Product Description
A book that will explain today's crises on whatever day you read it on. In revolutions and recoveries, few issues in the news do not have an economic component but most of these topics are not covered well, if at all. From the Great Depression to gas lines in the 1970s to turn-of-the-century financial meltdowns, we usually hear that the problems stem from free markets that failed.

Chris Warden, journalist and educator, shows that the crises emerged when markets were bypassed. But the former editorial page editor of Investor's Business Daily goes even further. He shows how markets work in a way that consumers, college students, and even corporate CEOs, congressional representatives and the press corps can understand. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent
Excellent summary of "practical economics". Written for journalism students to allow them to report on the economic aspects of current events including effects of political decisions and rule making. Economists tend to be political, but this book attempts to be non-partisan. Critiques policies promoted by both political parties. Also explains why elected officials are not motivated to act in the interests of their electorate. Sounds dry, but is actually entertaining and interesting. And, as the subtitle indicates, it is indeed easy to understand. Can't be beat, especially for the price. ... Read more

Product Description
Voodoo and Hoodoo tells how these spiritual descendents of African medicine men and sorcerers lay tricks and work their magic and explains the hold these practices have had on their believers, from their Old World origins until today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great Book!
If you want to learn more about Voodoo this is the book to get.This book has a very old school feel.Would highly recommend to all.

Just Use the Internet
I read this in 1997, when I found it in a public library. By then it was long out-of-print and hadn't been checked out in years. It was the subject of a Geraldo Rivera special, after some towns tried to ban it from the school libraries. They thought it would corrupt the kids.

Voodoo & Hoodoo is not a bad book. Haskins treated his work the way any serious journalist would, interviewing practitioners, historians, and other people with knowledge of the topic. But he didn't go far enough. I felt there was more he could've done. I was also looking to find if there were Native American influences in Hoodoo. I also wanted to know why it was more prevalent in the South than in the North.

Thanks to the internet, I found there are actually hundreds of Afro-American cults in the US, Caribbean, and Latin America. They include Voodoo, Santeria, Palo Mayombe, and several African religions in Brazil. Mixing African animism with Christian practices is very common throughout the Americas. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) Voodoo fell out of favor in Haiti after the Duvalier regime. Whenever I asked Haitians if they were into Voodoo, they dismissed it as "garbage" that was good only for "scaring children into behaving."

I know a woman who is part of a Santeria group, and she makes pottery used as altar pieces for their services. When I asked her if they have "prayer books", I found that Santeria, like other Afro-American cults, has no sacred texts or organized doctrine.

Perhaps that's why Haskins couldn't find more information for his book?

Voodoo is not a craft but a religion
Why do people treat Voodoo like it is a craft? It isn't Wicca or Witchcraft; where one buys a book and can be practicing in 1 week. Voodoo is a religion like the Jewish or Catholic faiths. No one can read a book on Catholics or Jews and think that they are now converted! These conversion can take years. Voodoo books go wrong by trying to outline Voodoo like Wicca. Voodoo can take decades to understand before your ready to practice. I have been raised around Voodoo from a young age and even I am still trying to get to a point where I have everything down pack and can safely call on Loas and perform spell work. Treating Voodoo like an occult craft is very dangerous. Voodoo deals alor with sprits and possesions-and toying around with Voodoo is a sure fire way to mafe very bad things happen in your life, if you do not have the proper knowledge and preperations.

Better to just do some internet research
I risk angering Baron Samedi, but really not a great book.More of a folk history than an informative book.I'd channel Marie Laveau before paying out for this one.

Good book for the history....
I like this book, it was easy to understand and I think Jim Haskins did a good job with the formatting. I have to agree with the reviewer that says that it's a good book, but not very helpful (as concerning the 'recipes'). It seems that Mr. Haskins was trying to give a history of voodoo and also a bit of a 'modern' (late 70's) look at voodoo and how it has evolved over time. To me, I try to read all I can on Voodoo, and I have found some good, bad, and really bad books on it. So far I have to say all in all this is a good book, I found it informative on a historical level and also on a 'folk-lore-ish' level as well. Now the recipes are great to read about but don't go into detail. I would've liked for the recipes to have been explained in more detail, but like the reviewer before me said, this book wasn't meant to be a 'How-to guide'. I wish Mr. Haskins would write a book going into details about the recipes. Individual practioners would benefit from having a book like that. Unfortunately, even the author suspected that the folks he interviewed for the recipes weren't giving him all the information, and rightly so, this is how they made money, so why would they give away all their secrets, people wouldn't need their services anymore. So all in all it's a good book, I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot.

Here's some of the chapters:

The roots in Africa

Culture Clash and Accomdation in the New World

Voodoo and Hoodoo Today

To do ill

To do Good

In matters of Law

In matters of Love

Voodoo and Hoodoo in perspective.

Happy reading!
... Read more

Product Description
Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry is thrust into his most haunting and eerie case yet in Jim Michael Hansen's stunning new thriller, Voodoo Laws. As Coventry frantically searches for a missing woman and finds himself pulled deeper and deeper into an edgy world of voodooism and death curses, beautiful young attorney Mackenzie Lee takes on a terrifying case--a case born of shadowy origins; a case prone to shift with the night; a case that is destined to sweep everyone who touches it into the spiraling vortex of a deadly thriller. Watch the trailer on YouTube. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Outstanding author
I always look forward to the release of a new Laws book...it is amazing to me that not only did I manage to find an author I enjoy so much, but one that also manages to publish books at a very fast pace :) The books in this series are firmly on my keeper shelf, right next to John Sandford's Prey series.

Voodoo Laws - The 7th Bryson Coventry Thriller
Voodoo Laws is the 7th "Laws" thriller featuring Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry. Each of the LAWS books is independent of the others. They can be read in any other. Other books in the series include Night Laws, Shadow Laws, Fatal Laws, Deadly Laws, Bangkok Laws, Immortal Laws, Ancient Laws and Hong Kong Laws.

excellent police procedural
Denver police homicide detective Bryson Coventry leads the official investigation into the murder of affluent lawyer Ryan Ripley in a sleazy part of town known for cheap street hookers; inside his home is found a voodoo doll with a needle through an eye.Soon afterward, someone fires a shot at either Coventry or his girlfriend Ta'Venza Oceana while they sit in his 1967 Corvette; outraged that the bullet destroyed his window, he curses the miscreant who would harm a car like his, vowing justice.

