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Ghost-Hunting for Dummies
Dive into the ghostly world of the supernatural with America’s leading paranormal investigator
Inside, paranormal investigator, star, and executive producer of The Travel Channel's hit series, Ghost Adventures and founder of the award-winning Haunted Museum (Las Vegas’ most popular attraction), Zak Bagans takes readers on an exciting journey into the supernatural world. With insider information on the history of ghost-hunting to learning about ghosts with all kinds of temperaments, Ghost-Hunting For Dummies is peppered with true accounts and stories from Bagans' famous cases and investigations.
Featuring expert advice on picking a haunted location, setting up cameras, and dealing with unwieldy ghosts, this book shows how today's investigators use the tools of modern science to study a wide range of paranormal activity.
Take an exciting adventure into the supernatural world Explore haunted sites Get messages from beyond the grave Read true accounts from famous cases and investigationsIf you're one of the countless fans of Ghost Adventures itching to get off the couch and track some spirits on your own, this book provides everything you need to know to conduct a successful paranormal investigation.
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 6, 2019
96 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 19, 2019
I finally got through the book, it's over 1000 pages so it took a while. I'd say firstly that it's impossible to talk about the book without mentioning Zak and Ghost Adventures. I have no bias against the guy or the show, I had the opportunity to meet him through a mutual friend in the field and he seemed sincere. I'm not a super fan but I am devoted to the study of the paranormal and have been for over a decade, it started with being born a medium and spiraled from there. If there is a book about the paranormal or supernatural I've probably read it. The thing people don't realize about the Travel Channel and other production companies is that embellishment is encouraged, your selling entertainment not just information. I know plenty of people who had stories featured on shows like Paranormal Witness, Paranormal Survivor, My Ghost Story and A Haunting. Some others refused the offer, they didn't want to enhance the details, to them the experience was organic and fluffing it up didn't sit right with them.
I'm not trying to take away from Zak's efforts and work in the field, it's more than a paycheck to him. I'm saying TV is entertainment for entertainments sake, your dealing with a condensed time line of activity and Zak naturally sells it. Along the way he amassed a fan base, the book I just read seems to be more geared towards that fan base than established investigators. The first couple of chapters are a run down of basic information on various topics like the history of ghost hunting and while it's informative it might be old hat to most people who are familiar with the subject. I didn't see anything original or personal until about chapter six.
There is a lot of debate about Zak in the community. Some investigators are very vocal about it and others try not to get involved. The biggest issue is his insistence to use provocation, only a trained demonologist should ever attempt to do that. You are inviting in trouble to both yourself and your team. Not only that but it stirs up energy in the location which can still remain when you leave and hand the keys back to the property owner, or it can follow you home. Something members of his team did experience in various investigations. Safety is a primary concern on investigations and in the presence of a haunted location or a haunted individual.
When you pen a how to book on paranormal investigation you have the responsibility to inform your readers of any risk and dangers involved. Instead what I read was warnings about dust, mold and not to chew gum during an EVP session. There was a note about being polite to the owner or host of the property, what he failed to mention was a respect for the energy or spirit that resides there. Respect for the dead is something I never saw mentioned, in my opinion that chapter was a missed opportunity. The books sells ghost hunting as an exciting new hobby but rarely if ever goes into the real risks involved. Surely Zak realizes that younger readers will experiment, there should have been more clearer warnings.
Some things I did like about the book: The write up on interview techniques and observational skills, most books on the subject don't go into enough details on either. The up to date tidbits of information on the various tools involved during an investigation, most books are outdated and fail to keep up with technology. It's easy to digest for those who aren't experienced in the study of the paranormal. It's clear and concise, it would be hard for the uninitiated to feel lost in the subject matter.
Some things I didn't like about the book: As mentioned above there were missed opportunities to discuss the use of provocation and no mention of respecting the dead. Both are high risk and should have been mentioned. Chapter twenty wasn't needed, it details the top ten haunted locations in America and seemed to be there just to buff the pages up.
I'm not trying to take away from Zak's efforts and work in the field, it's more than a paycheck to him. I'm saying TV is entertainment for entertainments sake, your dealing with a condensed time line of activity and Zak naturally sells it. Along the way he amassed a fan base, the book I just read seems to be more geared towards that fan base than established investigators. The first couple of chapters are a run down of basic information on various topics like the history of ghost hunting and while it's informative it might be old hat to most people who are familiar with the subject. I didn't see anything original or personal until about chapter six.
There is a lot of debate about Zak in the community. Some investigators are very vocal about it and others try not to get involved. The biggest issue is his insistence to use provocation, only a trained demonologist should ever attempt to do that. You are inviting in trouble to both yourself and your team. Not only that but it stirs up energy in the location which can still remain when you leave and hand the keys back to the property owner, or it can follow you home. Something members of his team did experience in various investigations. Safety is a primary concern on investigations and in the presence of a haunted location or a haunted individual.
When you pen a how to book on paranormal investigation you have the responsibility to inform your readers of any risk and dangers involved. Instead what I read was warnings about dust, mold and not to chew gum during an EVP session. There was a note about being polite to the owner or host of the property, what he failed to mention was a respect for the energy or spirit that resides there. Respect for the dead is something I never saw mentioned, in my opinion that chapter was a missed opportunity. The books sells ghost hunting as an exciting new hobby but rarely if ever goes into the real risks involved. Surely Zak realizes that younger readers will experiment, there should have been more clearer warnings.
Some things I did like about the book: The write up on interview techniques and observational skills, most books on the subject don't go into enough details on either. The up to date tidbits of information on the various tools involved during an investigation, most books are outdated and fail to keep up with technology. It's easy to digest for those who aren't experienced in the study of the paranormal. It's clear and concise, it would be hard for the uninitiated to feel lost in the subject matter.
Some things I didn't like about the book: As mentioned above there were missed opportunities to discuss the use of provocation and no mention of respecting the dead. Both are high risk and should have been mentioned. Chapter twenty wasn't needed, it details the top ten haunted locations in America and seemed to be there just to buff the pages up.
January 30, 2020
This book is filled with plagiarized material from dozens of unattributed sources. An example would be the the section titled “A Brief History of Photography” covering pages 208–216, is a direct copy from a book called 'Camera Clues: A Handbook for Photographic Investigation' by Joe Nickell, senior research fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry. Chapter 2 of Nickell’s book, The History of Photography, is copied almost word-for-word into Bagans' book. I strongly advise NOT purchasing this book, you'd only be supporting theft.
January 27, 2024
Genuine criticisms of plagiarism notwithstanding, I can't lie to myself or the Goodreads community and say I didn't really enjoy this book. It is undoubtedly a shame that Bagans, being apparently under immense pressure to get this sizeable book to print in time for a Christmas release, took some liberties in using other sources without properly citing them. I think, in my defence, I can also state that I listened to the audio version, where it is much harder to exactly know the lines between his own text, and hefty sections that are just copied and pasted from other works. There were plenty of times when he made in-text references, so I know he did resort to many quotes. But exactly where they ended is hard to tell when only listening to the audiobook, or indeed how much is direct quote, and how much is paraphrasing. According to some reviews, this was more their issue - that Bagans simply over-relied on other writers' work, rather than writing his own, even if he did cite them.
I honestly don't know, from my own reading, which was more the case, and technically both forms count as a kind of plagiarism. So, hopefully that gets the issue out of the way. I don't want my four-star rating to reflect any kind of disregard for ethical issues such as stealing intellectual property, or an overreliance on other people's work, or whatever the case was. Rather, my positive rating is bolstered by my being unable to get a proper way of knowing how much was or wasn't plagiarized either way, and, most important, it stands on the fact that I simply found this a lot of fun.
(Incidentally, I have also been reading another ghost book - Dark Spirits - which I am absolutely detesting. Therefore, how can I not look on this one favourably in comparison?)
Ghost-Hunting for Dummies - or, ironically, Ghost-Hunting Dummies, if you do not read the cover closely enough - does exactly what I think such a book should do. In fact, I would say it does more, in that Bagans didn't have to go so thoroughly into the cultural history of ghosts and hauntings, nor give so much page-space to encouraging scepticism, patience and continual questioning of any supposed evidence of the supernatural. I also didn't find him to be an obnoxious prick, which is a rare find in the ghost-hunting celebrity index.
Finally, he also gets a brownie point from me (and this is, of course, my bias) for providing a list of the best ghost movies which I actually fully approved of. He even mentioned some that don't usually get a mention as being that great, such as What Lies Beneath, and some classics that are too often forgotten, such as The Changeling. The only glaring omissions I can think of were the Aussie masterpiece, Lake Mungo, and Sam Raimi's The Gift.
I honestly don't know, from my own reading, which was more the case, and technically both forms count as a kind of plagiarism. So, hopefully that gets the issue out of the way. I don't want my four-star rating to reflect any kind of disregard for ethical issues such as stealing intellectual property, or an overreliance on other people's work, or whatever the case was. Rather, my positive rating is bolstered by my being unable to get a proper way of knowing how much was or wasn't plagiarized either way, and, most important, it stands on the fact that I simply found this a lot of fun.
(Incidentally, I have also been reading another ghost book - Dark Spirits - which I am absolutely detesting. Therefore, how can I not look on this one favourably in comparison?)
Ghost-Hunting for Dummies - or, ironically, Ghost-Hunting Dummies, if you do not read the cover closely enough - does exactly what I think such a book should do. In fact, I would say it does more, in that Bagans didn't have to go so thoroughly into the cultural history of ghosts and hauntings, nor give so much page-space to encouraging scepticism, patience and continual questioning of any supposed evidence of the supernatural. I also didn't find him to be an obnoxious prick, which is a rare find in the ghost-hunting celebrity index.
Finally, he also gets a brownie point from me (and this is, of course, my bias) for providing a list of the best ghost movies which I actually fully approved of. He even mentioned some that don't usually get a mention as being that great, such as What Lies Beneath, and some classics that are too often forgotten, such as The Changeling. The only glaring omissions I can think of were the Aussie masterpiece, Lake Mungo, and Sam Raimi's The Gift.
January 8, 2020
I don't like Zak Bagans in the least, but my mother (66) thought I (39) would enjoy this, so she checked it out of her library for me. Which I guess was sweet, but I don't need my mom checking out things she thinks I'll like. Anyway, I felt I had to read it to make her happy.
Oh boy. First of all, there are so many typos in this book that I stopped keeping track of them all. Second, there is some really unnecessary information here, like the history of photographs. Third, while Zak mentions being respectful to the owners of a haunted sight, he makes no mention of being respectful to the ghosts. Which, I suppose, is to be expected, since he's always "calling out" spirits.
He also loves the word "literally," and does not once use it correctly.
Oh boy. First of all, there are so many typos in this book that I stopped keeping track of them all. Second, there is some really unnecessary information here, like the history of photographs. Third, while Zak mentions being respectful to the owners of a haunted sight, he makes no mention of being respectful to the ghosts. Which, I suppose, is to be expected, since he's always "calling out" spirits.
He also loves the word "literally," and does not once use it correctly.
November 26, 2020
extremely disappointing and hard to recommend. im a very big ghost adventures fan ((i think i need to note for ethics sake here i DO NOT believe in the paranormal)) but sadly this shallow instructional manual really lacks the special "zak" touch that made his/kelly crigers other books "I am Haunted" and "Dark World" readable, despite kind of being the same beats over and over. the appeal of ghost adventures for a lot of fans isnt actually the ghost hunting, but the characters and personalities involved and the offbeat things they get up to every episode. removed of that personal charm, the results can be rather dull. like trying to watch other ghost hunting shows, such as most haunted or ghost hunters, theyre just not comparable to ghost adventures in terms of entertainment value. but this is goodreads, my thoughts on GA should not play too much of a role in my thoughts on this book.
"ghost-hunting for dummies" reads like it was written by a team of 'ghost'writers, which i can imagine being the truth since "for dummies" is a pretty prolific series. each ghostwriter takes on a different chapter, then slap zak on the cover, let him send in a few lines here and there, and then the rest is just the most dry, useless filler information. its just awful. 65% of the book is filler, utterly useless history, repeated information. the other 35% is useful, tangible things to do if you are hunting ghosts or want to know about the equipment. this isnt even mentioning that much of the book is BLATANTLY plagarized, as another reviewer on this site has pointed out. i will note that i made an explicit effort to buy this book used, as to not reward said plagarism.
do even a cursory google search of any of the "unexplained" stories of Spiritualists and you will find that theyve been pretty much across the board been definitively "explained"... as hoaxes and frauds. or, better yet, dont google it, just completely skip the useless filler material.
litte effort appers to have been made into rendering this into a cohesive whole - for example, different chapters refer to a certain movement as 'spiritualist' and then 'Spiritualist'. the reader has to hear about how the fox sisters started this movement like three or four different times, because the editing oversight didnt want to bother checking for repetition. i dont think repetition is necessarily a bad thing in a technical manual - it can be good to re-emphasize important points WHEN THE INFORMATION IS ACTUALLY RELEVANT TO THE GHOST-HUNTING. but this is filler history, designed to fill pages, probably already stolen from another source anyways! there are also numerous typos (millions becomes mission in one particularly embarrassing slip), and this is a purely personal gribe, but the quality of the physical copy i had is so poor i can basically feel it coming apart in my hands; the cover has gotten mysterious creases despite the fact i take really good care of my stuff, typically. like a ghost did it. oh no!!!! oooOOOOooO!!!!! $25 for a book printed on tissue paper. pass. buy this used.
the moments i enjoyed, where the "zak" personality came through, were too far between to recommend to anyone but the most serious GA fan. and for those looking to get into ghost hunting, i am 100% sure there are far more comprehensive guides out there, albiet without that special celebrity touch. Sad!
"ghost-hunting for dummies" reads like it was written by a team of 'ghost'writers, which i can imagine being the truth since "for dummies" is a pretty prolific series. each ghostwriter takes on a different chapter, then slap zak on the cover, let him send in a few lines here and there, and then the rest is just the most dry, useless filler information. its just awful. 65% of the book is filler, utterly useless history, repeated information. the other 35% is useful, tangible things to do if you are hunting ghosts or want to know about the equipment. this isnt even mentioning that much of the book is BLATANTLY plagarized, as another reviewer on this site has pointed out. i will note that i made an explicit effort to buy this book used, as to not reward said plagarism.
do even a cursory google search of any of the "unexplained" stories of Spiritualists and you will find that theyve been pretty much across the board been definitively "explained"... as hoaxes and frauds. or, better yet, dont google it, just completely skip the useless filler material.
litte effort appers to have been made into rendering this into a cohesive whole - for example, different chapters refer to a certain movement as 'spiritualist' and then 'Spiritualist'. the reader has to hear about how the fox sisters started this movement like three or four different times, because the editing oversight didnt want to bother checking for repetition. i dont think repetition is necessarily a bad thing in a technical manual - it can be good to re-emphasize important points WHEN THE INFORMATION IS ACTUALLY RELEVANT TO THE GHOST-HUNTING. but this is filler history, designed to fill pages, probably already stolen from another source anyways! there are also numerous typos (millions becomes mission in one particularly embarrassing slip), and this is a purely personal gribe, but the quality of the physical copy i had is so poor i can basically feel it coming apart in my hands; the cover has gotten mysterious creases despite the fact i take really good care of my stuff, typically. like a ghost did it. oh no!!!! oooOOOOooO!!!!! $25 for a book printed on tissue paper. pass. buy this used.
the moments i enjoyed, where the "zak" personality came through, were too far between to recommend to anyone but the most serious GA fan. and for those looking to get into ghost hunting, i am 100% sure there are far more comprehensive guides out there, albiet without that special celebrity touch. Sad!
May 24, 2020
This book was phenomenal. The historical experiences of people over time was my favorite part. The actual ghost hunting steps were very well written and thought out. If you are going to make this your business, this is the first book I would go to for advice. I would definitely tell everyone to read this and watch the show.
April 2, 2020
Interesting. It's all about his ghost-hunting, which is to be expected. Not too many suggestions on how to find, communicate or see ghosts or what machines or techniques might be most useful. Otherwise, for a beginner, this book would be of some help. Zak Bagans is an interesting writer although I do not really like his shows.
I was hoping this book might give me some other techniques for ghost-hunting but....
I was hoping this book might give me some other techniques for ghost-hunting but....
July 16, 2023
This book felt like I was reading a college paper the way he wrote in his citations and a good chunk of it seemed to just be regurgitating others’ research. I’m a little impressed he gave lots of information about debunking ghosts, but the writing never felt like it flowed very well.
December 20, 2021
I lowered my expectations prior to reading, as I was sure this book would embrace pseudo-scientific conclusions, and faulty evidence of the paranormal. That being said, this is actually a really comprehensive guide to haunting phenomena, and the study thereof. Great historical references to figures of the early spiritualism movement, the psychical research center, and famous alleged hauntings. If you’re expecting a legitimate scientific accounting of the paranormal, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re entertained by the notion of the paranormal, and take it with a grain of salt, you’ll have a great time.
February 27, 2020
This book had so many typos. Still liked it well enough.
June 2, 2024
The book Ghost-Hunting for Dummies by Zak Bagans provides an interesting and approachable overview of the field of paranormal inquiry. The book is easy to read and enjoyable, even for people who are unfamiliar with the subject matter, thanks to Bagans' lively storytelling and enthusiastic writing style. The book offers a thorough introduction to the fundamentals of ghost hunting, including tools, methods, and safety precautions, which can be quite beneficial for those just starting out. But the book also lacks in a few other areas. Although the dramatic ghost-hunting tales and personal anecdotes are entertaining, they frequently overshadow the book's more instructive elements. The explanations of scientific ideas and research techniques may leave readers disappointed in their quest for a more thorough comprehension of the material. The book might also benefit from a more impartial approach that incorporates insightful discussions about the moral implications and psychological effects of ghost hunting. The book is an enjoyable and educational tome for anyone curious about the paranormal, but it could be better if it provided a more in-depth and critical examination of the subject.
March 20, 2025
This book is not just an in-depth and grounded guide on paranormal investigation but a deep well of fascinating information centered around spiritualism, all things and places haunted, and how people both skeptical and in belief interact with exploring the paranormal. This made for an immensely engaging read and helped all 406 pages just fly by.
No matter what facet of the paranormal interests you in particular- have that be the scientific, logical study of it, the cultural/folklore aspect and how long ghost stories have been present in our stories and faith, or simply spooky stories centered around different locations or objects, you'll find it all in this book and in great detail.
With all his experience in the field, Zak certainly had a lot of interesting information to share. I feel his voice shone through best on the chapters regarding the investigations themselves and the equipment most frequently used during their course. They're written with a lot of his passion for his work and it comes through in a way that brings a more keen sense of interest to the text, where some other chapters, while no less intriguing, come across as more textbook.
Reading this also inspired me to immediately purchase Troy Taylor's 'Ghost Hunter's Guidebook", which Zak references heavily and frequently throughout this book and seems to be work he respects and follows himself.
No matter what facet of the paranormal interests you in particular- have that be the scientific, logical study of it, the cultural/folklore aspect and how long ghost stories have been present in our stories and faith, or simply spooky stories centered around different locations or objects, you'll find it all in this book and in great detail.
With all his experience in the field, Zak certainly had a lot of interesting information to share. I feel his voice shone through best on the chapters regarding the investigations themselves and the equipment most frequently used during their course. They're written with a lot of his passion for his work and it comes through in a way that brings a more keen sense of interest to the text, where some other chapters, while no less intriguing, come across as more textbook.
Reading this also inspired me to immediately purchase Troy Taylor's 'Ghost Hunter's Guidebook", which Zak references heavily and frequently throughout this book and seems to be work he respects and follows himself.
June 22, 2020
I normally don’t read these kinds of books, But I always read Zaks work or watch docu’s made by him, I’ve been a fan of his since the beginning... anyway it’s a very interesting read that answered a lot of unanswered questions I have had when it came to ghost hunting and techniques. I mean zak has kinda went through different stages when dealing with the paranormal and if you have watched him since the beginning you see how he develops and this book kinda throws you into the world where you can become the hunter and how to do his and other paranormal investigators job.
What I like most about this book is that is very informative. I have all the information I need in this book versus searching the internet for answers I’ve long wanted in haunting or how to tell if our house was in fact haunted, but there are people who like searching the web and there are people who like to crack open a book for all the answers and I’m definitely the book worm lol. Anyways I truly enjoyed this book and I think anyone interested in the paranormal or looking to get into the profession should pick up this book. 🤙🏻
What I like most about this book is that is very informative. I have all the information I need in this book versus searching the internet for answers I’ve long wanted in haunting or how to tell if our house was in fact haunted, but there are people who like searching the web and there are people who like to crack open a book for all the answers and I’m definitely the book worm lol. Anyways I truly enjoyed this book and I think anyone interested in the paranormal or looking to get into the profession should pick up this book. 🤙🏻
April 23, 2020
I love Ghost Adventures, however I was let down by this book. I started reading it and thought the prose was well written and researched, it must have taken Zak years to write this book. The first part of the book contained much historical information. It takes time to write about history. I teach history and you cant just slap it together. Some sections were disjointed as if they were written by different people. Turns out Zak had a ghost writer, which is not uncommon. But a lot of it was plagiarized see article below.
https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusi...
The second part of the book about investigations was very repetitive and nothing new if you watch his shows religiously. I was frustrated by the way Zak continuously instructed his readers to take copious notes during investigations. I have never ever seen Zak or his crew make notes during an investigation. I was not thrilled with this book. I find that hard to say as I do like the show, especially the older episodes.
https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusi...
The second part of the book about investigations was very repetitive and nothing new if you watch his shows religiously. I was frustrated by the way Zak continuously instructed his readers to take copious notes during investigations. I have never ever seen Zak or his crew make notes during an investigation. I was not thrilled with this book. I find that hard to say as I do like the show, especially the older episodes.
February 6, 2025
Most of Ghost-Hunting for Dummies read like irrelevant factoids about entirely non-ghost-hunting or only tangentially-related subjects stolen from Wikipedia, come to find out from the reviews on Goodreads that they were actually stolen from other books. The remainder - maybe an eighth of the four hundred pages - was a very cursory introduction to ghost-hunting that doesn't contain nearly enough information to actually head out and hunt for spooks. Ghost-Hunting for Dummies was also plagued with typos, mainly late in the book where the actual ghost-hunting portions are hiding, which probably means those were the only parts that weren't plagiarized and author Zakbo Baggins can't spell worth a damn.
The only dummies involved here are the author and editors, if there were any.
...
The only dummies involved here are the author and editors, if there were any.
...
April 10, 2021
This book is trash written, obviously rushed into print. Maybe it was designed to be a Kindle project? There are misspellings and poorly written sentences throughout. That is not the worst past though. The worst is that the photos are indistinguishable in many instances. My favorite is the one that was just a black box! I assume that they would actually show something if they were in color, such as an ebook might show. But in a paper black and white book, there is nothing.
The subject is interesting, and the project has promise. If only it had been proofread, it probably would have been good. Thankfully it was a library book and didn't cost me directly.
The subject is interesting, and the project has promise. If only it had been proofread, it probably would have been good. Thankfully it was a library book and didn't cost me directly.
July 11, 2020
The part about historical hauntings was sort of interesting, but he'll be like "oooh, no definitive proof if this was faked!" And then you run one google search and can read all the criticism of the case's veracity, so nice try, guy. Also, including infamous frauds Ed and Lorraine Warren as real life ghost-hunters is like, goodbye credibility????
If you believe in ghosts, you'll probably enjoy this; if you don't, the time you'll spend scoffing and rolling your eyes is going to triple your reading time.
If you believe in ghosts, you'll probably enjoy this; if you don't, the time you'll spend scoffing and rolling your eyes is going to triple your reading time.
December 13, 2020
Ghostwriter plagiarism aside, Bagans is more hobbyist than specialist when it comes to all things paranormal. I say that only because he sticks to North American tropes and doesn’t explore other beliefs and interpretations of ghosts. He seeks the quick thrills and tries to relay his paranormal investigation expertise when he’s just a hotshot documentarian. I find this falls nicely into the tired horror trope of egoist ghost hunter more interested in tantalizing the audience rather than help and educate.
May 10, 2024
The book of Zachariah….did you know lover?? You were well dumb then too. Just joking I love you. I’m having serious issues with some trolls and if you read this I hope you do. Find me so I don’t have to keep finding you. A lot of evil demonic shit being directed my way for seven years or so feeling oppressed and personal agendas with evil human filth have destroyed my body physically. It’s the baby I need to consider when dealing this level of human filth. If you don’t read this just know it would be an amazing to have you here my dear.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2020
Full disclosure: I loved Ghost Adventures when it first was airing and I find Zak a goofy and delightful host.
I was not expecting this book to be... how do I say this nicely... Good. But I was surprised at how highly fascinating and entertaining most of it was. Especially the history at the beginning. I found I truly enjoyed the information and learning about the subject, even as a open-minded skeptic of the paranormal.
I was not expecting this book to be... how do I say this nicely... Good. But I was surprised at how highly fascinating and entertaining most of it was. Especially the history at the beginning. I found I truly enjoyed the information and learning about the subject, even as a open-minded skeptic of the paranormal.
March 18, 2024
It was a hard read for me because of the grammar and spelling errors and the amount of plagiarized content that's throughout this book. The lack of warnings that Zak fails to mention to potential unsuspecting people about the spiritual dangers and the majorly important rule of respecting the dead. I wanted to like this book because I have a fascination with ghost hunting and it's history but this book seems like a cash grab for Zak instead of a labor of love for the subject.
February 24, 2020
I really enjoy Zak and the Ghost Adventures Crew and enjoyed this book as well. LOVED the history of paranormal research through the decades. This book is full of interesting info and understanding what it is and how it has changed through the years. What I was slightly disappointed in, is in the Dummies series, I love the quirky tips and bullseyes and anecdotes and so forth which there was very little of in this book. The STYLE was missing a bit. I do recommend it though for fans and those interested in ghost hunting.
November 22, 2020
It was ok. The book alphas some interesting things like the history of early day paranormal phenomenon. In my opinion some areas could have been more expanded upon while others had way too much background information...leading me to become uninterested and skip around to other areas that were more fascinating.
January 31, 2021
This was given to me as a Christmas present- it’s an interesting book if you’re new to ghost hunting or think you might want to get into ghost hunting. While there were some fascinating details to me throughout the book, it was mostly information I was already aware of as part of an investigation team and with having multiple investigations under my belt.
February 29, 2024
Way too basic. There were so many areas of interest in this field but instead of discussing methods of ghost hunting in deeper detail, this tells us to wear deodorant and watch your ego? I feel somehow less intelligent for reading this long winded explanation on the topics surrounding ghost hunting.
May 5, 2025
I gave this 3 stars because someone that knows absolutely nothing about any of this topic might find this interesting and useful. As someone that has watched these shows my whole life (literally) there was a lot of material that I didn't need to read.
Take into consideration this is literally a guide and not something that Zak utilizes to talk about experiences, etc.
Take into consideration this is literally a guide and not something that Zak utilizes to talk about experiences, etc.
December 23, 2020
Insightful information for anyone to get into paranormal & Interesting investigative stories. I learned a ton of informative tips & advice. Also, Inspired me to write paranormal, haunting poems & stories of my own. A lot of references from another book by another author.
December 16, 2022
It has a lot of information which is useful however it did focus a lot on starting your own investigation team. Could have done with more information about becoming an investigator.
Other wise an interesting book
Other wise an interesting book
January 8, 2023
I like zak… and am thoroughly entertained by Ghost Adventures, but this book was lazy. I just went ahead and bought Troy Taylor’s ghost hunting guidebook since most of this book is just copied and pasted from there
October 21, 2023
Good for a newcomer
Say what you want about Zak, but I enjoyed the book. I enjoy the subject, in general, mostly just as an observer. I’m not in good health so couldn’t go ghost hunting myself but enjoy reading about the subject. Who knows, maybe someday?
Say what you want about Zak, but I enjoyed the book. I enjoy the subject, in general, mostly just as an observer. I’m not in good health so couldn’t go ghost hunting myself but enjoy reading about the subject. Who knows, maybe someday?
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