Some Notes and Comments on VOODOO FIRE IN HAITI

Notes by Bob Corbett

This afternoon a subscriber wrote in asking about the book VOODOO FIRE IN HAITI, a 1935 book about Haiti. Since the book often turns up at used book stores (it was a Literary Guild offering), I thought I pass on my notes on the book for whatever they're worth.

I must have found it early on. It was book # 23 in my library and I must be up around 600 now. (1999 addition: nearly 1200 now)


BIBLIO ENTRY # 23 Lawless # 1531
LOEDERER, Richard A.
VOODOO FIRE IN HAITI
1935
Pub/Period: The Literary Guild
City/Volum: New York

Corbett's annotation for the bibliographic entry:

An adventurers rather exaggerated memoirs. Racist and superficial, but quite interesting to read. Loederer, an artist, was fascinated by Haiti's flora and fauna and writes movingly of the heavily forested land. Despite the title, only 20-30 pages of the book are about Voodoo and those are simply silly.

12/1995 note. My notes don't mention the illustrations. They are racist and very sexy and, I must say, quite captivating.


Notes: He writes of a jungle along the Massacre River from Laguna del Saladillo to Dajabon. He supposedly walked this distance and got caught in hurricane.

The title is the last chapter. It is only a 9 page story on an experience he had at a single Voodoo service, the only one he ever attended.

Bob Corbett


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