The Serpent and the Rainbow [MM0053]

1987 MMPB with just minor wear and tanned text pages. A scientific investigation and personal adventure story about zombis and the voudoun culture of Haiti by a Harvard scientist. 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.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Having read most of Wade Davis' books, I'm obviously a fan. I do, however, find some parts of this one a little fantastical and aggrandizing in a way that detracts from the subject matter. That said, I still enjoyed it quite a bit."; "A fascinating blend of scientific travelogue and psychological thriller that attempts to provide a biological explanation for the zombification process in Haiti. Davis's writing is evocative and immersive, successfully transporting the reader into the heart of Haitian culture and the complexities of the Vodou religion. By framing his journey as a quest for a specific pharmacological powder, he creates a narrative drive that makes dense subjects like botany and anthropology feel accessible and exciting. It is a provocative read for anyone interested in the power of culture to shape human physiology."; "An anthropological history journey that is so much like fiction it's mind blowing. Magic in reality, cultural insight & dark corners of the surreal in the efforts of scientific exploration & understanding. Such a crazy read. Recommended!"