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Chasing Ghosts: A Tour of Our Fascination with Spirits and the Supernatural
Take a spirited tour through the supernatural history of America, from its haunted sites to its famous ghosts to its ghost-obsessed pop culture.
Ghosts are everywhere—whether you believe in them or not. Every town has its local legends, and countless books, movies, and TV shows are haunted by their presence. But our obsession with ghosts runs deeper than we know—and is embedded in the very fabric of American history.
Writer and historian Marc Hartzman dons the mantle of tour guide, taking readers on a fascinating journey through supernatural history, including:
• The Fox Sisters and the rise of Spiritualism
• The supernatural obsessions of famous figures like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Famous haunted sites like the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia and the LaLaurie House in New Orleans
• Famous ghosts like the Bell Witch of Tennessee and the Greenbrier Ghost of West Virginia
• Paranormal investigators like Ed and Lorraine Warren
Deeply researched and highly entertaining, with archival images and black and white illustrations, Chasing Ghosts will satisfy believers and skeptics alike.
Ghosts are everywhere—whether you believe in them or not. Every town has its local legends, and countless books, movies, and TV shows are haunted by their presence. But our obsession with ghosts runs deeper than we know—and is embedded in the very fabric of American history.
Writer and historian Marc Hartzman dons the mantle of tour guide, taking readers on a fascinating journey through supernatural history, including:
• The Fox Sisters and the rise of Spiritualism
• The supernatural obsessions of famous figures like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Famous haunted sites like the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia and the LaLaurie House in New Orleans
• Famous ghosts like the Bell Witch of Tennessee and the Greenbrier Ghost of West Virginia
• Paranormal investigators like Ed and Lorraine Warren
Deeply researched and highly entertaining, with archival images and black and white illustrations, Chasing Ghosts will satisfy believers and skeptics alike.
272 pages, Paperback
First published September 28, 2021
About the author
Marc Hartzman
18 books31 followersAccording to ABCnews.com, Marc Hartzman is "one of America's leading connoisseurs of the bizarre." His passion for the unusual began at an early age, influenced by Ripley's Believe It Or Not and the annual Guinness Books.
In addition to his books about ghosts, Mars, Oliver Cromwell's embalmed head, weird things on eBay, sideshow performers, and unorthodox messages from God, Hartzman has written for Mental Floss, the Huffington Post, AOL Weird News, and Bizarre magazine. He's discussed oddities on CNN, MSNBC, and the Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum.
He also runs WeirdHistorian.com.
When not writing about life's peculiarities, Hartzman writes about various goods and services in the advertising industry.
In addition to his books about ghosts, Mars, Oliver Cromwell's embalmed head, weird things on eBay, sideshow performers, and unorthodox messages from God, Hartzman has written for Mental Floss, the Huffington Post, AOL Weird News, and Bizarre magazine. He's discussed oddities on CNN, MSNBC, and the Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum.
He also runs WeirdHistorian.com.
When not writing about life's peculiarities, Hartzman writes about various goods and services in the advertising industry.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
November 29, 2022
I would describe this as a coffee table kind of book which wasn't quite what I was hoping for, but there were some interesting nuggets along the way. I think for this kind of book, more illustrations and call outs would have made it stronger
September 17, 2021
I took some interesting classes in college. These included Paranormal Psychology and Sociology of the Afterlife just to name a few. I even wrote a 15 page thesis on ghosts. I was excited for the opportunity to read Chasing Ghosts, "a spirited tour through the supernatural history of America, from its haunted sites to its famous ghosts to its ghost-obsessed pop culture."
I found the selections the author covered interesting, but a bit dry. You can tell this was well researched but the book read a little too much like a text book instead of an entertaining story being told among friends which is more what I was looking for.
I found the selections the author covered interesting, but a bit dry. You can tell this was well researched but the book read a little too much like a text book instead of an entertaining story being told among friends which is more what I was looking for.
October 19, 2021
I received a copy from Quirk Books through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
If you’re interested in learning some supernatural history, then this book is for you! While I was familiar with a lot of the information covered in this book, I did learn some new things. I was also familiar with the rise of Spiritualism, but not to the extent that it’s covered here, so that was quite interesting to read about. I found that this was well researched and covered quite a bit of information that those new to diving into some of the history of the supernatural.
That said, I do think that this book is very dry and comes off as a textbook. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if this is something you’d like to avoid, then I recommend passing on this. Otherwise, I think it’s a great book that covers a lot of information and make great reads for those seasoned and new to all things paranormal.
If you’re interested in learning some supernatural history, then this book is for you! While I was familiar with a lot of the information covered in this book, I did learn some new things. I was also familiar with the rise of Spiritualism, but not to the extent that it’s covered here, so that was quite interesting to read about. I found that this was well researched and covered quite a bit of information that those new to diving into some of the history of the supernatural.
That said, I do think that this book is very dry and comes off as a textbook. There’s nothing wrong with that, but if this is something you’d like to avoid, then I recommend passing on this. Otherwise, I think it’s a great book that covers a lot of information and make great reads for those seasoned and new to all things paranormal.
September 14, 2021
I've read a lot of books about ghosts, death, the afterlife, and the supernatural and this one isn't anything new, really, but I did enjoy the way it was presented. It was written really well and included some fun photographs I really enjoyed. While I personally didn't learn anything new in this book, it would be a great book for those just getting into the topic and a great learning tool.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quirk Books, and Marc Hartzman for the chance to review this advanced copy. Chasing Ghosts releases on September 28th.
Thank you to NetGalley, Quirk Books, and Marc Hartzman for the chance to review this advanced copy. Chasing Ghosts releases on September 28th.
December 4, 2023
Well researched, well written, and well organized. Definitely fascinating.
November 1, 2021
This book is well-researched and the historical examples are very interesting. I have decided to purchase this book, because I need it on my bookshelf!
A full review and photos are coming to my Instagram (@notebookofghosts) this November!
A full review and photos are coming to my Instagram (@notebookofghosts) this November!
January 6, 2022
It was basically impossible to read this and not constantly compare it to Ghostland by Colin Dicky. Ghostland is by far the most well-researched look into American ghostlore. Hartzman did cover some ground that Dicky didn't and expanded his focus outside of the United State a little. I wish for once someone would write a more comprehensive guide to non-Western ghostlore. Occasionally you get a brief look at Japanese supernatural traditions, but nothing super deep. Like, what's happening in South America? I want to know the legends in Angola and Thailand, and do they have any historic hauntings in New Zealand or Samoa?
But back to this book and what it did do. Hartzman spends the majority of his book outlining a history of Spiritualism in the United States and Western Europe. We get into ectoplasm, spirit photography, the Bell Witch, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini, Lily Dale, the Fox sisters, and of course, the Winchester Mansion. Hartzman is definitely less of a skeptic than Dicky, and it shows in how he presents certain subjects. Once again, poor Sarah Winchester is reduced to a crazy old lady, a Miss Havisham but with a ton of money and an interest in architecture.
That being said, a lot of the book focuses on the history of debunking mediums and other such frauds. I definitely felt that the author had some level of belief in the supernatural, but he didn't think the heavily mustached photographers in 1884 were legit or that the séances of the 1910s were anything other than some really flexible broads cracking their toe joints.
I enjoyed the chapter that focused on ghostly visits with good intentions. There were some cute stories about kids and spiritual protectors. The Greenbriar Ghost's story showed up, which is less positive but at least has a happy-ish ending?
There were some really interesting anecdotes I was unfamiliar with and some haunted places I'd never heard of, so this wasn't a total loss. But if you're intrigued by all things ghostly, I recommend Dicky's Ghostland for a more nuanced look at America's history with haunting. He definitely doesn't dive into the Spiritualism movement as much, but when he does it's through this wonderful frame of women's liberation. And Dicky did an excellent pair of chapters examining the use of enslaved black women as props in a lot of narratives in the South and how the cliché "was built on an Indian burial ground" is some hot fucking colonizer garbage.
Anyways, I've spent more of this review discussing someone else's book entirely. Sorry Mr. Hartzman.
But back to this book and what it did do. Hartzman spends the majority of his book outlining a history of Spiritualism in the United States and Western Europe. We get into ectoplasm, spirit photography, the Bell Witch, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini, Lily Dale, the Fox sisters, and of course, the Winchester Mansion. Hartzman is definitely less of a skeptic than Dicky, and it shows in how he presents certain subjects. Once again, poor Sarah Winchester is reduced to a crazy old lady, a Miss Havisham but with a ton of money and an interest in architecture.
That being said, a lot of the book focuses on the history of debunking mediums and other such frauds. I definitely felt that the author had some level of belief in the supernatural, but he didn't think the heavily mustached photographers in 1884 were legit or that the séances of the 1910s were anything other than some really flexible broads cracking their toe joints.
I enjoyed the chapter that focused on ghostly visits with good intentions. There were some cute stories about kids and spiritual protectors. The Greenbriar Ghost's story showed up, which is less positive but at least has a happy-ish ending?
There were some really interesting anecdotes I was unfamiliar with and some haunted places I'd never heard of, so this wasn't a total loss. But if you're intrigued by all things ghostly, I recommend Dicky's Ghostland for a more nuanced look at America's history with haunting. He definitely doesn't dive into the Spiritualism movement as much, but when he does it's through this wonderful frame of women's liberation. And Dicky did an excellent pair of chapters examining the use of enslaved black women as props in a lot of narratives in the South and how the cliché "was built on an Indian burial ground" is some hot fucking colonizer garbage.
Anyways, I've spent more of this review discussing someone else's book entirely. Sorry Mr. Hartzman.
March 14, 2022
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect when I picked this up--whether the tone would be incredulous or too trusting, whether it would be a straight history or the author would go into his own take on things, etc. The end product was an interesting slice of paranormal history, with an overall skeptical tone. Everything from the Spiritualism craze of the 19th century, to some better-known hauntings, to modern ghost-hunting methods gets covered here. Some topics get more attention than others (to the point where some examples are thoroughly debunked, while others are left ambiguous), but all in all, Chasing Ghosts is a decent primer on the subject of ghosts and Western society's thoughts about them over time.
October 6, 2023
Interesting but not offering anything new. If you have read much or listened to podcasts about ghosts, haunting, etc. pretty much everything in this book will be old news to you. If you aren’t very familiar with Spiritualism, famous haunted places, and paranormal theories, this would be a very good place to start. I like that the author took a balanced approach, presenting stories at face value, then offering any evidence or theories that might debunk the phenomena, but letting the reader decide for themselves.
October 10, 2023
A comprehensive and accessible overview of the search for life after death from ancient times until now. The occasionally humorous tone keeps things from getting too grim, and there are a lot of fun creepy stories to enjoy. Bonus for audiobook listeners: the narrator of this book has to do about 20 different accents, and he nails every last one of them!
January 12, 2022
I was expecting some new paranormal stories which I hadn't heard of before, but was disappointed. I am a great fan of many paranormal podcasts, television shows, and books for the past 6 years, when I retired. Therefore, I have heard or read about 90% of the cases, people, and stories already. So I think this is a good book for a novice who needs an introduction to this hobby. Old hands like me will find it repetitive with other media already available.
October 13, 2021
First off, thank you so much to NetGalley and Quirk Books for the ARC! This book checked a lot of the boxes that fall squarely under my "This is my jam" column. History ☑ Ghosties ☑ Haunted Places ☑ Haunted People ☑ Spooky Vibes in general ☑☑☑ Being that it covers a lot of what I already love, there was plenty of info in here that I was already familiar with. This is not a bad thing, as it was still presented in a great way (and not every reader is going to be as well versed on the subject as me haha). I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was a perfect choice for an October read!
August 12, 2021
This was an interesting book. My daughter read it, and then she had me read it. And then we sat down and discussed some of the stuff inside it. She's twelve and drawn to spooky stuff, so this book gave us an opportunity for fascinating conversations (and I'm sure more to come!)
I liked the pictures, and the details of each of the stories, as well as the broad nature of the different types of supernatural. This is a book I'll be holding onto and referencing again in the future for some of my books!
I liked the pictures, and the details of each of the stories, as well as the broad nature of the different types of supernatural. This is a book I'll be holding onto and referencing again in the future for some of my books!
December 28, 2021
Do you believe in ghosts? Do you NOT believe in ghosts? Are you interested in the intrigue around ghosts? Well, this book is for you. I will begin by saying that I do believe in ghosts but am also a huge skeptic. I believe in basically everything paranormal, cryptids, aliens, and the rest. However, if you were to provide me with proof, I would consistently try to poke holes in it and not believe. I LOVE watching ghost hunting shows, but also think they are mostly full of shit. So, this book was for me.
This book will take you through the history books that we did not learn in school. From ancient civilizations, to seances of the 20’s, to today’s said ghost hunting shows. It covers the stories, the technology, the intrigue, and the debunks. At the end, I was a bit disappointed with how much was explained. I like the wonderment of such things, however, there was just enough still unexplained that I wasn’t too disappointed. The book is written very well and was easy to fly through. There are some amazing pictures, so I recommend a hard copy. I am now a Marc Hartzman fan and will be reading some of his other works.
This book will take you through the history books that we did not learn in school. From ancient civilizations, to seances of the 20’s, to today’s said ghost hunting shows. It covers the stories, the technology, the intrigue, and the debunks. At the end, I was a bit disappointed with how much was explained. I like the wonderment of such things, however, there was just enough still unexplained that I wasn’t too disappointed. The book is written very well and was easy to fly through. There are some amazing pictures, so I recommend a hard copy. I am now a Marc Hartzman fan and will be reading some of his other works.
Shelved as 'dnfed'
September 28, 2023Thanks to NetGalley and Quirk Books for providing an ARC!
November 17, 2021
“Where might we have thrown the baby out with the bathwater with our overzealous desire to make everything controllable?” asks Joanna Ebenstein, an author and the founder of Morbid Anatomy, an organization that explores the intersections between art, medicine, death, and culture. “This phenomenon still exists. We can doubt the veracity of the reports, but they didn’t just go away. We didn’t become rationalists and suddenly there’s no ghost sightings. It continues on… I often think, looking at the past, and the bulk of historical record, what are the odds that we’re the ones who are right and the whole rest of human history was wrong?… I see a lot of arrogance with people thinking that we’ve proven [ghosts] don’t exist. But we haven’t proven they don’t exist. We’ve only proven we can’t prove they exist. We don’t really know what the world is. We don’t know shit, and I love that.”
TITLE—Chasing Ghosts: A Tour of Our Fascination with Spirits and the Supernatural
AUTHOR—Marc Hartzman
PUBLISHED—2021
GENRE—nonfiction
MAIN THEMES/SUBJECTS—ghosts, death, human cultural history, psychology, pop culture, Western science, Spiritualism, haunted places
WRITING STYLE—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
PRESENTATION OF MATERIAL—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
BONUS ELEMENT/S—For a survey-type book, I found literally every sentence very interesting and thought that the balance between summary and a more in-depth exploration of various topics was really well done.
PHILOSOPHY—⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I checked this book out from the library just for the bit on seances and then I ended up reading the whole thing. 😂 There are lots of great brief overviews of tons of information about humans’ relationships to and understanding of both ghosts and death through history, including ancient times, Spiritualism, and ghosts and technology. Then there’s a section on legendary haunted locations too that includes the Winchester House and the La Laurie Mansion *shiver* and others—even Gettysburg!
Hartzman’s writing style was really good considering the sensationalist nature of the topic. I thought he tread the line between objective researcher and true believer incredibly well, bringing up a lot of really great points, and not trying to make any sweeping statements that he didn’t support with his process. The one hiccup was that I thought that the discussion of shamanistic practices of world cultures using 1) the part tense and 2) a definite mocking tone was definitely no good, but other than that I thought the author’s treatment of the material was very thoughtful and reasonably and clearly presented.
“I have found in my experience that learned scientific men are the most easily duped of any in the world.” — Dr. Richard Hodgson, 1897
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
TW // a somewhat disrespectful discussion of shamanistic practices (Please feel free to DM me for more specifics!)
Further Reading—
- From Here to Eternity, by Caitlin Doughty
- Ghostland, by Colin Dickey—TBR
- Ghostland, by Edward Parnell—TBR
- Ghost Stories of Gettysburg, volumes I-VIII
September 23, 2021
A huge thank you to Quirk Books for an advance copy of this book for my honest review.
I'm a huge fan of paranormal shows, the caught-on-camera YouTube videos, and the history of how people tried to talk to the dead during the height of the Spiritualism movement. Something about it all fascinates me, and it's always a go-to subject matter. This means I was excited to get a chance to read Chasing Ghosts early. In fact, I took my time with the book and didn't let myself devour it in one sitting.
There's a lot to this book in just a little over two hundred pages. It's jammed packed with information from cover to cover, but it's super easy to read. You can tell that Marc Hartzman enjoyed his research, but I liked that he never really put in his own opinion in too much what he was telling. Yes, there were a few sarcastic comments here and there, but this had perfect timing throughout the book. I loved that this was a mix of information and haunting had heard of, and some I hadn't heard of it. I love when a book sends me to Google to know more.
Hartzman did a lot of research for this book and it shows, and he told each story in a way that didn't sound like I was reading a textbook. This is always my biggest worry about nonfiction books, but that wasn't an issue here. I really liked the page breaks of fan facts in each section. Little add-ons that are super fun and a great break from each section.
I also really liked the illustrations that appeared through the book and the addition of photos. It was a great look at the history of ghost hunting and added great visuals to the information that Hartzman had gathered. Personally, I thought it was a great read and fund for anyone who dives deep into the paranormal or just enjoys the ghost shows. It's a lot of fun information on the history of ghost hunting, and haunted houses, and how the whole haunted house started.
A super great read for the upcoming Spooky Season. Chasing Ghosts by Marc Hartzman comes out next week, September 28, 2021!
I'm a huge fan of paranormal shows, the caught-on-camera YouTube videos, and the history of how people tried to talk to the dead during the height of the Spiritualism movement. Something about it all fascinates me, and it's always a go-to subject matter. This means I was excited to get a chance to read Chasing Ghosts early. In fact, I took my time with the book and didn't let myself devour it in one sitting.
There's a lot to this book in just a little over two hundred pages. It's jammed packed with information from cover to cover, but it's super easy to read. You can tell that Marc Hartzman enjoyed his research, but I liked that he never really put in his own opinion in too much what he was telling. Yes, there were a few sarcastic comments here and there, but this had perfect timing throughout the book. I loved that this was a mix of information and haunting had heard of, and some I hadn't heard of it. I love when a book sends me to Google to know more.
Hartzman did a lot of research for this book and it shows, and he told each story in a way that didn't sound like I was reading a textbook. This is always my biggest worry about nonfiction books, but that wasn't an issue here. I really liked the page breaks of fan facts in each section. Little add-ons that are super fun and a great break from each section.
I also really liked the illustrations that appeared through the book and the addition of photos. It was a great look at the history of ghost hunting and added great visuals to the information that Hartzman had gathered. Personally, I thought it was a great read and fund for anyone who dives deep into the paranormal or just enjoys the ghost shows. It's a lot of fun information on the history of ghost hunting, and haunted houses, and how the whole haunted house started.
A super great read for the upcoming Spooky Season. Chasing Ghosts by Marc Hartzman comes out next week, September 28, 2021!
April 25, 2023
The beginning of the book goes into the whole Spiritualism movement. It gives a really good overview of Spiritualism, and also the movement's opposition. The book gives just enough information to peak your interest without going overboard. It also covers some of the main players in the movement, like the Fox sisters, Houdini, and others. I actually rather enjoyed all the information, but I'm a nerd for that kind of thing.
The next part of the books goes over some rather famous, or maybe infamous is the better word, haunted locations. There are some locations that weren't in this section which surprised me, but I guess there was limited space or something? I'm not sure. I think this section could have been expanded some, but that's just me.
The last part of the book goes into the technology that is or was used in ghost hunting. It goes into some of the technology that is no longer used, along with some inventions that were created to try and communicate with spirits. Again, I am a huge nerd for history, so I loved this section, too. There were some inventions I didn't even know about, and they touched on some of the more modern items used and where they came from.
I just really enjoyed this book all around. It has enough to keep a person who knows quite a bit about ghost hunting (like me) without overwhelming the people who are completely new to this. Overall, no matter how much you know about ghost hunting, this will have something for those interested in learning more.
The next part of the books goes over some rather famous, or maybe infamous is the better word, haunted locations. There are some locations that weren't in this section which surprised me, but I guess there was limited space or something? I'm not sure. I think this section could have been expanded some, but that's just me.
The last part of the book goes into the technology that is or was used in ghost hunting. It goes into some of the technology that is no longer used, along with some inventions that were created to try and communicate with spirits. Again, I am a huge nerd for history, so I loved this section, too. There were some inventions I didn't even know about, and they touched on some of the more modern items used and where they came from.
I just really enjoyed this book all around. It has enough to keep a person who knows quite a bit about ghost hunting (like me) without overwhelming the people who are completely new to this. Overall, no matter how much you know about ghost hunting, this will have something for those interested in learning more.
October 18, 2021
*I've got this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review*
Like you can guess from the book title, this book is about a paranormal beings and events. As an entusiast of everything paranormal, I was eager to read this book and in the end I liked it. It definitely has it's flaws, but for those who are interested in such things it can be eye opening.
The author definitely did his job and gave us a lot of information, with dates, names and places, sometimes it was even too much, felt like info dump, but at the same time I learned a lot.
First part f the book took me some time to get into it, some parts were a little bit boring, but after some time I was hooked. There we can find the history of spiritualism and the famous spritualist and spiritualism entusiasts.
The middle part of the book was my favorite, because it was about the haunted places. Just the stories and witnesses reports without any debunking ( the way I like the most). My only wish is that this part was a little bit longer.
The final part of the book was more technical. I learned a lot about different devices and how they are used for ghost hunting, but at the same time it was quite boring, at least for me.
In the end , I think it is one of the best book about paranormal world investigation, that I have read in a long time. You should definitely try giving it a chance.
Like you can guess from the book title, this book is about a paranormal beings and events. As an entusiast of everything paranormal, I was eager to read this book and in the end I liked it. It definitely has it's flaws, but for those who are interested in such things it can be eye opening.
The author definitely did his job and gave us a lot of information, with dates, names and places, sometimes it was even too much, felt like info dump, but at the same time I learned a lot.
First part f the book took me some time to get into it, some parts were a little bit boring, but after some time I was hooked. There we can find the history of spiritualism and the famous spritualist and spiritualism entusiasts.
The middle part of the book was my favorite, because it was about the haunted places. Just the stories and witnesses reports without any debunking ( the way I like the most). My only wish is that this part was a little bit longer.
The final part of the book was more technical. I learned a lot about different devices and how they are used for ghost hunting, but at the same time it was quite boring, at least for me.
In the end , I think it is one of the best book about paranormal world investigation, that I have read in a long time. You should definitely try giving it a chance.
January 15, 2022
This was a fun and informative book. As I mention in my blog post about it (Sects and Violence in the Ancient World), I tend to associate Quirk Books with fiction. While this may not satisfy your thesis director, it is quite informative and even has some sources cited. It’s a brief compendium of ghost hunting, going back to ancient times.
The only problem with the topic is that it’s so large that trying to fit it all into a reasonably sized, attractively produced volume creates issues. I would’ve loved to have read about some of these things in more detail, but then any author has to guess what readers will find interesting. The chapter on spiritualism illustrates the dangers of seeing ghosts as a means of personal consolation. It was fascinating nonetheless.
Well-written with a true appreciation for the subject, this book does not disappoint. If you’re looking for in-depth information it’s somewhat hit-or-miss, but then it’s not an academic book. In other words, the book is just what it sets out to be—a fun and informative treatment of the very long human fascination with ghosts.
The only problem with the topic is that it’s so large that trying to fit it all into a reasonably sized, attractively produced volume creates issues. I would’ve loved to have read about some of these things in more detail, but then any author has to guess what readers will find interesting. The chapter on spiritualism illustrates the dangers of seeing ghosts as a means of personal consolation. It was fascinating nonetheless.
Well-written with a true appreciation for the subject, this book does not disappoint. If you’re looking for in-depth information it’s somewhat hit-or-miss, but then it’s not an academic book. In other words, the book is just what it sets out to be—a fun and informative treatment of the very long human fascination with ghosts.
June 30, 2024
I'm sorry to say this much-anticipated read was a mixed bag of chips, for me. The dense volume exhausted my patience around page 98 and I skimmed the rest out of a sense of duty to any spirits lurking about, pausing at any sections which caught my interest. Regrettably, these were few, by which I mean there was little that was new to me--or that would be new to anyone who's even just casually watched any of the so-called "ghost-hunting shows" on an alleged learning channel (or travel channel!). The book's packed with anecdotes, and I suppose their telling would be entertaining enough for some. But for my taste, it's too verbose for a coffee-table book and the authorial voice a bit too arch for serious scholarship. The 3 stars are largely for the book design and illustrations, which is/are gorgeous, and the historical photographs and quotes (one from the New York Times in 1917, which reviewed a book purportedly composed by Mark Twain's ghost via ouija board, was so elegantly snarky it made me LOL). Though it's not a perfect alternative (certainly not as pretty), I'd recommend Mary Roach's "Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife" over this.
November 26, 2023
*** 3.5 Stars out of 5, rounded up for Goodreads ***
Well, this was one of those books that I was going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for the longest time. At the end though I decided I’d go with 4 star, because well, I simply enjoyed it.
Yeah, it probably isn’t the most comprehensive book on the subject. Yes, the writing is dry at times. It certainly has tedious parts. But overall, as someone who has very rudimentary knowledge(other than horror fic lol) about spiritualism and ghosts huntings I learned a lot from this book. Really, it was a fun ride.
My only problem is, with books like this, I think that the scope is usually way too vast to their own detriment. When you’re trying to cover way too long of a time period in a single book, it inevitably reads like a coffee table book. At one point, after way too many chapters and sections, you feel like you’re just turning pages and casually checking out the pictures on a page without actually absorbing any information. This book, unfortunately, falls within that category of non fiction.
All in all, I definitely enjoyed this one. Recommended if you’re a novice like me on the subject otherwise you’d probably get bored by the end of the first chapter.
Well, this was one of those books that I was going back and forth between 3 and 4 stars for the longest time. At the end though I decided I’d go with 4 star, because well, I simply enjoyed it.
Yeah, it probably isn’t the most comprehensive book on the subject. Yes, the writing is dry at times. It certainly has tedious parts. But overall, as someone who has very rudimentary knowledge(other than horror fic lol) about spiritualism and ghosts huntings I learned a lot from this book. Really, it was a fun ride.
My only problem is, with books like this, I think that the scope is usually way too vast to their own detriment. When you’re trying to cover way too long of a time period in a single book, it inevitably reads like a coffee table book. At one point, after way too many chapters and sections, you feel like you’re just turning pages and casually checking out the pictures on a page without actually absorbing any information. This book, unfortunately, falls within that category of non fiction.
All in all, I definitely enjoyed this one. Recommended if you’re a novice like me on the subject otherwise you’d probably get bored by the end of the first chapter.
September 29, 2021
I received a copy of this book for a fair and honest review. There was this story at the beginning about two orphans who made a pact to each other about what happened when they die. There was so much information in this book about that it is a bit much to take in. One of the things that made made me laugh was when they mentioned Beetlejuice and the Handbook for the Recently Deceased. I remember this movie from when I was growing up. They mentioned burial traditions from around the world. It did have me thinking about Purgatory. The question they put up is it real or not. They talk about having conversations with the dead. The pictures in this book were a bit strange and weird. There were a lot of mediums and spiritualists were talked about. There items that they talked about that can help communication with the other side. There was a list of famously haunted places.
November 7, 2021
This was such a fascinating, informative, and entertaining read. This book has historical facts with storytelling, humor, and satire hints even for those not interested in ghosts. These elements give a “readable/reachable” tone which enhances the level of engagement. Despite skipping time periods, locations, and types of events, the book flows nicely and offers bits and pieces from all areas of the supernatural. I appreciated the lack of opinion from the author, seeing as the topic of ���life after death” can be very personal. The book states facts, stories, and events and then allows the reader to take from them what they will regarding their beliefs. Additionally, there are no “fake news” type details, and if topics are mentioned that are possibly untrue, the author makes it clear. I thoroughly enjoyed this book; it is a fun, engaging, informative, and easy read. I recommend giving it a gander, especially if you like paranormal/ supernatural themes!
August 30, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Quirk Books as well as the author for this ARC in exchange for my unbiased opinion
#NetGalley #QuirkBooks #MarcHartzman
This was a very fun read! It’s a well researched and informative book that’s perfect for anyone who enjoys reading about the paranormal although not necessarily for those who believe in the paranormal. That’s one of my favorite subjects. I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know but I did enjoy the journey.
One thing that could be termed a little off-putting was the amount of debunking throughout the book. I don’t mind debunking at all but, it does get a little tiresome coming from a ghost book. At times, it felt like the author didn’t like his own subject. Still, this is a fun read filled with information that should please any ghost lover, regardless on where they stand on his beliefs.
#NetGalley #QuirkBooks #MarcHartzman
This was a very fun read! It’s a well researched and informative book that’s perfect for anyone who enjoys reading about the paranormal although not necessarily for those who believe in the paranormal. That’s one of my favorite subjects. I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know but I did enjoy the journey.
One thing that could be termed a little off-putting was the amount of debunking throughout the book. I don’t mind debunking at all but, it does get a little tiresome coming from a ghost book. At times, it felt like the author didn’t like his own subject. Still, this is a fun read filled with information that should please any ghost lover, regardless on where they stand on his beliefs.
December 3, 2021
Marc Hartzman does a fabulous job with this book! I absolutely loved reading through it! He talks about some of the better know hauntings, as well as some lesser known ones too - weaving in the information in such a way as to guide the reader.
He will discuss paranormal psychology, different aspects of the hauntings, but the book is laid out so thoughtfully, that even if you have heard of all of these places before - you are getting deeper in some places.
There were a few areas that felt glossed over, but that can be due to lack of information available, or space available - but I didn't feel like I lost out on too much.
Enjoyable and fabulous read! Highly recommend!
He will discuss paranormal psychology, different aspects of the hauntings, but the book is laid out so thoughtfully, that even if you have heard of all of these places before - you are getting deeper in some places.
There were a few areas that felt glossed over, but that can be due to lack of information available, or space available - but I didn't feel like I lost out on too much.
Enjoyable and fabulous read! Highly recommend!
November 3, 2023
I adored this. I dunno what happened, but this Halloween I suddenly got really interested in everything paranormal--ghosts, reincarnation, hauntings, spirit photographs, whatever. I started with fiction--something I've always relied on as 'the only good genre'--and of course In the Shadow of Blackbirds was fantastic, so I moved on to nonfiction, and Mary Roach severely let me down. This, though? Absolutely splendid. Better than I was looking for, and just as escapist as any fiction you could desire. Well-written, well researched, interesting, visually appealing--I loved it. On to more hauntings.
Shelved as 'did-not-finish'
September 28, 2021DNF pg. 104
This book covers an interesting topic, but sadly for me right now, it's not keeping my attention. I find myself growing bored, doing other things, and even falling asleep at times. What I did read was informative and interesting but I am not in the right headspace to enjoy this book so I am DNFing it for now. I hope to come back to this in the future though.
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
This book covers an interesting topic, but sadly for me right now, it's not keeping my attention. I find myself growing bored, doing other things, and even falling asleep at times. What I did read was informative and interesting but I am not in the right headspace to enjoy this book so I am DNFing it for now. I hope to come back to this in the future though.
*ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.*
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
July 20, 2022
Fascinating And Refreshing
I went into this book with low expectations. I figured it would either be sensationalistic or poorly written and researched. I was wrong on both counts. Instead, this book is an open-minded, interesting, and insightful look at the history of ghosts and the people who communicate with them and hunt them. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the paranormal. If you are a true believer, however, you may find yourself getting angry. Don't fret, though. That just means Hartzman is doing his job.
I went into this book with low expectations. I figured it would either be sensationalistic or poorly written and researched. I was wrong on both counts. Instead, this book is an open-minded, interesting, and insightful look at the history of ghosts and the people who communicate with them and hunt them. This is a must-read for anyone interested in the paranormal. If you are a true believer, however, you may find yourself getting angry. Don't fret, though. That just means Hartzman is doing his job.
November 30, 2022
Unfortunately this book wasn’t as interesting as I thought it would be, in fact for such a short book it was downright boring. I like and enjoy (most of the time) a good ghost story and thought this would be about many different hauntings throughout the country. However, that isn’t quite what I got out of it. Yes, there were some examples like the Winchester Mystery House and Eastern State Penitentiary, but there was no real depth involved….I got more of the history of ghosts than anything else, which made this read like an academic paper.
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