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Nashville Haunted Handbook
Nashville Haunted Handbook is the second book in the new Haunted Handbook line within the popular America’s Haunted Road Trip series. The Haunted Handbooks are city-specific travel guides to nearly one hundred places within a major city.
Each of the places in Nashville Haunted Handbook is presented in a two-page spread that includes directions, a brief history, details about how the place is haunted, and advice on visiting the place. Each spread also includes one or two photos. The places are organized into sections, including schoolhouses, roads and bridges, hotels and inns, and others.
Nashville Haunted Handbook is written with the ghost enthusiast in mind. All 100 chapters contain information on the history as well as the haunting surrounding each location, as well as detailed directions on how to locate each site. Many of the chapters also contain insider information that only a local would know, making it easier for ghost hunters to investigate.
Each of the places in Nashville Haunted Handbook is presented in a two-page spread that includes directions, a brief history, details about how the place is haunted, and advice on visiting the place. Each spread also includes one or two photos. The places are organized into sections, including schoolhouses, roads and bridges, hotels and inns, and others.
Nashville Haunted Handbook is written with the ghost enthusiast in mind. All 100 chapters contain information on the history as well as the haunting surrounding each location, as well as detailed directions on how to locate each site. Many of the chapters also contain insider information that only a local would know, making it easier for ghost hunters to investigate.
- GenresGhostsParanormalHistory
264 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 7, 2011
I know that being a skeptic leaves me outside of the intended audience for books like this. But I still like reading ghost books, and I try to suspend my disbelief long enough to get a bit of a chill. I also live in the Nashville area, so I was actually excited to see something concentrated in my area. We've got some famous spooks around here, and of course they're covered. This is Bell Witch country, after all.
The layout is not quite what I'm used to. Each supposedly haunted location has a section to itself, with directions for how to get there from downtown, a history of the location, the associated ghost stories, and tips for how to get there to investigate yourself. It seems that this is part of a series of ghost hunter-oriented books, so that's probably normal for the series. I have mixed feelings about people going to the Ryman specifically to hunt for ghosts or for suggestions that one should park one's car on a nearby street and watch the windows of what are, in some cases, primarily private residences.
It seems the authors felt a need to boost this collection to 100 stories. It shows. The entry on Edwin Warner Park quotes the old urban legend about the escaped mental patient with a hook for a hand (yes, this one) as something that actually happened there. The entry on the Nashville Public Library main branch mentions, as proof of otherworldly phenomena, books inexplicably showing up in odd places. I've worked in libraries for 15 years. It would be proof of the paranormal if I didn't find books shoved in odd places by patrons. One of the stories included about Austin Peay mentioned the ghost of the late Gov. Peay making the rounds. This is probably a new story, since I asked a friend of mine who had been to the school about ten years ago about him and she had never heard it. (FYI: Peay is pronounced like the letter P. Yes, the school chant is indeed, "Let's go Peay!") So that's three entirely unconvincing stories right off the top of my head. Oddly, the book spends no more time on the Bell Witch, one of the most famous true ghost stories in America, than it does on The Hook, so balance is also an issue.
In the end, there's not enough in here to provide proper thrills. It's geared towards ghost hunters, but they probably won't find it much help. I feel bad for any team of would-be ghost hunters who waste their time at Edwin Warner Park investigating The Hook, and some of the locations are difficult or impossible (ie, an operating high school) for a member of the public to access.
The layout is not quite what I'm used to. Each supposedly haunted location has a section to itself, with directions for how to get there from downtown, a history of the location, the associated ghost stories, and tips for how to get there to investigate yourself. It seems that this is part of a series of ghost hunter-oriented books, so that's probably normal for the series. I have mixed feelings about people going to the Ryman specifically to hunt for ghosts or for suggestions that one should park one's car on a nearby street and watch the windows of what are, in some cases, primarily private residences.
It seems the authors felt a need to boost this collection to 100 stories. It shows. The entry on Edwin Warner Park quotes the old urban legend about the escaped mental patient with a hook for a hand (yes, this one) as something that actually happened there. The entry on the Nashville Public Library main branch mentions, as proof of otherworldly phenomena, books inexplicably showing up in odd places. I've worked in libraries for 15 years. It would be proof of the paranormal if I didn't find books shoved in odd places by patrons. One of the stories included about Austin Peay mentioned the ghost of the late Gov. Peay making the rounds. This is probably a new story, since I asked a friend of mine who had been to the school about ten years ago about him and she had never heard it. (FYI: Peay is pronounced like the letter P. Yes, the school chant is indeed, "Let's go Peay!") So that's three entirely unconvincing stories right off the top of my head. Oddly, the book spends no more time on the Bell Witch, one of the most famous true ghost stories in America, than it does on The Hook, so balance is also an issue.
In the end, there's not enough in here to provide proper thrills. It's geared towards ghost hunters, but they probably won't find it much help. I feel bad for any team of would-be ghost hunters who waste their time at Edwin Warner Park investigating The Hook, and some of the locations are difficult or impossible (ie, an operating high school) for a member of the public to access.
September 29, 2012
If you're looking for a good collection of haunted places in and around Nashville, this is simply the best book of its kind. It gives great directions for how to find these places and good advice about how best to ghost hunt there. I was especially impressed with the care the authors took to keep their readers from getting arrested.
I have some minor quibbles with the history, but I think it's good enough for a book that's serving as an introduction to these places.
All in all, really great.
I have some minor quibbles with the history, but I think it's good enough for a book that's serving as an introduction to these places.
All in all, really great.
March 24, 2019
Bought this on a recent trip to Nashville. Not amazing, not horrible. A truly middle of the road book. Supposedly, it is about ghost stories in Nashville & a good chunk are located within the city. Many are also located elsewhere throughout the state. So, calling the book NASHVILLE Haunted Handbook seems to be a misnomer.
December 28, 2016
Nashville is a place I've always wanted to visit and of course I love ghosts, so when I saw this book about haunted places of Nashville I knew I had to read it.
The book is more of a handbook, it just mentions the places, it's location, website, and a brief history on the hauntings.
It was fun to read about the local restaurants, hotels, museums, and theaters that are haunted; some of which are by country musicians or Civil War soldiers.
After reading this book, I'm ready to head to Nashville to explore some of these places.
The book is more of a handbook, it just mentions the places, it's location, website, and a brief history on the hauntings.
It was fun to read about the local restaurants, hotels, museums, and theaters that are haunted; some of which are by country musicians or Civil War soldiers.
After reading this book, I'm ready to head to Nashville to explore some of these places.
October 26, 2014
I won this book at a ghost con in Nashville. .it has alot of interesting stories of haunted places in and around Nashville
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews