# 781: Best book on Voodoo : Bell adds on Hurbon book

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 1999 10:39:29 -0400
From: madison bell <mbell@goucher.edu>
To: Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>
Subject: Re: #778: Best book on Voodoo

The Hurbon Title, Vodou: Search for the Spirit, is the easiest to find, 
inexpensive, and a very good deal considering the terrific color plates.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0810928574/o/qid=940862131/sr=2-1/002 
-0147457-9680246

this page also has a link to the Metraux title in English.

msb

At 04:25 AM 10/25/99 -0700, you wrote:

>From: SSeitz8935@aol.com
>
>Answer to the "best book on voodoo":
>             "The Divine Horseman" by Maya Dayan - an unbelievably sensitive
>account of an American who studied voodoo extensively in the 1940's (50's?),
>died suddenly, and was buried next to her Houngan in the countryside.  A
>short while later her Japanese husband died suddenly, then buried next to the
>two.  The black and white photos in the book are extraordinary.  suzanne seitz
>
>Corbett adds.  Maya Deren was also shot a great deal of film.  It ended
>up in the Library of Congress and about 15 years ago was edited into a film
>called THE DIVINE HORSEMAN:  THE LIVING GODS OF HAITI.  The film is very
>long and quite interesting.  It focuses on possession and during the
>presentation of Deren's footage there is lots of Voodoo drumming and singing
>and a deep sonorous voice which reads from Deren's book.
>
>The last part of the film switches to carnival and Rara.  I find it less
>interesting, but it is historic footage of the main carnival parade near
>1950.  The information I have is that the film is from  Mystic Fire video
>(about $30).  FyI, their phone number for big and/or educational 
>orders:
>(212)941-0999
>
>===============================
>
>From: Sandra Mignot <s-mignot@designer-gift.com>
>
>To suggest one book about Haïti : Alfred Métraux, le vaudoo haïtien, in
>french. I don't know if it has been translated and published in english.
>This book is a little bit old, but the author made a serious study and was
>deeply integrated in the vaudoo societies near PAP.
>More recently, Laënnec Hurbon wrote Les mystères du vaudoo (découvertes
>Gallimard) wich is historically very rich. Lots of illustrations, testimony
>and documents.
>
>Sandra Mignot
>s-mignot@designer-gift.com
>
>
>Corbett adds:  Both books are translated into English I think both are still
>in print.  If not in print they are easy to acquire.  I know I have the
>Metraux book for sale in both hardbound and paper.  In English it is:
>VOODOO IN HAITI.  The Hurbon book was published in the U.S. as:
>
>VOODOO: SEARCH FOR THE SPIRIT.  Isbn:  0-8109-2857-4
>
>It was published in England as:  Voodoo:  Truth and Fantasy.
>ISBN:  0-500-300486
>
>The Hurbon book is filled with bright color photographs and reproductions
>of Haitian Voodoo art work.
>
>I presume these are still in print.  I have both in my library, but neither
>on my "for sale list."
>================================