Meanwhile attorney Mackenzie Lee has a new client, Erin Asher, who claims the prime suspect in another homicide and the abduction of Lindsay Vail could not have committed either of those crimes as she is his alibi.She asserts she has seen the accused stalk her.Coventry assigns detective Coyote to conduct surveillance on Mackenzie while a second murder tied to voodoo occurs at Ripley's law firm.

Soon the seemingly separate cases tie together with Coventry being cursed by a practitioner who employs VOODOO LAWS.The merged trails lead him to New Orleans and its voodoo shops.

The latest Coventry "Laws" police procedural is a terrific entry that has all the magic of the previous six and more.This time the hero is voodoo death cursed as he struggles to connect the dots that seem unrelated.Fans will enjoy this superb entry especially when the missing links are found in Denver and refreshingly New Orleans; as the hero is forced out of the Mile High City by the direction of the investigation.As always the audience needs to drink coffee with this fun tale in which a cursed Coventry curses those who could harm a classic car.

Harriet Klausner

Voodoo Laws

Is voodoo real?Can it actually cause people to suffer or die from a curse laid on by a priestess like Ida Wrisp when she cursed Bryson Coventry?The question is why she was doing this.Was someone she knew harmed by him?

Bryson Coventry, head of Denver's homicide unit, had a new murder to contend with--a dead attorney, found in an alley. And he finds voodoo creeping into his case and death seems to follow him from city to city as he seeks answers.

Talented author Jim Michael Hansen has created another story to keep the chills crawling up your spine as you join Coventry in another case.And, yes, he's in lust again with an intriguing young woman who catches his eye from the first time they meet.

This isn't a tale for the squeamish.Lots of action and lots of fun characters to meet. You'll remember Coventry as an old friend with a slight case of never quite meeting the right gal. Could this new lady be just right for him?

And if you don't believe in voodoo, you might begin to wonder as you read.Mystery and chills aplenty as Bryson hunts and is hunted.A story to satisfy all thriller fans.Highly recommended to readers who like new and interesting plots and characters.Enjoy.I sure did.

Another Winner
VOODOO LAWS by Jim Hansen: (03/09) Do you read mysteries for the characters or for the plot?Coffee drinking serial womanizing Denver homicide detective Bryson Coventry is back with all his quirks and talents.He is frantically searching for a missing woman after finding the second member of a local law firm dead with implications of voodooism and death curses.At the same time local attorney and budding author Mackenzie Lee has her own challenge.Her newest client, Erin Asher, is convinced that she was being stalked.A man who looked like a pirate followed her during an evening of in downtown on Saturday.The same man is apparently the primary suspect in one of Coventry's murder cases that occurred across town at the same time.Lee's client is the suspect's alibi, but if Lee allows her to come forward, will they be clearing the man from one murder so that he can commit a different one - that of Asher.Then there is the missing woman and the fact the Coventry has had a voodoo death curse placed on him.Oh, did I mention that Lee formerly worked with the same law firm as the two victims that are the object of Coventry's efforts?How are they all interconnected?Bottom line - great characters in a wild plot that somehow all comes together.The Laws series just keeps getting better and better. ... Read more

Product Description
Get down and dirty like a Voodoo Goddess

Reclaim your sexual power and passion! In this red-hot and racy Voodoo self-help love guide, author Kathleen Charlotte presents a sassy blend of Voodoo magic (or wanga) and relationship expertise to help you dispel shame, shed inhibitions, and revel in the sacred, joyful, healing power of sex.

With a little help from Erzulie, Ogoun, and the rest of the Voodoo spirits (aka the "lwa"), you'll learn how to flirt like a goddess, induce lust, and turn your bedroom into a love temple. You'll also discover wickedly wonderful new ways to boost pleasure—both your partner's and your own. One of the only self-help books you'll ever need, Wicked Voodoo Sex includes an audacious array of Voodoo magical spells, concoctions, and sexual practices, including:

Voodoo nectars
Infinity sex
Cosmic coupling
Herbal aphrodisiacs
Erotic dance
Voodoo trances   
Thunderstone magic
Pythoness sexual oracle
... Read more

Product Description

Hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure are part of a mysterious world of African American spirituality that has long captured the popular imagination. These magical beliefs and practices have figured in literary works by such authors as Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Ishmael Reed, and they have been central to numerous films, such as The Skeleton Key. Written for students and general readers, this book is a convenient introduction to hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure.

The volume begins by defining and classifying elements of these spiritual traditions. It then provides a wide range of examples and texts, which illustrate the richness of these beliefs and practices. It also examines the scholarly response to hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure, and it explores the presence of hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure in popular culture. The volume closes with a glossary and bibliography. Students in social studies classes will use this book to learn more about African American magical beliefs, while literature students will enjoy its exploration of primary sources and literary works.

Product Description
Little Trasure was born into a Haitian world of voodoo worshipers. Plagued by fears, driven tothe point of desperation in their efforts to obtain help from their spirit gods, his family could see in contrast the serenity in the lives of their Christian neighbors. Very inspirational, and a must have for your Junior library ... Read more

Product Description
Ti-Charles is the handsome young Voodooo of Croix-Le-Bois, a small village on the coast of a Caribbean island. He presides over rituals of healing and community - as well as festivals of orgiastic all-male release, where the initiates are young men of the village. Set in the 1950s Voodoo Man is a stunning story told against a lush, tropical backdrop of pulsing drums, heated physical release and ecstatic possession. ... Read more

