Hoodoo (African Spirituality Beliefs and Practices Book 1)

I had high hopes fo this little tome, but sadly it misses the mark. It pulls techniques from Hoodoo and appropriates them into a Wiccan format. That alone makes me feel a bit icky about the text, as pulling techniques and beliefs out of context for sake of using them sans any context or understanding is not cool.Was hoping for a short but semi-in depth discussion about the African American Hoodoo tradition and its practices/cultural context, and instead it reads like a Wiccan-style/neo-Pagan style grimoire. Which is fine I guess if that's what you're into, but I'm not.Not every earth based spiritual practice is Neo-Pagan, Wiccan, or Indigenous. Not every alternative spirituality practitioner is a witch or new ager. (Not that there is anything wrong with being any of those! There isn't!). I was just hoping for this book to be a breath of fresh air and a discussion of the system of Hoodoo; but instead, while interesting, it felt appropriative of the Hoodoo tradition. And the content was pulled fully from its true cultural context and turned into straight decontextualized if/then type spellcraft. Might be great for some folks, but my interest is learning about the historical and cultural context of Hoodoo, not just to pull some techniques out of the system and try to make them work in an unrelated context.

The book gives you some very basic information on Hoodoo, which is what I was looking for. But I am left with many questions as there are a lot of gaps. Also there are too many grammar issues not to mention it. Once she began referring to a mojo bag as a mojo hsnd, which was very confusing. Even though the book was only $3, if I had previewed it I would not have bought it.

I like that she utilized layman terms, but also kept the vernacular that early Hoodoo-ist may have utilized. This book will be added to my Hoodoo Grail.

These books are quick and to the point. They are shorts. Great for beginners and as brief refresher. I’m loving what I’ve read so far. I just wish I could buy them as a set rather then each one individually. I want to finish this series and I’ve looked at others. I doubt I’ll go into the others since they are the same of many books but not offered as a set. That’s my only complaint. The book itself is really good to me. I’ve read 3 so far.

I am still reading this book, but with all the careful detail that went into this book, I am making sure to take my time and take notes! This author has SO many books helping people on their journey! I love people who are willing to share their wealth of knowledge!

I enjoyed reading this book. It was short, informative and enlightening. The focus was kept, on topics and concerns most people deal with daily, and away, from Negative connotations, on Hoodoo. That, many people are taught to fear. If, in the future, this author needs an Editor/Proofreader, for a single work, I'd like to offer My Services. Thanks Monique, for sharing your knowledge with us.

This book gets a 4 star rating because it's a great resource for anyone looking to learn more about a misunderstood aspect of African American culture. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in African American studies.

It's a bit puzzling why a book about Hoodoo is part of a "Wiccan series." There certainly are some practitioners who combine them, but Hoodoo and Wicca are not related to each other. They are completely distinct from each other. These days, more traditional root doctors are becoming very concerned about the "Wiccanization" of Hoodoo in books on the subject. That's not to put down the Wicca tradition at all, but the authentic Hoodoo tradition is getting watered down by it.