While The Accidental Santera focuses on the making of an American-born santera, many authors have included elements of Santeria in their works of fiction. (Many a main character has had his or her life changed by a reading from a priest or priestess.) A few are listed below.
Fiction:
Daughters of the Stone, by Dahlma Llanos-Figueroa. The compelling and poetic tale of five generations of heroic women, from the regal Fela taken from her home in Africa to the storyteller Carisa who decides to find herself by retracing her ancestors’ journey. Ultimately, it is a story about the life-saving power of stories–how one generation leaves a legacy for the next in the stories they tell and how faith in them can sustain us in our darkest hours. Some of the stories these women pass down have to do with the powers of the orishas, especially the goddess Oshun. Others are their own stories of love and loss; suffering and triumph. They are wonderful mix of ancient wisdom and modern strength that comfort the soul.
Dreaming in Cuban, The Agüero Sisters, and Monkey Hunting by Cristina Garcia. Author Cristina Garcia devoted her first three novels to telling the Cuban story and, as she said once in an interview, Santeria is a cornerstone of Cuban culture and an acceptance of the mystical that doesn’t exist in American culture. The lives of her main characters are often touched in ways large and small by the religion and the ghosts of their ancestors.
The House on the Lagoon, by Rosario Ferre. The life of a family living in 20th-century Puerto Rico is explored, including orisha worship by the family’s African-born servants who ultimately steer the family’s destiny.
Voodoo Dreams, Voodoo Season and Yellow Moon by Jewell Parker Rhodes. These works deal with the African religion called Voddun, also derived from the Yoruba of West Africa. It shares many similarities with other forms of orisha worship, including Santeria and Lucumí. Voodoo Dreams is the story of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, while Voodoo Season is the story of one of her descendants, an ER physician who discovers who ancestry and begins to tap into her own spiritual powers. Yellow Moon, the sequel to Voodoo Season, that hauntingly resurrects one of the characters from Voodoo Dreams.
Chango’s Fire by Ernesto Quiñonez. This novel about an arsonist aiding the forced gentrification of New York’s Spanish Harlem includes a santero who attempts to guide the novel’s wayward protagonist.
Non-Fiction:
Many works about Santeria exist, including ones that delve into specifics of rituals, divination systems and other practices. The works listed below are recommended as overviews of the philosophies and/or basic tenants of the religion.
Santeria: Correcting the Myths and Uncovering the Realities of a Growing Religion by Mary Ann Clark, Praeger, Westport, Connecticut, 2007. This is an excellent, thorough treatment of the religion that is perfect for those interested in getting some academic grounding before initiation or before consulting with a santero. It covers history, practices, philosophies and even the etiquette a non-initiate should follow if invited to a Santeria celebration.
Finding Soul on the Path of Orisa, A West African Spiritual Tradition by Tobe Melora Correal, The Crossing Press, 2003.
Though this volume is written for practitioners, it is an excellent, easy-to-read overview of the philosophies and beliefs at the heart of orisha worship.
Inner Peace: The Ifa Concept of Ori by Awo Falokun Fatunmbi, Athelia Henrietta Press 2005.
This fascinating work is by an American who lived and worshiped in a community living in the Nigerian rainforest. Despite the title, it actually delves into many of the concepts at the heart of orisha worship. It covers everything from human consciousness to the evolution of the earth. Those interested in comparative religion will especially enjoy it.
The Handbook of Yoruba Religious Concepts by Baba Ifa Karade, Weiser Books, 1994.
Without being too technical, this book works to put today’s practices into context by exploring the Yoruba roots from which they were born.
Ancestor Paths: Honoring our Ancestors and Guardian Spirits Through Prayers, Rituals, and Offerings by Oba Ilari Aladokun.
An excellent guide to building relationships with the ancestors and spirit guides, including recipes for baths and home cleansings.
Selected Prayers: Devotion Manual A Spiritualists Prayer Guide Original by Allen Kardec. Translation by Candita Gual.
The prayer book used for misas. The prologues that come before each prayer, collectively, are a great explanation of the philosophy behind spiritism and ancestor worship that–though it is a separate practice–has been adopted by those who practice Santeria.
Teachings of the Santeria Gods: The Spirit of the Odu and Diloggún Tales of the Natural World: How the Moon Fooled the Sun and Other Santería Stories , Both by Ochani Lele.
I highly recommend all books by this author. These two, in particular, are accessible to the lay reader. They tell in narrative form the odu, or folktales, associated with the divination system used by Santeros. Reading these stories is like sitting at the feet of an elder, listening to immortal stories that carry with them the ring of eternal truths.