Voodoo and Hoodoo: The Craft as Revealed by Traditional Practitioners by James Haskins

Voodoo and Hoodoo: The Craft as Revealed by Traditional Practitioners Reviews

• 
  Michael

  This is a good, short introduction to voodoo and hoodoo that is useful to the layman or to someone just beginning research on these practices. Haskins summarizes the origins of both practices in West African religions and does a good job of tracing their development in time. He discusses the influences of Roman Catholicism on voodoo as well as on some hoodoo practices. There is a large section of the book with recipes for spells that hoodoo practitioners have used for good or evil. The principle of like influences like looms large in hoodoo magic. Thus two sticks put together and pulled apart may represent separation. It is an interesting read.
  
  There should have been more discussion of varieties of root doctor in the South--their practices are not uniform from region to region, although there are some similarities. Haskins also gives short change to the alleged precognitive powers of hoodoo practitioners, a power that looms large in some accounts of root doctors in the South. However, I recommend this book as a good introduction to voodoo and hoodoo, especially in the American context.
• 
  Leila

  This is an interesting book as the author has a trepidation towards Hoodoo/Voodoo practices. That said there is quite a collection of spells and workings that are older and provide a depth of understanding of what workings were and may still be valuable to those seeking the services of practitioners. He does provide some history, though there is an undercurrent of fear that is almost palatable in this book which flavored my experience with this book. I would recommend this as a piece that builds one's understanding of Hoodoo/Voodoo and how it is both seen as a tool for those in a community of people as well as something that is feared by those same people utilizing its practices/practitioners.
• 
  Beaird Glover

  History and How-to, conjures and mojo hands. A great introduction to hoodoo and voodoo: "...in primitive societies...the individual doesn't see himself as separate. Indeed, his very identity...is defined in terms of the people and the world around him. ... The soil, the rocks and mountains, the trees, the rivers are all believed to be inhabited by spirits--spirits that never knew human form." From this very solid foundation on how voodoo came to be, the author goes on to deliniate many spells and conjures, all the ingredients necessary to make gris-gris and mojo hands. Very entertaining and thoughtful book.
• 
  Rebekah H.

  A good general overview of the history and origins, as well as being pretty readable. Recommended research book.
• 
  Sarah M

  This book was one of those "I need something to read because I'm bored" type books for me. It was an okay read. Personally, I would never read it again.
• 
  Destiny

  Informative and I liked learning the interconnection Hoodoo and Voodoo have with African spirituality. The last couple of chapters revolve on examples of many different spells for a variety of wants to show how these religions use common household items as many practitioners could only practice in secret and with what little they have.
• 
  Jerome Berglund

  Essential, riveting reading on a subject not enough material of this caliber is available discussing or exploring the rich and storied nuances of. Highly recommended classic work, enjoyable and illuminating for the young and old, laymen and scholar alike.