Voodoo in New Orleans (Pelican Pouch Series)

Rating:
Summary: Good if you want to know the history of Voodoo in N.O.
Review: "~This is an older book but you will find it's still very informative. There's plenty of stuff about Marie Laveau but they talk about other historical figures, too. The stuff on Dr. John, who you don't hear much about in other books, is particularly interesting."~ focusing on these days.

Rating:
Summary: The only book of it's kind.
Review: Any book you see on Voodoo today, is either talking about Santeria or Haitian Voodou. Even the "New Orleans Voodoo Tarot" is mostly Voodoo from OUTSIDE of New Orleans. Here you will find the most mature research on Marie Laveau, which is worth the modest price of this book, alone. But you also get history that you will not find anywhere else. Tales of an entire lineage of conjure men and root doctors, the real heart of Louisiana Hoodoo. This book introduces you to men like Doctor Koku, Rooster, Papa Melon, Don Pedro and many others. If you want to see both sides of the New Orleans Voodoo coin, this is the only book that pulls back all the curtains of it's history.

Rating:
Summary: Inside the world of New Orleans!
Review: I really don't understand the negative reviews of this book at all. Even Anne Rice recommends it and what better recommendation about voodoo history in New Orleans can you get than Anne Rice!?! Yes, the story is old, but it's a fantastic look of the smaller details of a hidden culture. I love New Orleans, and Tallant's book is well researched. Why do you think it's been reprinted since the 1940s. That's staying power, people. The history of Marie Lavaeu is worth the money. This is not a book to tell you how to practice voodoo or to give you a romanticized version of the religion. This is a book which tells the evolution of a special society within a very special city. Now excuse me while I go fetch another praline! Buy it. It's a great read. [From a person who knows and loves New Orleans and hoodoo too!]

Rating:
Summary: A really interesting look at voodoo
Review: I really enjoyed this book although there were no "secrets of voodoo" revealed. Shows a lot of intriguing information about Marie Laveau and Doctor John. I would highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the history of voodoo.

Rating:
Summary: Lousy Book!
Review: I searched all over to find a book specifically about voodoo in New Orleans, and unfortunately this was all I could find...it's only 240ish pages and I still haven't even made it through it yet. Though there are some interesting facts, I think it's poorly written -- and it's 50 years old! Would like to see a more updated version that is a better read. Maybe will write it myself!

Rating:
Summary: If you want to know about New Orleans Voodoo, avoid this rag
Review: If you are interested in reading a bunch of ignorant, bigoted stereo types, by all means buy this book.
Robert Tallant was not a writer to bother with facts when spewing his hatred and racism.
His depictions of New Orleans Voodoo and it's practitioners are dead wrong.
If you want to read about New Orleans Voodoo, try Voodoo Queen: The Spirited Lives of Marie Laveau by Martha Ward.


Rating:
Summary: Sensational, not scholarly
Review: If you are looking for an in-depth, scholarly work on the religion and practices of Voodoo in New Orleans this is, sadly, not the work for you. While interesting in a voyeuristic, sensationalist sense, Tallant's far-too-obvious biases and penchant for letting his interview subjects give sound bites like "Old Marie Laveau looked just like the devil herself, and she's settin' [sic] on a throne in Hell today," means that the image of Voodoo as a religion and/or money-making practice is frustratingly one-dimensional. Tallant seems content to let his interview subjects discuss the "devil-worshipping" without giving a well-rounded picture of what actually was being worshipped. He quotes newspaper articles with an almost pornagraphic fervor, and neglects to analyze the exoticism encoded into their language.

The book is good as a fun, tabloidesque read, and those people who have studied Voodoo religion will be able to puzzle together rites and loa blithely corrupted due to Tallant's distance from actual services. It is also a fine study in biases of the time, but should never be read without a very LARGE grain of salt.

Rating:
Summary: Written by someone who was there
Review: Mr. Tallant was a life long resident of Louisiana. The Voodoo In New Orleans is a history of American Voodoo from the slave days of Marie Lavaue up until the 1940's...and before Voodoo became commercialized and watered down with New Age beliefs for tourists. Far from being "old and silly", the book gives an accuarte picture of Voodoo and the people who pratice it. Some people will be disapointed to find out "flying devil oil" is really just red pepper and olive oil, but the author didn't write a "spellbook" to promote superstition. The book is a very accurate and detailed look at Voodoo. Buy It!

Rating:
Summary: Not great, but not bad
Review: Tallant's book is informative for those new to the topic of voodoo and/or Marie Laveau. However, much of the information in this book is included in his novel The Voodoo Queen, which is far more interesting. Read that instead!

Rating:
Summary: Have not read, but know for fact....
Review: This book is falsified and exaggerated. The press attempted to frighten the public at the time this was published. The Voodoo's also were trying to scare "outsiders" who criticized them away with wild, false stories. Don't believe everything you read in this book. It's a hoax.