Booknote: Justice Howard's Voodoo

Justice Howard and Bloody Mary, Justice Howard's Voodoo: Conjure and Sacrifice. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2018. ISBN: 9780764355189.

 

Genre: arts and photography

Subgenre: Voodoo, New Orleans, religion

Format: e-book galley

Source: NetGalley

 

I knew little of Justice Howard and her photography work, but I was intrigued by this book, so I picked it up. The book showcases her photography with writing on various Voodoo topics by Ms. Bloody Mary. 

The book is arranged as follows: 

• Foreword by John Gilmore. 
• Preface.
• Introduction by Bloody Mary.
• 18 short chapters or sections on Voodoo. Topics include Papa Legba, Snakes, Marie Laveau, Voodoo dolls, and Ogoun.
• Bibliography.

At 96 pages or so, this is a very superficial book. You get a brief overview on each topic, just enough to whet the appetite. It may make you want to read more, and that can be a good thing. However, the bibliography is extremely minimal with just three works by Bloody Mary. If you want to learn more, maybe a visit to your local library is a good idea. Still, the short passages are interesting to read, and they have a nice evocative quality that may make you feel like you are in New Orleans at night.

The strength and highlight of the book is the photographs. The photos are very well, colorful, evocative. These images invite you to come closer and take a deeper look. I do wish some of the photos had a small label or subtitle as I can't always tell what concept or topic they may represent. Still, the photos are great and a good reason to get this book.

Overall I really liked this one, and I think it's worth a look. 

4 out of 5 stars.   

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Additional reading notes: 

Do what you want: 

"You do what you want and if you do it with all you are in the time you've got to do it in, as a Zuni shaman told me, you're doing the thing that's next to God and you couldn't ask for one iota more" (7).

 

On the photos, yes, the artifacts are real: 

"This photo series houses real bones and Voodoo relics. The skulls featured are also real human skulls originally used in Santeria rituals. All of the animal remains, like the pig's heads, are real. The models are also real and I handpicked and styled them for the photos you see before you" (8).

Reason for the introduction and book: 

"I write this introduction to invite you to meditate on Justice Howard's art without preconception or judgment. Let it flow through you. I also dare you to delve deeper into the true studies on ancient religions  that need to be experienced to be understood and have never depended on the written word. I challenge you to look through the shock and chaos to find the beauty and, dare I say, purity of the art before you; and I invite you to question your own beliefs and motives when you approach Voodoo, to open the way for justice" (12).

Voodoo as oldest religion, at least to some: 

"Many scholars believe Voodoo to be the world's oldest religion. Its ancient African lineage goes way back, as far as man itself. Voodoo traveled to the new worlds with the slave trade, Voodoo is a survivor religion. Voodoo is a danced religion. It learned much upon its journey. I hope you that you learn much on yours" (13). 

 

More on Voodoo the religion: 

"The truth is that Voodoo is a religion, a philosophy, and a way of life for millions around the world. There are as many varieties of Voodoo as there are of Christianity, and they are all valid in their theory. New Orleans Voodoo is her own tradition, as are Haitian Voodoo, Dominican Vudu (Las 21 Divisions), Brazilian Candomble, Palo, Trinidad Orisha, Santeria, Obeah, and of course the Mother-- African Voodoo" (14). 

 

An observation: 

"Too long have been told what is good and what is evil so people now prefer to search for their own truth" (14). 

 

Bones in Voodoo: 

"Bones are not in Voodoo altars to instill fear or to represent darkness. Bones represent the commonality of death to all man and also solidify life remembered. They tell a story" (68). 

 

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Book qualifies for these 2020 Reading Challenges: 

 

 

ArcApocalypse

 

 

Booknote: Trains

Jennifer B. Bodine, Trains: Photography of A. Aubrey Bodine. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2018. ISBN: 978-0-7643-5493-9. 

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre: art and photography
Format: e-book galley
Source: NetGalley

If you enjoy photography, especially good quality black and white photos, and you like trains, you'll probably like this book. Jennifer Bodine does a labor of love bringing this collection of her father's train photos to life.

So, who was the artist/photographer?

"A. Aubrey Bodine (1906- 1970)-- pictorialist, modernist, and documentarian and newspaper man-- was a Baltimore Sunday Sun feature photographer from 1927- 1970" (introduction). 

In her introduction, the book's author expands on the artist's technique, which was extremely skilled. To appreciate it further, consider this was a time way before any photo editing software existed or even computers. The artist was so good and talented he was honored by both the Photographic Society of America and the National Press Photographers Association; he was the first photographer ever to be honored by both of these societies.

The photos in the book are very beautiful and a pleasure to look at. I saw them on an e-book galley, so I hope they look a lot better in print. Once the photos start after the introduction, text in the book is minimal to allow us to just admire the work.

Overall, I really liked this book. Train buffs may want to consider it for their collections. Libraries with strong photography collections may want to acquire it. For libraries in the artist's geographic area, this is likely a must.

4 out of 5 stars.

Deck Review: The Gaian Tarot

Joanna Powell Colbert, Gaian Tarot: Healing the Earth, Healing Ourselves. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2016. ISBN: 978-0-7643-5062-7.

Here is the WorldCat record.
If you wish to get your copy, here is the publisher page.

Genre: nonfiction
Subgenre; Tarot, divination, spirituality, self-help, card decks
Format: 78-cards deck with paperback guidebook boxed set
Source: I own this one. 

This is a deck I was using recently until I switched decks over for the Halloween season. I admit that I was a bit reluctant to switch decks over because I enjoy using the Gaian Tarot very much. It is a very positive and affirming deck. If you are looking for an uplifting, positive, and light deck, this may be for you.

I have the recent edition published by Schiffer. I understand the deck started out as many other decks do: as an independent deck. Then Llewellyn had it for a while before Schiffer. I have not seen the previous editions, so I can't comment on them. What I can say is that Schiffer has made a very nice package of a very nice deck and book.

Let's start with the book. The kit does include a substantial book, which is arranged as follows:

• Preface
• Major Arcana
• Minor Arcana
• Working with the cards. This section includes a bit on reading cards intuitively, how do to do a daily draw, and a bit on asking questions. It also includes ten card spreads.
• Endnotes
• Bibliography. I found this interesting. In addition to featuring some Tarot classics like works by Mary K. Greer and Rachel Pollack, it includes works on symbols, nature, the Pacific Northwest, and even Clarissa Estes' book Women Who Run With Wolves.

 The book is a softcover volume. The pages on the left corner of the even pages are color coded: blue for Major Arcana, green for Minor Arcana, orange for Working with the cards. This is a small detail that is helpful in flipping through the book. Major Arcana is arranged in conventional order, by which I mean nothing surprising or outlandish. In this deck, Strength is 8, and Justice is 11. Note also that the author used Arabic numerals in the Major Arcana. It is another small detail, but it makes the deck feel modern and a bit more accessible to beginners. The Minor Arcana are arranged by numbers (Aces, Two's, etc.) rather than by element with the court cards after the numbers.

For each Major Arcana card, you get the following:

• Small picture  of the card in full color. This is definitely a nice touch. Other books, if they even include a card illustration, it is often black and white. 
• A text describing the card. 
• A "when you get this card in a reading." Here is the meaning of the card. 
• A "when you read the Shadow side of this card. . . ". This is your reversal. Use it if you read reversals (at this point in my Tarot learning journey, I do not read reversals). I still often glance at this in using the book as I find it interesting. This is also for the folks who do shadow work. 
• A list of themes for the card. 
• A list of the card's symbols with explanations. This is another thing I found helpful and that you rarely see in other decks. 
• A list of journal questions. Use them for journaling or further reflection. I think you can also use them as aide if you hit a blank when interpreting a card. 
• Card's affirmation. This is a favorite feature of mine for this book and deck. 

Minor Arcana pages are a bit leaner. You get first a page or two per number or court card giving you the themes and a text on the numbers and suit in general. Then for each card you get:

• Card description.
• Card's image, still in full color.
• Card meaning ("when you get this card").
• Reversal ("when you read the Shadow side").
• Card's affirmation. 

The Minor Arcana section is not as comprehensive, but then again, that is common for most Tarot handbooks. What you get here is pretty good overall and enough to get you going.

The book is very easy and accessible. Colbert's tone is warm, caring, and comforting. The book is written in plain language. There is nothing overly complicated or esoteric, but do not let that fool you. There is a lot of substance and depth in the book, the cards, and the symbols. For those seeking to study a deck in depth, there is plenty of material to work on.

When I get a new deck that includes a full book (i.e. not just a little white book, or what the Tarotistas call an LWB), I will try to read the book fully at least once and usually before I start using the deck. Some books are better than others. This is one of the better ones due to its ease of reading and tone. It  is a really nice, comfy read. It  has depth but without an academic feel to it. Though keyed to the deck, you could use parts of it to complement your general Tarot study using other decks. Overall, this Tarot's concept is positive, bright, and uplifting, and the book develops and expands on that.

Overall, I really liked the book, so I would give it 4 out of 5 stars.

Next, let's look at the cards. You get a 78-cards deck. Each card measures about 5 3/4 inches by almost four inches. Some folks I have used the cards with for light readings observe they seem to be on the big side; that works well for me. Each card has a painting art image with a whine inner border and a blue outer border; this makes it look a bit like old style photos you stick in an album. The borders do not bother me personally, but I see where folks obsessive about borders may consider trimming the deck. The card stock feels good and light. The card's back design is reversible.

The art on the cards is contemporary and diverse. Much of the art draws from the Pacific Northwest images and setting. The art features people, animals, and plants. People are diverse in terms of appearance and body types. The images are bright and colorful. It is very easy to read the cards intuitively. There are no dark or threatening images. For folks who would like a "gentle" deck, this is definitely a good selection. It was for this reason I recently took the deck with me to do some simple card readings. For folks who may not know what Tarot is or maybe they fear it a bit, this is a warm, basic, friendly deck with modern images that people can relate to. For my personal use, I enjoy its positivity and warmth.

Colbert does change the names in some of the cards. Examples include:

• The Seeker (The Fool)
• The Teacher (The Hierophant)
• Bindweed (The Devil)

 The Court Cards in this deck are:

• Children (Pages)
• Explorers (Knights) 
• Guardians (Queens)
• Elders (Kings)

Note that the court cards in this deck can be  male or female, so yes, a "queen" can be male and "king" can be female. This let's you reflect more on what the court cards do and symbolize rather than just gender.  In fact, studying the court cards in this deck has helped me better understand the court cards in other decks.

Overall, this is a great deck of cards with modern art. It is a good deck for daily use. If you are new to Tarot, this deck may be a good option. If you are looking something different, more light, bright, and comforting, this is also a good option. For me, it is one of the best decks in my growing collection. I am glad to have it, and I hope to keep using it for many years.

5 out of 5 stars for the cards.
5  out of 5 stars for the set overall.

This kit qualifies for the following 2017 Reading Challenges:

Booknote: VHS Video Cover Art

Thomas Hodge, VHS Video Cover Art. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2015. ISBN: 9780764348679.

Genre: Nonfiction
Subgenre: Entertainment, Art and Photography, Vintage, Film and Movies
Format: e-book galley.
Source:  Provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

This book is a trip down memory lane for those who lived through the 1980s and 1990s and rented and/or watched a lot of rental movies in the VHS format. One of my early memories was our father bringing home VHS tapes for us to watch over weekends. I watched a lot of the old Disney movie classics that way. Later when I was older, I could go to the video store on my own, and I could discover all sorts of new and different things. And as the book points out, you often decided on impulse to watch something based on the cover on the VHS tape. The decade of the 80s had quite the variety and weirdness when it came to the movies that came out on VHS. For the many that made the movie theater, many more went straight to VHS. Some of those were good. Others were good in a cheesy way. Others were schlock, so on. Odds are good you could find something you would  like. Then there was the art. I did not realize it at the time, but much of the art was done by some very well known artists, including one or two done by Boris Vallejo. However, even more of the art was done what that great artist-- Mr. or Ms. Unknown. At any rate, the art was great, at times ridiculous, but I would say always amusing.

This book collects a pretty wide selection of VHS cover images from the decade in a broad range of genres. I did find interesting that some of the movies that fall under children videos are not fare many would consider for kids. Thing is I remember watching them as a kid, so go figure. The book is arranged as follows:

• A foreword and an introduction that provide some nice background. For folks who may be too young for the VHS era, this is a good introduction that describes the appeal and fun of these tapes. Yes, there was a time when you had to go out of the home to rent a movie to watch. Also, they note that VHS in a way is having a renaissance, much like vinyl is for records, so collecting these rare movies is becoming a big deal. You may want to buy yourself  cheap old VHS and check out those bargain bins and garage sales for old VHS. 
• The rest of the book is divided by these categories of film: action, horror, sci-fi, comedy, kids, and thriller. 

 You do need to keep in mind that the images in the book are scans of covers from tapes. The quality of the images may vary, and much of it depends on the condition of the film cover. That means you will see some stickers, some covers may be a bit more faded than others, and other aesthetic issues.  This does add to the nostalgia factor a bit as many of us do recall those stickers in the often worn covers of movie rentals. However, for some, it may detract from the reading experience since after all, a I said, they are cover scans. I read this as an e-galley, so I hope the quality of photos would translate better in print.

This is a nice, fun book to leaf through and browse. Once you get past the introductory material, it is basically a matter of looking at the covers. As I read, there were a few films I could think of that did not make it. There were others I was pleased to see that took me back to younger days. I get the impression this book may be a conversation piece as folks talk about films they feel may have been missed or that could have been excluded.

For public libraries, this may be a good selection, especially for older readers who remember these days. Sure, libraries are getting rid of their VHS left and right, but this book may be a nice reminder of the days gone by. Plus, who knows, for some readers, it may inspire them to seek out some of the films featured.

In the end, I really liked this one, so I am giving it 4 out of 5 stars.

This book qualifies for the following 2015 Reading Challenges: