Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #161109 in Books
• Published on: 2007-08-31
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 160 pages

Synopsis
"An Illustrated History of the Haunted World" describes key events and important personalities in the paranormal world from the first references to ghosts in Neolithic cave paintings to the modern day obsession with media ghosts. Opening with a history of hauntings throughout the ages, the book delves into the origins of festivals that honour the dead and their links to the realm of the paranormal. The following chapter then examines ghost photography from a modern perspective, covering everything from renowned 'ghost' images to the less well-known, and various unexplained apparitions, including orbs, fogs and vortices. The second half of the book deals with the history of spirit communication, providing a who's-who of key figures within the world of mediums and the paranormal, alongside a detailed look at the numerous methods and tools that have been employed over the centuries. Finally, the role of the paranormal in the modern world is discussed, including current research techniques, the development of parapsychology as a science, media furore, popular culture and the extent of contemporary belief in the spirit world.

Customer Reviews

thoughful and entertaining read
This is a well laid out book using some impressive photography and is written to please the expert and the layman. Each section in the book deals with certain aspects of the supernatural such as mediums, well known ghosthunters and some of the more famous ghost photos.

It is always good when a book such as this has many photos of ghosts and one chapter is dedicated to examining the many different ghostly images that have been captured down the years. Their is also famous stories of poltergiests and hauntings such as amityville examined more closely.

Its all laid out in a way that will attract the most unwilling of readers and the biggest sceptic, and is an entertaining read for someone interested in or new to the genre.

An easy and entertaining read
I liked this book because it didn't try to blind you with science. It states from the start that the author will leave it to the reader's discretion to decide whether the contents are true or not, which makes a nice change from 'my sources would never lie! It's all true!'. The huge amount of photos were interesting to look at and my reaction to the 'spirit photography' section ranged from 'yeah, right' to 'ooh, could that be real?' Personally, I think this book is a nice addition to any paranormal student's library. The author also makes one or two suggestions for further reading for those interested.