out to do, along the way relating much about Haitian history and culture as well as Voodoo beliefs. The book is very compelling and well documented, including an extensive annotated bibliography, as well as a glossary and index.

Rating:
Summary: Fascinating
Review: This book details the adventures of an ethnobotanist as he tries to uncover the mystery behind zombies in Haiti. In the beginning of the book, Davis describes how a New York psychologist named Nate Klein described to him the odd story of Clairvius Narcisse, who was pronounced dead and buried, yet showed up 18 years later back in the market place of his hometown claiming that he had been made a zombi and made to work as a slave until he escaped with some other zombies. Klein was completely convinced of the veracity of Narcisse's story, and wanted Davis to travel to Haiti to discover which herbs and other toxins were used to "kill" Narcisse and then bring him back to life again. Davis accepts the mission, and then travels to Haiti to investigate zombies and Haitian Voodoo. But in order to discover how people are changed into zombies, he has to first gain the confidence and respect of the Voodoo leaders. Davis eventually accomplishes most of what he set out to do, along the way relating much about Haitian history and culture as well as Voodoo beliefs. The book is very compelling and well documented, including an extensive annotated bibliography, as well as a glossary and index.

Rating:
Summary: WHAT DO WE KNOW? BUGGER ALL UNTIL YOU'VE READ THIS!
Review: YOU COULD GO TO THE TRAVEL AGENTS AND BOOK YOURSELF ON A FLIGHT TO SOME MICKEY MOUSE STYLE FUN PARK THATS ALREADY GETTING OUTDATED AND RUSTY AFTER 15 YEARS, HOWEVER IF YOU TRAVEL BY 'WADE DAVIS AIR' YOU WILL FIND LOCATIONS, SETTINGS, AND STORIES THAT YOU WOULD SAY ARE DEFINTELY NOT OF THIS WORLD. I HAD NEVER READ ANYTHING LINKED WITH THE VOODOUN RELIGION BEFORE, OR GIVEN IT MUCH THOUGHT OTHER THAN ITS SOME FARSICAL STAGESHOW, PUT ON BY CLEVER ILLUSIONISTS OF THE UNCIVILISED WORLD. WADE DAVIES TOOK ME BY THE HAND AND INTRODUCED ME TO THESE PEOPLE, AND THEIR WAYS. HIS BLEND OF ANALYSIS AND STORY TELLING LEFT ME WITH LITTLE DOUBT THAT WHAT THIS MAN HAS SEEN IS A DIFFERENT REALITY, A REALITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN CONVINCED TO OVERLOOK, AND DISMISS AS RUBBISH. ITS TIME TO OPEN OUR EYES, AND THIS BOOK HAS INSTILLED ME WITH THAT BELIEF.THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS THAT IT ENDS!