Product Description
Our original Voodoo Kit sold more than 400,000 copies, and this revision of the kit's book should translate into comparable sales in a new market. The uniquely offbeat Portable Voodoo offers a funny, informative history of voodoo rites, with a whole new feature: a complete lineup of tongue-in-cheek spells to cast on those who deserve them. A cloth voodoo doll is mounted on the front cover, along with a packet of pushpins for pinpointing the exact physical location of the spells to be cast. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Let's all get together and put a voodoo hex on not in the least bit funny Voodoo Lou Harry
I would like to begin with a good thing.The illustrator: Julie Paschkis.The pictures are beautiful, that's what sold me on the book.The doll on the front of the book was a good idea too I thought.It looked interesting. I thought I'd get some serious Voodoo history. The illustrator should make a book of illustrations I would buy that book and adore it. Dump this fool Lou.The author completely insults our intelligence.I will be careful not to buy any more of his products and if it wasn't for her beautiful drawings I wouldn't have been tricked in buying the book to begin with.I thought it was a more serious book. Running Press.I'll have to remember that company too.His writing is not even slightly amusing to me in the least.He gives me a headache he is so stupid.In fact, I might try and return the book even though it was a discounted book store.I didn't even get any pins with my book.I still paid 7.99 for it and it is not worth it.I say we all get together and put a voodoo hex on him. If it's supposed to be a gag gift it should clearly state that on the cover and the money he asks for isn't such a gag.

funny
I got this as a gag gift for someone lol :) It's a pretty funny book I like the was it's written. however I don't like the voodoo doll on the fron some of the strings are becoming loose. Othere then that it's pretty good. It was a gag gift anyway and for that it surved it's purpose.

Nobody said to take this book seriously. It's just fun
The two other critics here obviously don't get it. This is packaged and presented as a fun gift, not a serious look at voodooo. That's like criticizing a Mary Kate and Ashley novel for not being War and Peace.

Nothing but a gag gift. Not serious Voodoo!
Let me first of all say, that anytime you see the name Voodoo Lou. Be very cautious! The man is nothing but a trickster writing books and selling dolls about Voodoo like they were the real thing. If you're looking for a gag gift for someone who has a rotten boss,a stupid neighbor,or a emotionless lover, fine this stuff would give them a chuckle or two. But if you are looking for real Voodoo products stear clear of anything that has Voodoo Lou's name on it.

(The person called 'bookfan' is the one that doesn't get it, this review was written to inform people about this product, and to let them know that this is indeed a gag gift and not a real book on Voodoo, so don't buy it unless that's what you're looking for.)

Portable Voodoo: Take Control of Your Life-and Others-with Voodoo
More of a laugh than a serious delivery of how to do practice the craft.
Very dissappointing. ... Read more

Product Description

The secrets of Santeria, Voodoo and Obeah are among the oldest enigmas in the world. Their roots go back to pre-historic Africa - perhaps even beyond that. From the 16th century onwards, the slave trade brought these ancient mysteries to the West, where they blended strangely with traditional Christianity: the ancient African gods became identified with legendary saints. This integration of the two faiths slowly evolved to form the many varieties of Santeria, Obeah and Voudoun that are widely practiced throughout the world today. Their characteristic dancing and drumming seem able to invoke strange states of mind in which almost anything is possible. Even stories of zombies - the walking dead - still persist. Is there a rational explanation for them?Contemporary Voudoun priests, priestesses, magicians and enchanters use rare herbs and spices as well as charms, dolls and talismans to control the natural world in ways that science cannot always explain. Accounts of their inexplicable successes are examined in depth. Most intriguing of all are the claims that are made for their love philtres and aphrodisiacs. What powers do these old religions still possess?

Customer Reviews (1)

Ethnocentric Foreword Sets the Tone
At first glance "Mysteries and Secrets of Voodoo, Santeria and Obeah" looks like a serious scholarly work but it is actually anything but.The eurocentric foreword by Reverend Canon Stanley Mogford establishes a tone of cultural superiority and sets a baseline for the book by his definition of Christian supremacy over all other religions or spiritual traditions. He states that conversion to Christianity is a universal principle and that unchristian or "primitive" societies are an aberration.One must assume that the authors support this view.It would not have been surprising to read nonsense like this forty years ago, but to be printed today?What were the publishers thinking?The authors' outsider tone is condescending and colonialist and their speculative research meanders in and out of cultural histories that could not have possibly been linked to the Santeria tradition.In a generalist, muddled way, they tie in various mystical traditions as if all are equal in superstitious triviality, so they MUST be connected ie. the Minotaur of Knossos, the Venus of Willendorf etc. By constant reference to the Santeria/Christian syncretization, they imply that Santeria did not stand alone as a fully-functioning valid spiritual tradition for centuries before encountering European domination. Because of its old-fashioned tone of imperialism, this book represents what can happen with the worst of ethnocentric-based study, and is to be avoided in favor of works on Santeria and Obeah by practitioners of those traditions in their own words (or anti-ethnocentric writers). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Not bad at all
I agree with the other reviewer who wrote in and also want to express that this is a book of conjure / hoodoo, not Voodoo. I would imagine that the word Voodoo was used when this book was first published as a sales tactic, nothing more. The author seems to have a firm grasp of southern style conjure. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great collection of recipes and workings of this type.

Sensationalism at its BEST
The only reason why I am rating this book is because I got a copy of it from a friend who was from Chicago when I was going to school. He basically kept the book because his mother was throwing away everything that she had that dealt with Rootwork and Hoodoo. Within the pages was a torn out advertisement of a pack of cigarettes, which according to my friend, was being used to help a gentleman quit smoking. When I asked him why she was throwing out the book, he told me that she said in her later years, that she was giving her life to God. He explained to me, as she told him, that all of the work she had done basically made her see a lot of things (spirits) and it was the Church that helped give her some sense of solace and peace.

Since that time, I have met a lot of other older practitioners that have shared similar sentiments. I have even met Paleros that have felt the same way. After my induction into this tradition I came to understand that Rootwork/Hoodoo is a strongly Kongo influenced tradition and like other Kongo influenced practices there has to be a balance, which is why in the Cuban tradition initiates of Palo later make Ocha into Santeria. It is the same reason why Marie LaVeau the great famed Voodoo/Hoodoo Queen was a practicing Catholic by day.

This is the reason why I hate books like this one because they only tell one side of the picture regarding our spiritual tradition, which can be horrifying for the unprepared. I can't fault the author too much because he was simply writing and responding to the craze at the time.Do the formulas and recipes work that have been written inside no doubt, proof of the cigarette advertisement, but some of things written about are just pure fantasy that only real practitioners would be able to determine. I say that because there is no actual work within the pages of the book that talk about helping a person to quit smoking, which means my friends mother was truly a chef that that had the wisdom to make adaptations. A novice would know any of this and think it is all about doing spells.

So be warned. Hope this was helpful.

Useful Information for Conjure Workers
This is not a book about the Religion of Vodu but rather about the Conjure Workers who practiced their art in the South.

Pelton's material comes from a wide variety of sources primarily old journals and magazines relating to the South and from the late 1800's. In his companion volume, "Voodoo Charms & Talismans", has an extensive Bibliography giving details of where he obtained this information from.

The Vevers (aka Veves) are different and unique. This is not so unusual as one may think since Voodoo Magic as a practice and more specifically Conjure work is more inclusive rather than exclusive. One does not need to read Nora Zeal Hurston to learn that Mr. Pelton gained a lot of this information from a wide variety of soures.

The herbal information is also culled from a wide variety of sources. Some practitioners have reported that it didn't quite jive with other "reliable" sources the trouble with that is there aren't any true 'reliable sources' because Conjure work is about as independently performed as it comes. Most Conjure workers learned their skills from a teacher and not all of them had access to libraries because many could not read.

Chapters I've found useful are:

2,3 - How to Make A Voodoo Doll & Doll Sorcery
4 - Candle Sorcery
13 - Court Room Sorcery
18 - Cabalistic Diagrams and How to Use Them
19 - Voodoo Candle Magic
22 - Herb & Plant Sorcery

This is a fine collection of material and is worth studying if for nothing as another source of material on the art of Conjure & RootWork. I rate this 4 out of 5 stars for completeness and worthwhile subject matter.

Important: Remember this material is dated and written in a time when civil rights were just becoming popular. This is NOT a politically correct book! Be forewarned. The material is usable, practical and offers you more of an inside look into the practice of RootWork-Conjure Sorcery.

This book is horrifying in it's racism and inaccuracy.
I don't even know where to start.

Robert Pelton wrote this based on white guilt and wishful thinking.

He makes gross generalizations, lies outright about the "American" treatment of slaves (saying "Punishment for violation of rules was not nearly so harsh as it had previously been under the old order"--old meaning during French/Spanish rule of a single geographic area of the Southern US, as if Louisiana were the only state to host slavery. ).

He inaccuately claims that cannibalism was a common voodoo practice "in many areas of the world."

Really.Don't waste your money or your time.Avoid this offensive book and read Zora Neale Hurston if you'd like to learn something about voodoo history and practice.

The illustrations of supposed veves is a joke.Really.The veve for Papa Legba in this book is a stick figure.Not kidding.

I would have given this book negative stars but that option was not available. ... Read more

Product Description
Ricky and his amazing giant robot friend are back in their newest adventure, ready to defeat the invasion of evil Victor Von Vulture and his spaceship filled with vicious voodoo vultures from Venus! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

4th Grade Student Review
Once again Ricky's mighty robot saves the day. I like the book Voodoo Vulters from Venus because it's full of action and adventure. The vulters take over the world just because they want to eat better food. So they hypnotize all the people in the city to get them to bring them food.But the mighty robot hears about it and goes and fights the vulters. If you want to know more you will have to read the book. This is another good book by Pilkey, but not my favorite. ~Lime

Ricky Ricotta's Mighty Robot
This review is about a rat named Ricky and a mighty robot. Ricky comes from home to watch this show that everyone in town are going to watch. So he comes home but late so his parents get worried. And his parents say he can watch his show until he learns how to get home on time. Next, these bird from Venus come to Earth and try to make everybody to obey the birds. Once rickty and his robot findthey try to make the birds fly from where they came. If you want to find out what happens at the end then read this book. I think this book was hilarious because they do something funny but you have to wait to find out. If you like mystery or fantasy then read this book.

Bought for my 3 year old nephew
He absolutely loves Ricky Ricotta, and picks this one specifically a lot to read because he likes the word "Vultures" oh to be so easily amused again.

Great book!
I have two sons (ages 6 and 8) who both really enjoy this Ricky Ricotta series.After reading the reviews on the paperback versions of these books being flimsy, we decided to spend the extra money and get the hardcover books.They are super!We'll enjoy them for several years to come...then pass them on to other friends/family when we're ready to.

A Great Battle
It was a good book because of the great battle. The voodoo vultures from venus sure did get a a good beating. The pictures are really great. Rickys Ricotta's Robot is really mighty robot. I think Kindergardeners - Second grade would like this book a whole lot. ... Read more

Product Description
KINDLE ALERT: VAMPIRES HAVE BEEN LIVING ON THE SEA ISLANDS OF THE CAROLINAS AND GEORGIA!THERE IS AN UNDEAD COMMUNITY THERE THAT IS HIGHLY INVOLVED IN VOO-DOO! THEY HAVE TWO WARRING FACTIONS AND THINGS ARE GETTING OUT-OF-CONTROL!
Roland Mathias is dying of a dementia like curse, placed on him by a fallen enemy.He is the de facto Leader of Vampires who still believe in the purity of the hunt.After a war around the Crusades, in which most Vampires were killed, there came to be a split: Vampires who hunted their human prey, the natural way, and drank blood, versus the Bag Feeders, who drank from animals, and contemporarily, from blood banks. The Undead of the Low Country chronicles the ancient history of Vampires from their inception, to their current splits, politically.See how VooDoo, Slip Skin Hags, Haints, and Plat-eyes, along with a powerful assortment of Root Doctors make for a new, VooDoo-laden spin on the Vampire story! This book is the first of a Trilogy, and is Jacob K. Ray's fourth book.Other titles include: "The Ride Home- A Surf Novel" (#1 BestSeller in Suicide & #1 BestSeller in Extreme Sports, Kindle books), "Pig-Skinned" & "The Bridge Burners."Dr. Ray is the step-son of writer Pat Conroy, and the son of writer Cassandra King. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

New and interesting twist
With the overload of all the vampire books out there, I was hoping for a twist to vampire lore and this book delivered.I never even thought that vampires could live in the South with the hot weather and searing sun but after reading this novel I'm convinced it's possible!Mixing the undead with voodoo was also a great surprise. Since I don't know very much about voodoo I was slightly confused about all the roots that the undead had to wear but eventually understood.Another thing that confused me was the flow used at the beginning of the book but eventually I discovered it and thoroughly enjoyed it.This book really made me want to research vampire lore and voodoo in the South and maybe even visit the low country one day!

How about less than one star?
Definitely edited by the dog, Halfy, as mentioned in the end. The Voodoo info was interesting.Glad I paid only 2.99 for the kindle version.I was very disappointed.I was hoping for some Low Country South Carolina folklore.Maybe 10% was folklore.

A cursed narrator who keeps you on the edge of your seat!
The world created in this book is uberpolitical. The vamps fight over politics of survival. The story jumps all over the place and you are reminded of where you are. I loved this and can't wait for part two to let me know what happens to this all original cast of country critters from beyond the grave! The voodoo is so detailed and scary it rides you throughout. The crescendos and build ups are much appreciated. You basically are getting drug into a war between all these different vampires feeding anyway they can to appease their beliefs. Lots of concrete parallels and critique of us mere mortals but overall a fantastic journal. I guess the writer wants you to believe this was written by a really old demented vampire. I bought it and it makes me want part two and three. The zombie stuff was neato too :)

Crazy vampire story, totally different than most, the voodoo is awesome!
Just finished this one recently, fun read, lots of voodoo, and vampires fighting each other over the way they feed! They have abilities from voodoo and they go to Haiti and Paris and Savannah. All local folklore is interesting and explained too. ... Read more

Product Description
During the mid-1950s the United States Air Force was given its most powerful single-seat, two-engine fighter to date. The Voodoo would be deployed before the end of that decade in the tactical nuclear bomber and tactical reconnaissance roles world-wide, and in homeland defense with the two-seat, all-weather variant. In December 1957 it took the World Air Speed Record to Mach 1.6 - over one and a half times faster than the sound barrier.

This book looks at the evolution of the original design and its introduction into service. Chapters cover operations in Korea, Vietnam, the Cuban Crisis and in Europe during the Cold War years. Many first-hand accounts from pilots are included and the author's own experiences with the aircraft are given with fascinating insight.

The Voodoo was an elegant, mean-looking fighting machine that epitomized fast flying in the fifties and sixties. It continues to be a revered airplane. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

VooDoo Warrior Review
Great book on the hero warriors of our military that protected the USA during the cold war. They flew the F101 fighter-bomber aircraft. My brother-in-law was a US Air Force VOODOO Warrior.

Putting the pieces together
My father was a voodoo pilot, and included in this book. As a child I heard so many of these names, places and terms. This book has filled in so many of the blanks! I finally have an understanding of what my father did. So many questions are answered and seeing how my father figured into this and the bigger picture - beyond our family life. I am grateful to the author. My father would've loved this book.

Alone, Unarmed, and Unafraid!
Two recce Voodoos raced toward the heavily defended Than Hoa Bridge -- Five Thuds had already been lost trying to take it out.

As they put the Bay of Tonkin behind them, worsening weather had driven the pair of RF-101s down from 500 to 200 ft. "Then all hell broke loose, the North Vietnamese opening up with all they had as the Voodoos scythed their way through the weeds at more than 500 knots."

Somehow, both Voodoos escaped without damage and returned to base with photos showing the bridge was still intact.

McDonnell Aircraft Corporation had indeed designed a strong, versatile jet, for the Voodoo had been originally conceived 21 years earlier as a SAC multi-role long-range bomber escort fighter.

The long-lived Voodoo was cast in three distinct missions over its operational life.In 1955, the Air Force recognized that the adaptable Voodoo was perfect for tactical recon.Gun and ammunition boxes were removed and a lengthened nose housing cameras installed -- the RF-101 was born.

The same year, the two-seat F-101 bomber interceptor was conceived.By 1957, the ADC and RCAF F-101Bs, armed with 2 Genie air-to-air rockets and 2 Falcon air-to-air mssiles were defending North America.Incredibly, each Genie rocket had a 1.5 kiloton atomic warhead!

Based in Suffolk County, England, beginning in 1957, the F-101, using its great acceleration, speed, and range, was cast in the tactical low-level nuclear bomber role.

Group Captain Nigel J.R. Walpole, RAF, is the author of "Voodoo Warriors." A jet fighter pilot himself, he took part in the 1960 USAF/RAF exchange tour, flying RF-101s out of Shaw Air Force Base.

Mr. Walpole covers lifestyles, personalities, training, innovations, deployments, evolving tactics and important operations, informing and entertaining the reader in an anecdotal style.The book contains a multitude of photographs, flying stories, interesting characters, funny episodes and humorous predicaments.

Flight Lieutenant Walpole successfully completed his first high level photo mission over the Nevada Test Range.After checking his photos, the intelligence staff ordered a round of beers to celebrate the coming end of Walpole's succssful visit."In fact it ended almost immediately when a senior person from Nellis, invited to view the results of the mission, was aghast to see that it had been flown by a 'foreigner' without the necessary clearances to fly over a most secret area."Flight Lieutenant Walpole was "ordered back to Shaw forthwith..."

On the more serious side, the author relates how many good men were lost flying the Voodoo.

Part One, "Cold War Contingencies," beginning with the 1958 deployment of cold war Voodoos, covers overseas operations in North Africa, Europe, Taiwan, and Japan.These chapters follow the refining of the Voodoos' mission, joint training of crews, and building NATO experience by executing overseas deployments with other air forces.

Later, in Part Two, "Conflict," the battle-ready Voodoo squadrons take part in the tense RF-101 photo reconnaissance operations during the Cuban missile crisis.

The "mother lode" of the book are the eight chapters dedicated to all aspects of the escalating and evolving Voodoo operations in South East Asia during the Vietnam War, including special coverage of the "Hanoi Hilton" prison camp.

