LIFE The World's Most Haunted Places: Creepy, Ghostly, and Notorious Spots

by LIFE

You might want to keep the lights on as you read The World’s Most Haunted Places. This spine-chilling Special Edition from LIFE is filled with striking photos and eerie stories about some of the world’s creepiest places. There’s the hotel that inspired The Shining . . . the Amityville Horror house . . . and the dilapidated farm that was home to the serial killer who inspired The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The Silence of the Lambs, and Psycho. Not every spot is horrifying, though. Some, like Angkor Wat or the ancient ruins under Lake Titicaca—are mysterious, even spiritual. Others, filled with mummies, abandoned dolls, rusting prison bars, or headstones, are unnerving. But they all have one thing in common—they exist partly in our world, and partly in a shadowy realm of fear and horror. With dozens of unforgettable photographs The World’s Most Haunted Places takes readers on a round-the-world tour of places that you’ll never be able to forget.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Horror, Paranormal

163 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 28, 2018

About the author

Life was an American magazine published weekly from 1883 to 1972, as an intermittent "special" until 1978, and as a monthly from 1978 until 2000. During its golden age from 1936 to 1972, Life was a wide-ranging weekly general interest magazine known for the quality of its photography.

Reviews

[Mouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love those specials that you see in the supermarket or Walmart before the checkout. This one is dark, creepy, and has beautiful, haunting pictures!
I’ve been to 7 of the places listed in this, I’m sure by now I have some kind of curse on me! Lol 👻 💀🧛‍♀️😈👽

[MV · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars is being generous here. I did enjoy a couple of things I read, but for the most part, it was dull. Each piece just gave a brief overview of the site and didn't say anything earth-shattering. Calling some of these sites "haunted" is a stretch, and there are some dubious statements that I'm surprised made it into a LIFE publication at all. Very disappointing.

[Erica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved turning the page to see where the next haunted location would be. I was surprised by how many locations I have visited! I only wish there was a little bit more detail on the hauntings, but understand it fits how the material was published.

[Vincent · Rating 1 out of 5]

SEVERLY UNDER RESEARCHED, DISCONNECTED STATEMENTS/RUMORS THAT ACT AS SPACE FILLER, RANDOM QUOTES, DOWNRIGHT INCORRECT INFORMATION, LAZY LAZY LAZY WRITING RELIANT ON THE LIFE MAG REPUTATION TO MAKE SELLS.


Literally the worst edition of Life reissue I have ever bought. Even they are becoming lazy, complacent, greedy and altogether redundant.
EITHER LIFE PURPOSELY JUST SLAPPED THIS SHIT TOGETHER, OR THE WRITERS OF THIS NEWER GENERATION ARE JUST SO COMPLACENT IN THERE TECHNIQUES HAVING BEEN TOLD HOW SPECIAL THEY ARE THEIR WHOLE LIVES, AND ONCE HIRED ON WITH LIFE, WALK THROUGH THEIRS LIKE ANY MISHMOSH BULLSHIT THEY SLAP TOGETHER IS AWARD WINNING QUALITY.
LAST FUCKING $15 MAGAZINE MY 8 YEAR OLD COULD HAVE WRITTEN BETTER, I BUY

The photos included are random, vague, and just plain odd choices. (Of ALL the photos of Salem to choose, a hazy blue shadow picture of a house that could be anywhere OR the zoomed in shot of the tombstone that gives no context as to where it may be or the setting it is in, among many other ridiculous choices)
But MORE ANNOYINGLY the writing was so bad, my child even had the initiative to start looking up wikipedia pages to try and make sense of some of the vague references writer makes. Its like he

literally googled each title, skimmed for about 2 minutes before writing what I'm sure he thinks is very colorful descriptions, but really just look like under researched copy pasted text that he altered to sound original like one would do in High School.
Paragraphs go from listing basic facts, to random quotes from unknown sources, a quippy comment or question, followed by another disconnected rumor mixed with maybe a date.
Disconnected statements that again, add little to the article, leaves questions/doubts such as "..had subjected her unstable son to ceaseless rants about the evils of women" to a sentence about his father and brother dying then back to "[Gein] wishing that he had been born a woman (his mother had prayed for a girl) (pg 15) -- pretty contradictory sentences. and there are so many in this book i coulnt even finish it.

[Seana McCarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Between 4.5/5 I really enjoyed every article of this magazine! I was truly immersed in each location's history and even found myself researching a bit further into some of the places mentioned! I simply wish they had a little more detail in some articles rather than referencing so many different places in one article. Other than that .. I really enjoyed this edition. I even wrapped the magazine with a clear cover to protect it from tearing, bending or to prevent water damage on the cover... I do that when I really like a book haha

[Christie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't call it time wasted, but I also definitely wouldn't call it anything close to a book about paranormal experiences. It's more like "Five paragraphs about the history of the landmark" that always ends with "some have said they saw a ghost here." I like history, so I liked learning about them, but I mostly used this as a tool to look up real paranormal accounts of the locations that they "highlight".

[Eevee Chapman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't expect much information going into it, this magazine is by LIFE after all, but I was at least hoping to find some interesting pictures at least, but no. There was maybe a small blurb about each place and pictures that you'd find on the first page of Google images. Definitely not worth the price I paid for it.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you only read one thing this year in the creepy realm , I highly suggest this LIFE exclusive. The articles may be short, but each line is very purposeful and pact with so much info. I simply loved it, and will read it again.

[Ellenore Clementine Kruger · Rating 5 out of 5]

wide range with great photographs

This was really fun, just great. Some of it is spooky, but some is spiritual or fun. You kinda need to be a fan of this stuff, or there will be too much creepiness hehe

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunted though they maybe, I still want to visit every one. Blame the resulting insanity on Life magazine.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, a fun read for "spooky season."

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a birthday gift from my sister, because she knows me so well. A fun read!

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun little quick read with great photographs.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this, I want to take an even deeper look at all of these places

[Ione DeOllos · Rating 5 out of 5]

This issue of Life presents some new and intriguing potentially haunted sites. This is certainly a fun read.

[Madison Glascoff · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved!

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this mostly iconic and/or historical places around the world and could be expanded on. I know so many other locations could be added onto this.

[Marley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't hate it but it just fell short for me.
I think they should've gone in on fewer places instead of going alllllllll over the world. I understand it's a magazine but many of the places had like two paragraphs of information and it was just not entertaining to read. Another problem with including so many locations: many began to blend together as they sounded too similar.
I'm sure someone could enjoy this but it was a no for me, at least it was a quick read.

[Abby Lattanzio · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to have some pictures to places I've heard about before, but it seems like all the "most haunted places" are the same no matter who you ask. I'd like to see less-known haunted places and learn the folklore than have the most common ones regurgitated time and again.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun read this time of year.