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A New Orleans Voudou Priestess

The Legend and Reality of Marie Laveau

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A New Orleans Voudou Priestess

By: Carolyn Morrow Long
Narrated by: Ian Eugene Ryan
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About this listen

Against the backdrop of 18th and 19th-century New Orleans, A New Orleans Voudou Priestess: The Legend and Reality of Marie Laveau disentangles the complex threads of the legend surrounding the famous Voudou priestess. According to mysterious, oft-told tales, Laveau was an extraordinary celebrity whose sorcery-fueled influence extended widely from slaves to upper-class whites. Some accounts claim that she led the "orgiastic" Voudou dances in Congo Square and on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, kept a giant snake named Zombi, and was the proprietress of an infamous house of assignation. Though legendary for an unusual combination of spiritual power, beauty, charisma, showmanship, intimidation, and shrewd business sense, she was also known for her kindness and charity, nursing yellow fever victims and ministering to condemned prisoners, and her devotion to the Roman Catholic Church. The true story of Marie Laveau, though considerably less flamboyant than the legend, is equally compelling.In separating verifiable fact from semi-truths and complete fabrication, Long explores the unique social, political, and legal setting in which the lives of Marie Laveau's African and European ancestors became intertwined. Changes in New Orleans engendered by French and Spanish rule, the Louisiana Purchase, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and Jim Crow segregation affected seven generations of Laveau's family, from enslaved great-grandparents of pure African blood to great-grandchildren who were legally classified as white. Simultaneously, Long examines the evolution of New Orleans Voudou, which until recently has been ignored by scholars. The book is published by University Press of Florida.

©2006 Carolyn Morrow Long (P)2011 Redwood Audiobooks
Americas New Orleans Funny France

Critic Reviews

"There are few figures in New Orleans history as alluring as Marie Laveau... a figure who stood at the very nexus of religion, music, commerce, and history, and this fascinating, well-documented volume is the worthy result." ( New Orleans Times-Picayune)

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Loved it, although a little surprising.

Really well researched, incredibly detailed. There were quite a few surprises, not the least of which was the amount of slave buying and selling by Marie and her common law husband. And as it turns out, it wasn’t to emancipate them, it was business.
Also I’d read that her descendants were a black family, but according to the details researched in this book, they became legally white. So this book debunks a lot of beliefs about Marie Laveau. But it’s fascinating for anyone who appreciates detailed history.
I see a lot of complaints about the narrator, I thought he was great.
He has a relaxing voice, and it’s not grating or nasally, like so many narrators on here. I can’t stand high female voices.

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factual, well sourced information

a great read! I'm not sure I took much of it in as there's so much information, thank god the author recaps everything and strings it all together in the final chapter. very interesting and I will definitely be reading it again and hopefully I'll absorb more information next time!

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