The Serpent and the Rainbow

Very interesting account of the Haitian zombie phenomenon. Highly recommended

I bought this book because I am actually working on a book of my own on zombies. I had seen the movie on numerous occasions but I had always heard of Davis' contempt towards the movie and had often wondered what about the book was so much different and I have to say that this is another example of how Hollywood should just leave books alone... This is one of those books that I don't have the words to describe that would really do it justice... The thing to keep in mind when reading this is that this all true (according to the author at least)and that aside from Davis' accounts about Voodoo zombiism there are numerous other sources that explain the phenomenon in much the same way. I recommend that everyone read this particularly if you are a fan of all things zombies!

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.

YOU COULD GO TO THE TRAVEL AGENTS AND BOOK YOURSELF ON A FLIGHT TO SOME MICKEY MOUSE STYLE FUN PARK THATS ALREADY GETTING OUTDATED AND RUSTY AFTER 15 YEARS, HOWEVER IF YOU TRAVEL BY 'WADE DAVIS AIR' YOU WILL FIND LOCATIONS, SETTINGS, AND STORIES THAT YOU WOULD SAY ARE DEFINTELY NOT OF THIS WORLD. I HAD NEVER READ ANYTHING LINKED WITH THE VOODOUN RELIGION BEFORE, OR GIVEN IT MUCH THOUGHT OTHER THAN ITS SOME FARSICAL STAGESHOW, PUT ON BY CLEVER ILLUSIONISTS OF THE UNCIVILISED WORLD. WADE DAVIES TOOK ME BY THE HAND AND INTRODUCED ME TO THESE PEOPLE, AND THEIR WAYS. HIS BLEND OF ANALYSIS AND STORY TELLING LEFT ME WITH LITTLE DOUBT THAT WHAT THIS MAN HAS SEEN IS A DIFFERENT REALITY, A REALITY WHICH WE HAVE BEEN CONVINCED TO OVERLOOK, AND DISMISS AS RUBBISH. ITS TIME TO OPEN OUR EYES, AND THIS BOOK HAS INSTILLED ME WITH THAT BELIEF.THE ONLY BAD THING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS THAT IT ENDS!

Written by an ethnobotanist (a combination of a botanist and an anthropologist), this book focuses on Haiti, the secret societies within Haiti, and of course, the psychological and scientific means of making a zombie. No, Wade Davis doesn't come out and say, to make a zombie, do this, this, and this. Instead, he uses reason and logic to track down the actual processes, both social and psychological, that lead to the Haitian people's tendency to believe in them. As it's written by a scientist, the focus on Haiti's past and culture should be more expected than a flat out 'Indiana Jones goes to the tropics'. For those who've seen the movie: no, he doesn't get zombie poison blown in his face. No, he doesn't get buried alive. No, he doesn't get harassed by a corrupt police chief who cuts off peoples' heads. It's pretty down to earth. For those really interested in Haitian culture and, to some extent, voodoo, this is a perfect book to read. If you want adventure, rent the movie.

Davis's book is a joy to read. It is very well written, combining both hard scientific fact with mystery and high adventure. It reads like a novel and provides an excellent background on Haitian culture and the anthropology of voodoo. I object to Davis's relativistic stance that magical and scientific thought are in some sense equally valid and that we are culturally conditioned to accept one or the other. But the science is there (after all, it was Davis who cracked the medical mystery of zombification), and his respect for the the theology of voodoo helps make his account personal and lively. I recommend it highly.