Voodoo - by Jeffrey E Anderson (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Despite several decades of scholarship on African diasporic religion, Voodoo remains understudied by academics. The extent of recent book-length studies of the topic are sparse due primarily to Voodoo's fragmentary documentary record. Moreover, earlier works, such [as] 'Hoodoo in American' (1931) by Zora Neale Hurston and 'Voodoo in New Orleans' (1946) by Robert Tallant, are error- and fabrication-prone and in dire need of updating. In ... 'Voodoo,' Jeffrey E. Anderson presents a modern account of the religion as it existed in the Mississippi River valley from colonial times to the mid-twentieth century, when he argues that it ceased to exist as a living tradition. Anderson begins by examining Voodoo's origin as a creole faith shaped by several African, European, Native American, and Caribbean influences. Next, he explores the deities of Voodoo and their place in Voodoo spirituality, using them to analyze the religion's origins. After discussing the gods, he turns to those who served them and how they interacted with the divine through religious ritual and magic. In discussing the formation and operation of the religion, Anderson explains why and when it disappeared as a living faith as well as its legacy in the region. He concludes by addressing issues of cultural politics in the form of competing claims of authority over the interpretation of the religion. An appendix also includes a collection and translation (when possible) of Voodoo songs for the benefit of future researchers. Anderson's study provides a solid scholarly foundation for future work by systematizing the extant information on a religion that has long captured the popular imagination while simultaneously being seen as variously threatening, evil, and/or laughable. His work is the most complete account of the faith yet produced and rests on more than two decades worth of research on the topic, which included standard primary source research alongside field study in New Orleans, Haiti, Cuba, Senegal, Benin, Togo, and the Republic of Congo. The result is an enduring resource on Mississippi Valley Voodoo, Louisiana, and the African Diaspora"

Book Synopsis

Despite several decades of scholarship on African diasporic religion, Voodoo remains underexamined, and the few books published on the topic contain inaccuracies and outmoded arguments. In Voodoo: An African American Religion, Jeffrey E. Anderson presents a much-needed modern account of the faith as it existed in the Mississippi River valley from colonial times to the mid-twentieth century, when, he argues, it ceased to thrive as a living tradition.

Anderson provides a solid scholarly foundation for future work by systematizing the extant information on a religion that has long captured the popular imagination as it has simultaneously engendered fear and ridicule. His book stands as the most complete study of the faith yet produced and rests on more than two decades of research, utilizing primary source material alongside the author's own field studies in New Orleans, Haiti, Cuba, Senegal, Benin, Togo, and the Republic of Congo. The result serves as an enduring resource on Mississippi River valley Voodoo, Louisiana, and the greater African Diaspora.

Review Quotes

"Using extensive research in folklore and early anthropology from the end of the nineteenth century, Anderson provides a well-documented description of the religion, its principal tenets, and its variants from the source African religions. . . . This is an excellent, well-written book accessible to all readers."--Journal of American History

"Anderson provides many valuable insights into Mississippi River Valley Voodoo that students of African diasporic religions will continue to find important in the future. . . . This work broadens the understanding of African diasporic religions in the Americas. Historians, ethnographers, and folklorists will find it a vital addition to their library."--Nova Religio

"Anderson presents a detailed study of the Voodoo religion and its magical component, hoodoo."--Carolyn Morrow Long, author of A New Orleans Voudou Priestess: The Legend and Reality of Marie Laveau

"From Voodoo queens to hoodoo magic, Jeffrey E. Anderson's Voodoo is a meticulously researched and wide-ranging investigation of the religion's historical trends, cultural influences, and ritual life. It is essential reading for anyone interested in understanding Voodoo's relationship to the faiths of the African Diaspora, as well as what makes Mississippi River valley Voodoo unique."--Douglas J. Falen, author of African Science: Witchcraft, Vodun, and Healing in Southern Benin

"From Voodoo's beginnings in the colonial period to the religion's current manifestations, Anderson uses rich storytelling and the complicated life histories of people, places, and otherworldly beings to change how we think about the magical history of the African Atlantic."--Timothy R. Landry, author of Vodún: Secrecy and the Search for Divine Power

About the Author

Jeffrey E. Anderson is professor of history and associate director of the School of Humanities at the University of Louisiana-Monroe. He is author of The Voodoo Encyclopedia: Magic, Ritual, and Religion; Hoodoo, Voodoo, and Conjure: A Handbook; and Conjure in African American Society.