New Orleans is a city full of contradictions. It's a place of great joy and great tragedy, of jazz and football, of Mardi Gras and haunted history. But perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this city is its association with voodoo, a religion that has a unique history and has been the subject of countless misconceptions. In the book "New Orleans Voodoo: A Cultural History" , written by Rory O’Neill Schmitt and her mother Rosary O’Neill, the authors provide an insightful and respectful exploration of a topic that is often misunderstood and demonized. Voodoo is not the black magic of Hollywood movies, nor is it a religion practiced by some "other" group of people. In fact, it is a spiritual practice that has its roots in West African animism, Roman Catholicism, and New World necessity. The authors offer a respectful and insightful exploration that shows how Voodoo is a normal way of seeing the world and finding spirituality in everyday life.