Showing Vodou Visions: An Encounter with Divine Mystery by Sallie Ann Glassman

Like many native religions, Vodou (often referred to as "Voodoo") has been scorned and ridiculed in mainstream Judaeo-Christian communities. "The word 'Voduo' sends chills down the spines of most people, and conjures up age-old terrors of sorcery, black magic and bogeymen lurking under the bed," writes Sallie Ann Glassman author of New Orleans Voodoo Tarot/Book and Card Set. This enticing compendium on the origins and practice of Voduo makes for a fascinating read, explaining how music, dance and artistic expression are the heart and soul of this complicated religion. "What I discovered was a vibrant, beautiful and ecstatic religion that was free from dogma, guilt or coercion," says Glassman, a thoughtful and articulate Jewish woman who first began studying New Orleans Voduo in 1975.

Its sophisticated spiritual philosophy has absorbed rituals from every place it has entered. The dances and customs of French Colonial New Orleans mix with the Native American Indians' use of rattles and cornmeal. Yet many of its numerous magical deities come from the West Coast of Africa, where Voduo originated. It is now reported to have 50 million followers worldwide, but with compelling invitations such as this one, it is bound to attract many more converts. --Gail Hudson