As a Northern black kid raised by Southern black parents, I recommend this book to people raised like me. It answers about as many questions as it raises.

Being of a Western mindset, I eventually gave up ever trying to find some way to make voudou more accessable to me. I may be African-American, but I'm neither African nor Cuban. Teish's book is primarily about the voudou of New Orleans, which is mixed with Catholicism, Amerind and Western pagan traditions. I think I've found in-road.

Want the story on the woman responsible for modern American Voudou, Man'zelle Marie LaVeau? On the voudou-Catholic connection? On how the Seven African Powers relate to the saints, the planets and the elements? On what is meant by "the devil is beating his wife?" Want to get scared out of making a spirit doll for yourself? How about getting guided away from hexing as a way of life?

This ... is a good book. If you've gotten frustrated when trying to learn about voudou, this is a great place to start.

This is a window into the heart and mind of an African Goddess worshiper that I think all lovers of the Goddess, Wiccan or otherwise will greatly appreciate.

A must read.

From the Plateye, mischievous ghost who roam the earth changing shape and identity for deadly self-serving purposes, to the mysterious Udu pots that preserve, and don't forget Uncle Monday who steals souls...or Anansi, a trickster god disguised as an eight legged, wrinkled face spider, these conjured anomalies float through the pages of Mojo to form exquisite stories of characters performing self-serving magic. This anthology mixes modern fantasy with magic folklore and voodoo curses, the result being eerie and mysterious tales that spread your imagination and prickle the back of your neck.

Hopkins assembled an impressive reticulation of great writers. Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due, Barbara Hambly, and Marcia Douglas are just a few of the talented contributors. Barth Anderson's "Lark Till Dawn Princess" was the most intriguing to me. It was more mystery than mojo, and told of singing & performances in the alternative drag queen world. You'll love the point of view. Gregory Frost's "The Prowl" was among the cleverest because it is an explosive snatch of black history spun on vengeance. Denise Aminoff had the most daring and disturbing story. It reminded me of an early episode of the X-files.

If you enjoy the unknown, the far-reaching, and don't mind stretching beyond the familiar parameters of belief, you'll enjoy these conjure stories.

Reviewed by KaTrina Love (MissLove)
The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

This is a diverse collection in that it traverses time to provide stories from the slave ships, the antebellum South, the Jim Crow era, the 1960's and even present day. Some stories are rooted in folklore, e.g. Andy Duncan's "Daddy Mention and the Monday Skull", while others address moral and societal issues such as incest, revenge, love, lust, and greed. One of my favorites is Barbara Hambly's "The Horsemen and The Morning Star" in which plantation slaves garner strength and call upon their ancestor's gods to ride their weary backs to fight the master's resurrection of the devil to save one of their own. Jarla Tangh's "The Skinned" references the recent Rowandan tragedy and delivers a powerful message against the backdrop of the modern American inner city. Another noteworthy mention is Jenise Aminoff's "Fate" in which a mother with the gift of sight tries desperately to alter her son's destiny and pays a high price in the end.

This reviewer found some stories a bit more challenging to follow than others, but believes there is enough variety in subject matter and writing style to satisfy even the most critical reader. This book covered multiple dimensions of conjuring: from using black magic to control spirits, outwitting the tricksters, initiating curses, belief in shape-shifting to the making and manipulation of zombies. It was an engaging and interesting read about a mystical and magical heritage. One can surely gain hours of reading pleasure with this book.

Phyllis
APOOO BookClub

One note of caution, some of the exercises tended to get me reminiscing about every dreary thing that ever happened to me. Writing for therapy leads inward and can mire me in self-pity. It may be healing, but creativity expects you to move beyond the pathos and into a larger world where it is the therapy itself.