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Ghosts: Phantoms, Poltergeists, Apparitions, Specters, Spirits, and More (Volume 25)
Ghosts traces the cultural and literary origins of the paranormal, reveals the secrets behind many mysterious myths and legends, and analyzes our continued fascination with visitors from the other side. With chapters on the origins of ghosts, poltergeists, ghosts from around the world, exorcism, haunted houses, and more, this book will keep you on the edge of your seat.
Belief in ghosts is nothing new. Uncertainty surrounding death is part of the human condition and the existence of an afterlife is deeply rooted in most worldwide cultures and religions .
In Taoism and Buddhism, the Hungry Ghost Festival celebrates the belief that, once a year, ghosts and spirits are released from the afterlife and walk among the living. In the west, ghost stories were established in ancient folklore and tend to embrace the same classic themes as today's horror movies : romance, tragedy, and terror. Writers of antiquity used ghosts and hauntings as a way to provide background information or foretell coming events, and Shakespeare, the father of English literature, used the same techniques in his plays. Glamis Castle, the infamous haunted Scottish setting for Shakespeare's Macbeth, is said to be on of the most nerve-wracking places on earth—but are these feelings imagined or real?
At one time or another, most people have experienced a creepy, spine tingling, someone's watching you sort of sensation that they can't explain. Scientists may try to account for these fears by attributing them to the natural fear of the unknown. Cold spots are nothing more than an open window and creaking floorboards are nothing more than old wood shifting in place. Regardless, millions of people believe that there is much more to these strange phenomenons than can be explained by modern science. And really, who can say that they're wrong?
Be informed, entertained, and frightened by this comprehensive volume about "the other side."
The Oxford People series offers deep dives into the most influential people, subjects, and cultures from history. From horror-fiction legends like H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe, to historical heavyweights like Houdini and JFK, to the supernatural world of vampires, werewolves, and ghosts—Oxford People encompasses it all.
Belief in ghosts is nothing new. Uncertainty surrounding death is part of the human condition and the existence of an afterlife is deeply rooted in most worldwide cultures and religions .
In Taoism and Buddhism, the Hungry Ghost Festival celebrates the belief that, once a year, ghosts and spirits are released from the afterlife and walk among the living. In the west, ghost stories were established in ancient folklore and tend to embrace the same classic themes as today's horror movies : romance, tragedy, and terror. Writers of antiquity used ghosts and hauntings as a way to provide background information or foretell coming events, and Shakespeare, the father of English literature, used the same techniques in his plays. Glamis Castle, the infamous haunted Scottish setting for Shakespeare's Macbeth, is said to be on of the most nerve-wracking places on earth—but are these feelings imagined or real?
At one time or another, most people have experienced a creepy, spine tingling, someone's watching you sort of sensation that they can't explain. Scientists may try to account for these fears by attributing them to the natural fear of the unknown. Cold spots are nothing more than an open window and creaking floorboards are nothing more than old wood shifting in place. Regardless, millions of people believe that there is much more to these strange phenomenons than can be explained by modern science. And really, who can say that they're wrong?
Be informed, entertained, and frightened by this comprehensive volume about "the other side."
The Oxford People series offers deep dives into the most influential people, subjects, and cultures from history. From horror-fiction legends like H. P. Lovecraft and Edgar Allen Poe, to historical heavyweights like Houdini and JFK, to the supernatural world of vampires, werewolves, and ghosts—Oxford People encompasses it all.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 11, 2013
3/10/2013
Features interesting tales of ghost sightings; though the chapters relaying ghosts in music and movies gets to be tedious as it gives long-winded rundowns of the most popular (and most likely to be heard/seen) ones.
Features interesting tales of ghost sightings; though the chapters relaying ghosts in music and movies gets to be tedious as it gives long-winded rundowns of the most popular (and most likely to be heard/seen) ones.
October 19, 2024
Rating
3 / 5 stars Worth a Read
Overall
This book is more of an introduction then a complete guide to the supernatural as the title says. However, the book still provides good information and its good for any fan of the supernatural.
Review
The presentation of the book is well done. The pages are glossy and easy to read font. Each section does a great job presenting the supernatural. Not only are there good descriptions for the supernatural but there are pictures that show what they are talking about. The best part is it gives references to the supernatural in tv and movies so you can check out. However, as a complete guide it falls short. It mostly talks about the most common supernatural that most people know.
3 / 5 stars Worth a Read
Overall
This book is more of an introduction then a complete guide to the supernatural as the title says. However, the book still provides good information and its good for any fan of the supernatural.
Review
The presentation of the book is well done. The pages are glossy and easy to read font. Each section does a great job presenting the supernatural. Not only are there good descriptions for the supernatural but there are pictures that show what they are talking about. The best part is it gives references to the supernatural in tv and movies so you can check out. However, as a complete guide it falls short. It mostly talks about the most common supernatural that most people know.
November 13, 2017
Brilliant.
Very good for any body that is interested in the paranormal. And any thing spooky and frightening but not to scary for kids.
Very good for any body that is interested in the paranormal. And any thing spooky and frightening but not to scary for kids.
October 3, 2014
I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to begin delving into the paranormal possibility of ghosts. I personally didn't get as much out of this book as I'd hoped, but I think this is because I have been reading about ghosts for a number of years already. This book touches on where the ideas of ghosts came from, as well as delving into modern lore, and goes as far as discussing TV and movies, and how this has affected the research of the possibility of ghosts. Again, not a book that shed much light for me, but I still enjoyed reading it.
February 5, 2016
This book is a part of a series of really great coffee table books that I have been collecting. In my opinion this is one of the best ones I've read yet, full of very eerie documented haunting and possession cases, with accompanying photos of ghostly sightings and haunted buildings. It definitely gave me the chills a few nights while reading this book before bed.
February 2, 2013
Easy read, with numerous references to well known ghost stories. Adding a lot if minor details to explain them a but further then is common knowledge.
December 29, 2015
Not actually a "complete guide". More like a skim. It also covers film and tv ghost appearances briefly which I found very unrelated but an interesting-to-browse read.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews