Haiti in Focus: a guide to the people, politics and culture
by Charles Arthur.
Published by Interlink Books, New York / Latin America Bureau, London, January 2002.
Price £7.99

In concise, informative chapters, Haiti in Focus looks at the land and people, the history and culture, the economy and society, and the politics of this fascinating country. Plus - tips for travellers and where to go/what to see sections. Written in early-mid 2001.

"There are less than one hundred pages for the author to give enough background and foreground to prepare the visitor. For a book that fits comfortably and lightly in a backpack, Arthur provides a newcomer with sufficient information to get a start, and to have enough facts at hand to begin some questions for old hands." - LeGrace Benson, Journal of Haitian Studies

"For a brief, well-written, inexpensive, up-to-date, and accurate guide to Haiti, I highly recommend Charles Arthur's Haiti in Focus." - Robert Lawless, author of 'Haiti's Bad Press: Origins, Development, and Consequences'.

"You'll be fascinated, impressed, depressed, and delighted with Charles Arthur's succinct introduction to the people, culture, and history of a small nation so very close to U.S. shores and U.S. history, yet so very far from our thoughts. This little book enlightened and amazed students in my class. We all give it a two-thumbs- up! Thanks for giving me and my students exactly what we needed!" - Karen Davis, Head of Humanities, Marygrove College, Detroit.

"Walking on Fire: Haitian Women’s Stories of Survival and Resistance"
by Beverly Bell
Published by Cornell University Press

Beverly Bell’s remarkable book allows thirty-eight Haitian women to speak for themselves. They weave together an inspiring study in resistance and alternative models of power." - Susan Sarandon

"Beverly Bell opens a door that has been closed for much too long. Oppressed beyond imagination, these voices convey sensibility, courage, creativity and power. I am moved at my core." - Margaret Randall

Haiti, noted for poverty and repression, has a long, powerful, and too-often-overlooked history of resistance. Equally powerful and overlooked has been the role of women within that resistance.

Walking on Fire brings together thirty-eight oral histories from a diverse group of Haitian women. The narrators include, for example, a former prime minister, an illiterate poet, and a vodou dancer. Together they tell the untold story of how Haiti's poor and dispossessed have - despite all odds staked out the survival of their human integrity, community, political voice, and democracy. They combine theory with case studies of resistance, gender, and power. Their narratives, and the accompanying analysis, recount how their acts have collectively changed the balance of political and social power in Haiti.

"The Book of Vodou"
by Leah Gordon
Published by Barron's Educational Series.
ISBN 0-7641-5249-1
Price £10.50



'The Book of Vodou' is an engaging and colourful introduction to the much maligned Haitian religion. Illustrated by a combination of documentary photographs and fascinating art works, artifacts and sacred objects, the book provides an overview of the intricate ceremonies and rituals that make up the practice of Vodou. The religion has a pantheon of spirits who reign over different aspects of life, each with their own identity, ritualistic objects, songs and dances. A large part of the book is devoted to a captivating guide to the dominant spirits, tracing their characters and symbols, and relating their stories, songs and myths. This book is an attractive and accessible precursor to any in-depth study of Haitian culture.

Publisher's description: Vodou is magic. But it's also much more! It's a religion of charms and rituals intended to empower life and bring good fortune to those who practice it. Vodou is a deeply spiritual and visually dazzling religion encompassing rituals, songs, and dances evoking spirits that believers recognize as part of nature. This engrossing account traces its origins in Africa to its full development in the West Indies island of Haiti. It also presents ways readers can use Vodou to enrich their own lives in terms of love, luck, and prosperity. The Book of Vodou covers all-important aspects of its intriguing subject, and brings many Vodou spirits fully alive with vivid, often humorous descriptions. Readers learn how to build their own magic altar and invoke Vodou spirits, how to make charms and amulets, and how to work spells and read signs of divination. More than 120 full-color illustrations.