Discover new selections
$2.99

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Tony Kail
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

A Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo: Rootworkers, Conjurers, & Spirituals (American Heritage) Kindle Edition

by Tony Kail (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.7 out of 5 stars 107 ratings
“Reveals the stories and legends of conjurers and healers from the arrival of African slaves on Memphis plantations to blues musicians on Beale Street.” —Preston Lauterbach, author of Beale Street Dynasty
 
Widely known for its musical influence, Beale Street was also once a hub for Hoodoo culture. Many blues icons, such as Big Memphis Ma Rainey and Sonny Boy Williamson, dabbled in the mysterious tradition.
 
Its popularity in some African American communities over the past two centuries fueled racial tension—practitioners faced social stigma and blame for anything from natural disasters to violent crimes. However, necessity sometimes outweighed prejudice, and even those with the highest social status turned to Hoodoo for prosperity, love, or retribution. In this book, Tony Kail traces Memphis's colorful Hoodoo heritage from the arrival of Africans in Shelby County to the growth of conjure culture in juke joints and Spiritual Churches.

Includes photographs
Previous slide of product details
  1. Part of series
    American Heritage
  2. Print length
    179 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    Arcadia Publishing
  5. Publication date
    August 13, 2010
  6. File size
    6.9 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 110 books in this series.
  • Kindle Price:
    $91.41
    By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.

Customers also bought or read

Page 1 of 1Start overPage 1 of 1
Previous page
Next page
Loading...

Editorial Reviews

Review

With A Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo Tony Kail offers an accessible primer for the casual reader with detailed historical accounts of a global tradition manifesting in a local setting - Memphis and the surrounding countryside of West Tennessee and the north Mississippi Delta. Kail's research is richly layered and timely, a welcome challenge to prejudice and disinformation in a rapidly changing world. - Judith McWillie, Professor Emerita, the Lamar Dodd School of Art, the University of Georgia

" A Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo: Rootworkers, Conjurers and Spirituals reveals the stories and legends of conjurers and healers from the arrival of African slaves on Memphis plantations to blues musicians on Beale Street. You will never see Memphis the same after reading this book!" - Preston Lauterbach, Author of Beale Street Dynasty"

About the Author

Tony Kail is an ethnographer and writer. He holds a degree in cultural anthropology and has researched magico-religious cultures for more than twenty-five years. His work has taken him from Voodoo ceremonies in New Orleans to Haitian Botanicas in Harlem and Spiritual Churches in East Africa. He has lectured at more than one hundred universities, hospitals and public safety agencies. Kail has been featured on CNN Online, the History Channel and numerous radio, television and print outlets. A resident of Humboldt, Tennessee, Kail was raised in Memphis and calls it his second home.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B01N371QHN
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Arcadia Publishing (August 13, 2010)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 13, 2010
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 6.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 179 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 out of 5 stars 107 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Tony Kail

Tony Kail

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read book recommendations and more.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
107 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book to be a great read and extremely informative, with one customer highlighting the cultural information about hoodoo practices in Memphis. They appreciate the historical context, with one review noting how the author effectively incorporates hoodoo history throughout the text.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

10 customers mention "Readability"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book readable and interesting, with one noting it is reader-friendly.

"...of Memphis Hoodoo: Rootworkers, Conjurers & Spirituals" was a fascinating book, in my opinion...." Read more

"Very informative read. Very in depth" Read more

"...The book is educational, reader-friendly, and not only provides the reader with a vast amount of knowledge but also leaves us with an intimate..." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book and learning a little about the cultural carry-overs from African religions that influence Black Culture in the..." Read more

6 customers mention "Educational value"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book extremely informative, with one customer noting the author's meticulous research, and another highlighting the fascinating cultural information about hoodoo practices in Memphis.

"...gave this book by Tony Kail a 5-star rating because I found it extremely informative and educational. It was a pleasure to read...." Read more

"Very informative read. Very in depth" Read more

"...is educational, reader-friendly, and not only provides the reader with a vast amount of knowledge but also leaves us with an intimate familiarity..." Read more

"...The historical and cultural information about hoodoo in Memphis is absolutely fascinating." Read more

3 customers mention "Historical context"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the historical context of the book, with one noting how the author effectively weaves hoodoo history throughout the narrative.

"...It was a pleasure to read. It was written strictly within a historical context...." Read more

"...It is a heritage worth appreciation and understanding better." Read more

"...in Memphis back to the Civil War era and the author does a great job of interspersing hoodoo history within the context of historical events in..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reader KA
    5.0 out of 5 stars Read This to Learn More
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    "A Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo: Rootworkers, Conjurers & Spirituals" was a fascinating book, in my opinion. I gave this book by Tony Kail a 5-star rating because I found it extremely informative and educational. It was a pleasure to read.

    It was written strictly within a historical context. Memphis, Tennessee, was the subject of decades of social, religious, and economic conditions described in the book. The book never addressed the nature of voodoo or hoodoo.

    Those interested in Memphis Hoodoo may find it interesting to read "A Secret History of Memphis Hoodoo: Rootworkers, Conjurers & Spirituals" by Tony Kail. Memphis Hoodoo was described in this book in a comprehensive manner.
    6 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jacquis
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great.
    Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Very informative read. Very in depth
    Helpful
     Report
  • Miss Aida
    5.0 out of 5 stars Exceptionally Fantastic!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    It is more than apparent that the author spent (what appears to be) an endless amount of time meticulously researching the topic. He is also a phenomenal writer and made me feel as if he were physically with me while taking me on this journey. The book is educational, reader-friendly, and not only provides the reader with a vast amount of knowledge but also leaves us with an intimate familiarity with the elders of Hoodoo. Absolutely....PHENOMENAL!!
    10 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Dave Finney
    4.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating and Worth Reading
    Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book and learning a little about the cultural carry-overs from African religions that influence Black Culture in the Mississipi Delta. My family is from this area, and many of these beliefs and practices have spilt over into us white folk too. It is a heritage worth appreciation and understanding better.
    4 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Dr. Eoghan C. Ballard
    5.0 out of 5 stars African-American Folk History & Belief
    Reviewed in the United States on March 28, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    This book approaches the subject of African-American folk belief and spiritual practice not as some exotic fantasy or oddity, but from the point of seeking to undsrstand its roots and the role it has played in maintaining community and spirit whole among a people whose lives are constantly challanged. A great read and some solid scholarship.
    9 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars I loved this book!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    I'm so glad I read this book. The historical and cultural information about hoodoo in Memphis is absolutely fascinating.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • TURTH HURTS
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good book
    Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Book
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • linda f.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    Very interesting book and delivered to our home is wonderful
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Marc Roberts
    5.0 out of 5 stars very interesting
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I knew nothing of the history of this city but this is a real eye opener. Nice bit of history, read it and enjoy.
    Report
  • Wolftaken
    5.0 out of 5 stars Hoodoo is cool.
    Reviewed in Canada on January 9, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Thank it for being cool, it is beautiful. Wonderful book, with my family name in it, so cool. Thanks again.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report