The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Simon & Schuster

	Title: The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic Purchase Item Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster List Price: $15.00 Our Price: $8.46
Customer Reviews:
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Simon & Schuster A Thriller in Real Life
Wade Davis has written a remarkable book here. Although he went to Haiti on a scientific assignment, the story unfolds like a novel. It is absolutely riveting, and you won't be able to put it down. The society of the voodoo culture is all here - all the mystery, the chilling accounts of becoming Zombis, the secret societies, the intrigue. Once you read this book, you will have to read his others. He has an addictive style of writing. I highly recommend "The Serpent and the Rainbow". May Lattanzio Author: Waltz on the Wild Side - An Animal Lover's Journal Amazon Shorts Author - Paradise and The Last Striper http://maylattanzio.blogspot,com/
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Simon & Schuster beyond the B-movie nonsense
Voodoo gets a bad rap in the West. Too often people think of it as something sinister or nefarious; or worse, "primative". Yet as this book clearly illustrates, it's a legitemate religion like any other, with its own particular logic, order and rituals. Probably the most well-known (and least understood) of these rituals is the process of zombification, whereby an individual is brought "back to life" with no will and no identity to toil as a slave. Davis begins his journey to Haiti to uncover the medical/biological basis of zombification, but mixing science, anthropology and history he paints a facinating picture of a country and a culture long ignored and misunderstood. In other words, don't expect Night of the Living Dead-type zombies, or DaVinci Code-esque secret societies - this true account is much deeper and more thought-provoking than the sensationalized nonsense we typically associate with such things. Davis is a very talented writer and his work is both compassionate and well-researched. Yet, at times this book can drag a little and he spends a great deal of time asking questions with obvious answers - hence 4 stars instead of 5. For example, the last seventy-five or so pages where he attempts to uncover why certain people are made into zombies seems pretty self-evident based on earlier sections. Despite the above criticism, this is still a very entertaining and eye-opening book that I would recommend to anyone.
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Simon & Schuster The Destruction Of Eurocentric Myths And Lies
An international best-seller that was published in 10 languages, Harvard ethnobiologist Wade Davis destroys the Eurocentric preconceptions and lies about the nature of zombies and voodoo practices in Haitian culture. Davis weaves his journey with history, customs and beliefs as he seeks to discover the drug compounds and folk preparations for the zombie-making voodoo practices. He befriends a Voudon and the chemicals he finds prove to be of value to the field of anesthesiology. Zombiefication, Davis writes, condemns a law-breaker to eternal slavery and is administered as part of a complex, local judicial system. It is truly eternal damnation. The story is compelling and Davis is successful in making the reader better comprehend and appreciate the rich Haitian heritage and traditions. The book is one of the best I ever read.
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Simon & Schuster Skip the movie, please
Dr. Davis did a great job scientifically speaking about the book. The book is NOTHING like the silly movie in the 1990's. Davis talked vividly about how a "zombie" may be "created". The book also mentions Papa Max Beauvoir who used have the Temple of Yahwe in Washington, D.C. Boy do I miss him (Beauvoir) LAD
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Simon & Schuster Nothing like the movie..two entirely different stories!
After seeing the movie "Serpent and the Rainbow", I sought out the novel to gain a deeper appreciation for what happened to Wade Davis in Haiti. To my surprise, the movie had only about 2% in common with what happened in the book. To my surprise, Wade's actual encounters with the Haitians was mostly friendly and congenial. His life was never threated, he never was interrogated or tortured by the government there. He never had a metal spike nailed into his leg. He was never zombified and resurrected. In fact, he is treated exceptionally well despite the fact that he is there to try to uncover medical secrets of which, if successful, the Haitians would probably never see one penny of reward from. The movie had a lot of suspense, mystery and supernatural occurences. Aside from Wade seeing some ceremonial "possessions",the book does not. Wade is after the Zombi medicine, he is shown how to make it, he returns with a sample and it is verified. End of story, or it should have been. The book should have stopped there. After Wade returns to Haiti to try to see a Zombi resurrected, the text just bogs down in a slow history lesson of Haiti and its secret societies and lacks a climax of any kind. In closing, the book and the movie are two completely different stories, and should be treated as such. I can certainly understand if Wade Davis was upset over his story was taken by Hollywood and made so sensational and untrue! The book has no pictures or even line drawings. It makes extensive use of Haitian vocabulary, but thankfully has a small glossary in the back for reference. It has quite a few scientific terms and medical terminology to describe the actions and chemistry of the Zombi powder. Many of these terms are also in the glossary. It redefines a Zombi as a person who, under the influence of this powder, now lacks the ability to form a thought or initiative. They are used as slaves to work the land. They dont kill or do the evil bidding of some dark master, nor do they eat flesh. People aren't really scared of the Zombis that wander around, they are more afraid of being turned into one. I would really like to know what became of the research that was done of the Zombi powders that Wade brought back for analysis-are their components being used by medicine today? was it a breakthrough? who is profiting from it all? a little follow-up is needed here!
The Serpent and the Rainbow: A Harvard Scientist's Astonishing Journey into the Secret Societies of Haitian Voodoo, Zombis, and Magic by Simon & Schuster Product Description
In April 1982, ethnobotanist Wade Davis arrived in Haiti to investigate two documented cases of zombis -- people who had reappeared in Haitian society years after they had been officially declared dead and had been buried. Drawn into a netherworld of rituals and celebrations, Davis penetrated the vodoun mystique deeply enough to place zombification in its proper context within vodoun culture. In the course of his investigation, Davis came to realize that the story of vodoun is the history of Haiti -- from the African origins of its people to the successful Haitian independence movement, down to the present day, where vodoun culture is, in effect, the government of Haiti's countryside. The Serpent and the Rainbow combines anthropological investigation with a remarkable personal adventure to illuminate and finally explain a phenomenon that has long fascinated Americans.