The classic book on legends, lore, and unvarnished truths surrounding New Orleans' most famous Voodoo mistress-now in a modern, legible format. It also features other tales from surrounding parishes of days long gone by, an illustrated guide to palm-reading, humorous asides, and over 30 fascinating drawings and images.

In addition to facts and folklore about Laveau-including revealing research into some debunked myths and unanswered questions-the book offers entertaining stories of her life and the people around the New Orleans area, such as:

- Lafayette's visit to New Orleans . . . and to Marie Laveau herself?
- How Marie Laveau turned hate into love for some wishful suitors
- How she earned her free house on St. Ann Street, and how her death made city newspapers go wild
- The man with two wives-in two languages-and therefore a roosterhead in his coatpocket
- Why New Orleans doorsteps are so clean
- How an utter idiot won the election for mayor of Burley Landing
- The proper use of gris gris, and the meaning of palm mountains and lines
- How an honest thief fooled an unsuspecting Yankee
- Why zombies are created to be used as farmhands

This book is presented in a quality new edition with all the illustrations from the original properly presented, as well as additional images found only in the Quaint Press edition of this well-known look into the folklore of old New Orleans.