In Part Three, "Commitment," the author salutes the valuable support crews of recce squadrons stationed in South East Asia that tirelessly processed the film, and maintained the aircraft.

Mr. Walpole pays tribute to the veteran Voodoo crews by sharing photos of various unit reunions as well as pictures of retired Voodoo aircraft on public display, in Part Four, "Commemoration."

Great book on a great airplane!
It is fortunate that Nigel Walpole overcame his initial reluctance to write Voodoo Warriors because he thought himself unqualified, for he has written a great story about a fascinating airplane.

This is not a book about an airplane in the sense of a technical treatise like Aerofax or Crowood would do. But it tells the story of the F-101 beautifully, and with great detail, through the experiences of its pilots, one of whom is the author himself.

The story moves around the world, going to the various operational areas where the F-101 was based. I got a greater knowledge of the role Voodoo nuclear armed fighters would have played in the event of a war in Europe than I ever had before. Their mission would have been most probably a "one-way ticket to hell", and the bravery of their pilots is not difficult to appreciate.

Less space is devoted to the F-101B two-seat interceptor, which is the version that I saw here in the US at various times. Properly, the greater part of the book deals with the photo reconnaissance versions and operations in Southeast Asia, where the Voodoo gained its greatest fame, but at a great cost in good pilot's lives.

The F-101 has been a lesser known "Century" series US fighter, somewhat overshadowed by the F-100, F-104, F-105, and perhaps less so by the F-106. After reading this book, one gets a different perspective on this very interesting aircraft, it really is the "One-O-Wonder"!

I'm looking forward to reading more by Nigel Walpole. ... Read more

Product Description
You've tried blind dates, online mates, tête-à-têtes, and waiting for fate. Maybe it's time to add a little Voodoo power to your quest for red-hot romance or lasting love.

With its emphasis on love and freedom, the passionate spiritual practice of Voodoo has much to offer those seeking romance. In Va-Va-Voodoo, author Kathleen Charlotte provides a unique and potent blend of Voodoo magic (or wanga) and relationship expertise.  

You'll meet a few of Voodoo's most helpful spirits in matters of love and happiness-Erzulie, Ogoun, La Sirène, Baron, and Legba-and learn how to work with their energy to attract a lover, find "the one," keep a relationship steamy, or recover from heartbreak. Along with down-to-earth relationship tips on communication, self-esteem, intimacy, sex, break-ups, and forgiveness, Va-Va-Voodoo includes a colorful array of tried-and-true Voodoo magical wisdom and spells, including:

• Honey pot magic  • Love rituals  • Herbal aphrodisiacs
•  Voodoo dreaming baths  •  Pakets and mojos  •  Love dolls
•  Hoodoo love oils  • Footprint magic  • Crossroads magic   

... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Not what I expected
The marketing and idea of this book seemed very harmless at first when I purchased this. The book was a bit more complex and scary than what I was anticipating.

I thought it was going to be more of an herbal and candle magick approach.

This in my opinion is for more experienced practitioners and not for someone who wants to do basic love spells.

The turning off point for me:

I did not expect to deal with or offer voodoo spirits food, it mentioned blood from supermarket meats and things like this for energy for the spirits. This kind of magick ideology made me feel very uneasy. I wanted a more basic book for love magick such as Raymond Bucklands "Practical candle burning rituals" or "Magical rituals for Love" By Donna Rose ( Which is an Awesome small book by the way ). Which, I will stick with from now on. So in summing up, If you feel uneasy about direct communications with spirits and conjuring God only knows what, then pass on this book.

Only those who are experienced and want to communicate with spirits and have them do your bidding should purchase this book.

HOODOO fun
I wasn't expecting much when I picked up this title. The author is a close friend of Ross Heaven who wrote the abortion that is 'Vodou Shaman' and the cover screams tacky.

I was pleasantly surprised to find a range of magical techniques that would be useful to women (and men!) in a variety of love situations.
The contents of this book actually falls distinctly into the hoodoo category in my opinion.
It is hoodoo but with the use of the Lwa - in a very non-trad way. When I say use I mean USE which some practitioners who have spent years building up relationships with their spirits and living vodou may find offensive. I just wish she wouldn't keep asserting that it is 'real voodoo', there is no reglemen here. It might pass in New Orleans but it certainly wouldn't it Haiti.

Contrary to the authors constant assertion that she is giving away huge 'voodoo' secrets, which she most certainly is not, pretty much everything here can be found in print elsewhere - mistakes included.
The idea that the names of plants contain hints as to what they are used for being a big secret..? I'm sorry but you'd have to have been born last week not to have worked that one out.

So to sum up; if you're looking for a book that will tell you anything about 'voodoo' then look elsewhere. If you're looking for a fun look at love magic then this would be a good place to start. ... Read more

Product Description
God in the Haitian Voodoo Religion is an incisive and thoughtful study of this ancient religion and the profound impact it continues to have on the Haitian culture. Derived from Animism and Paganism, Voodoo came to Haiti from Africa with slavery around 1503. Like other religions, it seeks to glorify the Divine and attract His peace on Earth. In this unique work, Jean Joseph Jean offers a clear and candid depiction of an often-misunderstood faith.

Voodoo in Haiti has been influenced by Catholicism, the predominate faith of the slave owners. Its traditions continue to be maintained primarily by the peasants, but it is an integral part of the culture as a whole. The essential spirituality and the intriguing blend of culture and history that is reflected in the modern practice of the faith are integral to the study of God in the Haitian Voodoo Religion. ... Read more

Product Description
Dream Park, the ultimate in amusement parks, was about to embark on the greatest Game ever: the California Voodoo Game. Across the world bets were being placed; fortunes and reputations hung in the balance. Gaming careers would be made--or destroyed. And the most advanced software package ever invented was going to be tested.
But one of the players was a murderer--and worse. Only Alex Griffin, head of Dream Park Security, and Game Master Tony McWhirter guessed the extent of the treachery tainting the Game. Somehow, they had to catch the killer--but above all, the Game must go on.... ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Shameless escapism (& happily timeless)
On a personal note on the progression of time, I remember picking up my copy of The California Voodoo Game from the second-hand section of Rainy Day Books (Fairway, Kansas) and reading it while my mom was at work. I was, at most, 13.

This was the first book I ever read in the Dream Park series - and it lead to some pretty wild speculation about my own future career. Somehow I parlayed my skills at math (awesome) and tennis (not so hot) to become a fearsome warrior the likes of which the world had never seen... Two decades later, I suck at math, Rainy Day Books is on Twitter and The California Voodoo Game is as wildly entertaining as ever.

First published in 1992, The California Voodoo Game is the third and final book in Niven and Barnes' Dream Park series. The overriding premise is that, in the 2050s, the ultimate spectator sport is Live Action Role Playing (LARP). The geeks have successfully inherited the earth.

"Gaming" is a combination of physical skill, strategy and some pretty phenomenal holographic technology. Players wear special lenses that let them "see" things based on their character's powers and skills. Holographic special effects abound, but there's also a lot of climbing around, leaping off of things and whacking at props with foam-rubber blades.

The lion's share of the trilogies entertainment value comes out of these scenes. Not just watching the characters crawl around being chased by tentacle-monsters, but also seeing how those tentacle-monsters were brought to life. The California Voodoo Game goes a step further than the other two books in the series: the teams in the Game are competing against one another - something like the SuperBowl of Swords n' Sorcery.

If there's a flaw in the series, it is the heart-on-its-sleeve charge to promote LARPing. My 13-year-old self may have glided past the heavy-handed messaging in search of more action (or the sex scenes), but my 30 year-old self didn't. Like with Piers Anthony's Killobyte, the authors of the Dream Park series aren't happy to let an entertaining concept sell itself. Showing that fantasy/sport sword-gaming will be COMPLETELY AWESOME is a very easy pitch. Showing LARPing as the means to send people to Mars, get nerds laid and end terrorist conflicts... that's over-egging it.

More skillfully done, each of the novels combines a murder mystery with a Game. Although using a Game to cure eating disorders is a stretch (seriously, that's book two), the combination of fantasy escapism & professional sporting is a fantastic foundation for intrigue. The California Voodoo Game is a particularly well-crafted mystery - the reader knows whodunnit from the early pages (hell, everyone does) - but the "why" is a tangled mystery that isn't revealed until the very end.

Of the three books in the Dream Park series, Voodoo is perhaps the most entertaining - but also has the weakest characters of the lot. The series protagonist, Alex Griffin (the theme park's head of security) is almost a background character. A host of other characters return from the first book in the series, including the man-eating Acacia Garcia (don't worry, man-geeks, she's swiftly put back in her place).

If anyone shines through, it is Nigel Bishop, the book's villain. A recently-reinstated Gaming legend, Bishop literally wrote the book on Game strategy. A villain and a genius, the majority of the book is spend with his intellectual inferiors (the good guys) trying to figure out what he's doing. He's also a gourmet chef, a ninja warrior, an umpteenth-level wizard and a tiger in the sack. If it weren't for his sociopathic tendencies, he'd be a fantasy reader's aspiration. As it is, he's still the most compelling character in the book.

Although it is indefensibly cheesy, The California Voodoo Game is now even more entertaining than ever.It is also a two-decades old, charmingly optimistic look at a geektopia future, where nerds of all descriptions have come up with a way to be publicly lauded for their geekery. It is an undeniably appealing future - and that's part of the book's escapist appeal.

Plenty of action and strategy in the Game and out
Alex Griffin is back as the intrepid Chief of Security at the theme park of tomorrow, where the adventures are scripted but the gamers are on their own.Welcome back to Dream Park - Niven and Barnes' not-so-futuristic getaway resort, where a combination of animatronics, live actors, holograms, and computer-aided design allows well-heeled patrons to participate in the fantasy adventure of a lifetime.Once again there's been a murder at Dream Park, and once again one of the gamers must be the culprit, so once again Griffin has to join the game to try and identify the killer.

You don't need to read the other books to enjoy this bi-leveled adventure-ride, although it might be best to read Dream Park first to get to know the characters better.As the title suggests, this time around the game deals with a uniquely Californian brand of voodoo, but Griffin has his hands full keeping his eye on the five competing teams of fanatical gamers who seem willing to go to any length to win.As in the previous novels, the Game really steals the show, so this book is recommended for gamers more than for sci-fi readers, who won't find much in the way of scientific innovation here.But there's plenty of action and strategy both in and out of the Game, so despite the feeling that we've seen it all before, this may be the best of the three Dream Park novels.This volume's mystery gets a much neater resolution than that of the original novel, while the book as a whole possesses considerably more meat than the lightweight Barsoom Project.

Not Free SF Reader
Again, a murder is committed in Dream Park, and this time the deceased is Alex Griffin's girlfriend. That was probably a mistake.

The California Voodoo Game is massive, involving several teams of top class players, and five Gamemasters, including Tony McWhirter.

Griffin again has to join the game, but this time as a NPC guide. Eventually they discover a complicated, very clever game of industrial espionage is being played within the Voodoo Game itself.

Not as good as the original
If you're already a fan of Dream Park, this is a decent read.Don't expect it to be as good as the original, but it's worth the cost for a light, entertaining read.

That Voodoo That They Do
This second followup to the cult hit "Dream Park" is not as good as its inspiration, but is mounds better than its predecessor, "The Barsoom Project".I'll save my Barsoom bashing for another review, though, and just talk about "The California Voodoo Game" in this one.

This novel has everything that was good about "Dream Park", but still manages to be a tedious, less interesting version of the original.Most of the familiar characters are back, Griffin, the tough-as-nails Security Chief with the heart of gold, Acacia Garcia, the tough-as-nails gamer with the squishy insides, Tony McWhirter, the hacker criminal made good.They're all tossed into the Dream park salad to play a game called "California Voodoo", which would be fine if not for the fact that - DUN DUN DUUUUUUUUUHHHH - someone get's murdered before the game and the Dream Park staff must infiltrate the game in order to catch the killer without setting off the alarms, spooking the gamers or losing their merchandising rights.

Just like the other two novels.

Sadly, this outing picks up a little of the creaky, world-weariness of the second book and keeps none of the rollicking, out and out fun of the first.The concept of Voodoo magick played out in a gigantic, ruined building is at once interesting and limiting.The authors, for all their bibliographic citations, show only a rudimentary understanding of vodoun and its many variations.The random appearance of loa is distracting and confusing.

The thing that was most fun about "Dream Park" was the fact that Griffin had to join a game as a player and track his prey from under cover; this meant the reader got to experience the game much as the players did.Here, the real focus is on the investigation.Too much takes place outside the game, too little explanation goes into the game and the authors don't really support the world they've created within the walls of Dream Park.

Frankly, the mystery just isn't that compelling.While the outcome may have cost Dream Park's parent company a ton of dough, I just didn't care.While the villain had murdered someone in the beginning of the book, I just didn't care about the victim or the methods used to catch the killer.What I DID care about was The Game.And there just wasn't enough game to go around.

The writing duo's prose this time around is more accessible than in The Barsoom Project and those reading the series for the first time will not be too disappointed to finish here instead of there.But overall, the magic feels like it's gone. ... Read more

Product Description

Pierrot Barra and his wife Marie Cassaise are the most astonishing artists that the author of this fascinating book has encountered in more than a decade of researching Vodou in Haiti. He discovered them deep in the ramshackle Iron Market of downtown Port-au-Prince where they make and sell what he considers to be the most original Vodou art in the world.

Donald J. Cosentino is chair of the folklore program at UCLA and editor of African Arts magazine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good overview of the artworks by Barra and Cassaise
While this is not by any means a complete overview of the artwork, it is a very good introduction andstarting point, especially visually.However, the text itself, while well written, can be confusing especially for the reader not familiar with a number of the terms used in Voudun and the aspects of the loa.Still, this is a slim, hardback volume worth having for Barra and Cassaise are wonderful artists. ... Read more

Product Description
"The ceremony of substitution, when it came, was pure effective magic of a potency which I have never seen equaled in Dervish monastery or anywhere. The goat and the girl, side by side before the altar, had been startled, restive, nervous. The smell of blood was in the air, but there was more than that hovering; it was the eternal, mysterious odor of death itself which both animals and human beings always sense, but not through, the nostrils. Yet now the two who were about to die mysteriously merged, the girl symbolically and the beast with a knife in its throat, were docile and entranced, were like automatons. The papaloi monotonously chanting, endlessly repeating, 'Damballa calls you,' stood facing the altar with his arms outstretched above their heads. The girl was now on her hands and knees in the attitude of a quadruped, directly facing the goat, so that their heads and eyes were in a level, less than ten inches apart, and thus they stared fixedly into each other's eyes, while the papaloi's hands weaved slowly, ceaselessly above their foreheads, the forehead of the girl and the forehead of the horned beast, each wound with red ribbons, each already marked with the blood of a white dove. By shifting slightly I could see the big, wide, pale-blue, staring eyes of the goat, and the big, black, staring eyes of the girl, and I could have almost sworn that the black eyes were gradually, mysteriously becoming those of a dumb beast, while a human soul was beginning to peer out through the blue. But dismiss that, and still I tell you that pure magic was here at work, that something very real and fearful was occurring. ... Read more

Product Description
Amazing historical novel about a leggless woman named Mamie.

Charleston's most bizarre street vendor, Mamie, plied her trade for perhaps fifty years without missing a beat.She had no legs, yet triumphed over every obstacle. Read more; ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Heart Wrenching Novel!!
From the moment you open this book you are captured by the characters. You become one with them as they take their awesome journey through life. Through Ms. Bowles amazing talent for character description you can see the characters clearly in your mind. You can laugh with them and cry with them.What a wonderful talent Ms.Bowles possesses to be able to put you in the book with all the awsome people that abide there.

Highly recommended.
Written by veteran teacher Elizabeth Bowles, Mamie and the Root Woman is a novel based on the true story of a young girl who was almost murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. In 1879, years after the Civil War, the Klan murders fifteen-year-old Mamie's mother and severs Mamie's legs. Yet with the help of the mysterious voodoo practitioner Root Woman and a repentant former Klansman, Mamie gradually heals, makes her way to Charleston, and discovers a surprising new life. Mamie and the Root Woman is a profound story of connections, recovery from inhuman treatment, and finding the inner strength to withstand life's seemingly unbearable challenges. Highly recommended.

Enthralling
A very moving, very eye-opening book.Readers are transported to a different time and yet the spirited characters and their struggles are, in a way, timeless.It's been a long time since a story this beautiful and this original has been put into print.

Great first novel
Elizabeth Bowles has done some serious research for this book. The dialogue between the characters makes you feel as if you are actually hearing these people speak. She has tackled a most unusual topic with the subject matter of the novel, yet once you start reading, you can't put the book down until the end. It is certainly different from any book out there today.

The South, Voodoo, Racial Relationships
Mamie, a young black woman, loses her legs at the hands of terrorism inflicted by the Klu Klux Klan.After the incident Mamie is nursed back to health by Root Woman, who specializes in herbs and voodoo.Set in the deep south, this book deals with the relationships within the town, including a forbidden love story between a white man and a black woman at a time when this was not acceptable. You can tell the author has done some serious research into the subjects covered. In addition, though, the story line makes you want to keep reading. If these are topics that interest you, you will want to get this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Offers a jambalaya of UNIX tips, tricks, and shortcuts, employing a topically arranged, indexed collection that covers installation and system configuration, shells, multitasking, interoperability and networking, and more. Original. (Intermediate). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Tries to be cute
By now looking at the published date you can tell this book is a tad dated. However the information in it is sound and still applicable to today's environment.

I am afraid that this is one of those books that nobody likes because if you already know the information them the book is too basic. If you do not know the information the book is too confusing. Voodoo is a prefect title for the book as it tells you a lot of tips and tricks without the bother to tell you the theory or the extension of what you have learned.

I have to admit that I learned a couple of things from the book. However it is not worth spending the time and money on those items that I would have probably found eventually.
... Read more