What do you think?
Rate this book
Ghosts Go Haunting
Librarian's Note: The ISBN13 9789997483300 for this book was also used by "Cómete a ti mismo" by Nicolás Méndez.
Ten Scottish ghost stories of ghastly ghouls and Gaelic superstitions
Those who don’t believe in ghosts simply have yet to see one for themselves. Once doubters meet a spirit, they will never return to their previous state of disbelief. Ghost stories are everywhere if one is willing to listen.
In these eerie accounts, Sorche Nic Leodhas presents a compilation of Gaelic ghost stories she has collected throughout her life. With tales such as those of the lads who were robbed by a dead man, the crofter who helped carry a coffin, and the mother who came back from the dead to care for her baby, Ghosts Go Haunting is sure to thrill even the firmest of nonbelievers.
Ten Scottish ghost stories of ghastly ghouls and Gaelic superstitions
Those who don’t believe in ghosts simply have yet to see one for themselves. Once doubters meet a spirit, they will never return to their previous state of disbelief. Ghost stories are everywhere if one is willing to listen.
In these eerie accounts, Sorche Nic Leodhas presents a compilation of Gaelic ghost stories she has collected throughout her life. With tales such as those of the lads who were robbed by a dead man, the crofter who helped carry a coffin, and the mother who came back from the dead to care for her baby, Ghosts Go Haunting is sure to thrill even the firmest of nonbelievers.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1965
4 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
Sorche Nic Leodhas
32 books12 followerspseudonym for Leclaire Alger
Sorche Nic Leodhas (1898–1969) was born LeClaire Louise Gowans in Youngstown, Ohio. After the death of her first husband, she moved to New York and attended classes at Columbia University. Several years later, she met her second husband and became LeClaire Gowans Alger. She was a longtime librarian at the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she also wrote children’s books. Shortly before she retired in 1966, she began publishing Scottish folktales and other stories under the pseudonym Sorche Nic Leodhas, Gaelic for Claire, daughter of Louis. In 1963, she received a Newbery Honor for Thistle and Thyme: Tales and Legends from Scotland. Alger continued to write and publish books until her death 1969.
Sorche Nic Leodhas (1898–1969) was born LeClaire Louise Gowans in Youngstown, Ohio. After the death of her first husband, she moved to New York and attended classes at Columbia University. Several years later, she met her second husband and became LeClaire Gowans Alger. She was a longtime librarian at the Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she also wrote children’s books. Shortly before she retired in 1966, she began publishing Scottish folktales and other stories under the pseudonym Sorche Nic Leodhas, Gaelic for Claire, daughter of Louis. In 1963, she received a Newbery Honor for Thistle and Thyme: Tales and Legends from Scotland. Alger continued to write and publish books until her death 1969.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 27, 2018
I am always up for a good ghost story. When I saw this collection of Scottish spooky folklore, I knew I needed to read this book!
Ghosts Go Haunting contains 10 wonderfully quaint ghostly tales:
The Wicked House of Duncan MacBain
The Man Who Didn't Believe in Ghosts
The Man Who Walked Widdershins Around the Kirk
The Tale the Crofter Told
The Wild Ride in the Tilt Cart
The Man Who Helped Carry the Coffin
The Ghost that Didn't Want to be a Ghost
The Lads Who Met the Highwayman
How Tammas Maciver Macmurdo Maclennan Met His Match
The Young Irish Lad from the Hiring Fair
The tales are wonderfully written, colorful and very entertaining to read. From restless spirits to devilish ones, the stories are varied. Some are more humorous, others sinister....but I enjoyed all 10! The tales are accented with artwork by Nonny Hogrogian. The illustrations go perfectly with the stories.
My favorite tale was The Ghost that Didn't Want to be a Ghost. The trials and tribulations of other ghosts having to put up with complaints from a lazy spirit....doesn't want to haunt, doesn't like to clank chains....lots of complaining and moping. Finally the chief of the ghosts steps in to help solve the situation. The final solution to the ghost's problem is both heart-warming and humorous. Great story!
All in all, a great collection of Scottish ghost stories! Sorche Nic Leodhas is the pen name of LeClair Alger. Several collections of Scottish stories were published under the pseudonym, including Twelve Black Cats and Other Eerie Tales from Scotland and By Loch and By Lin, Tales from Scottish Ballads. I enjoyed Ghosts Go Haunting so much I definitely want to read more!
Ghosts Go Haunting contains 10 wonderfully quaint ghostly tales:
The Wicked House of Duncan MacBain
The Man Who Didn't Believe in Ghosts
The Man Who Walked Widdershins Around the Kirk
The Tale the Crofter Told
The Wild Ride in the Tilt Cart
The Man Who Helped Carry the Coffin
The Ghost that Didn't Want to be a Ghost
The Lads Who Met the Highwayman
How Tammas Maciver Macmurdo Maclennan Met His Match
The Young Irish Lad from the Hiring Fair
The tales are wonderfully written, colorful and very entertaining to read. From restless spirits to devilish ones, the stories are varied. Some are more humorous, others sinister....but I enjoyed all 10! The tales are accented with artwork by Nonny Hogrogian. The illustrations go perfectly with the stories.
My favorite tale was The Ghost that Didn't Want to be a Ghost. The trials and tribulations of other ghosts having to put up with complaints from a lazy spirit....doesn't want to haunt, doesn't like to clank chains....lots of complaining and moping. Finally the chief of the ghosts steps in to help solve the situation. The final solution to the ghost's problem is both heart-warming and humorous. Great story!
All in all, a great collection of Scottish ghost stories! Sorche Nic Leodhas is the pen name of LeClair Alger. Several collections of Scottish stories were published under the pseudonym, including Twelve Black Cats and Other Eerie Tales from Scotland and By Loch and By Lin, Tales from Scottish Ballads. I enjoyed Ghosts Go Haunting so much I definitely want to read more!
October 11, 2022
This book is a historical document, and some of the stories are mildly interesting (especially the one about the Irish lad at the hiring fair). It’s bound to disappoint anyone looking to be frightened, though. I’ve been a Sorche (Alger) admirer for half my life but I’d never read this collection before.
August 17, 2017
This book was one that was chosen for me for this month. As much as I liked parts of it it unfortunately ended up being a very mixed read for me and somewhat a bit of a disappointment.
First of all was the enjoyable fact that this was quite a unique read due to the ethnicity of the author as being part or fully Scottish. The book thus was imbued with a beautiful authenticity with its capture of Scottish life in general and the use of both braid Scottish as well as Gaelic words.
These words were collected in an easy-to-access glossary in the back where their origins were made note of. Furthermore for some of the hardest seeming words there was a bit of a pronunciation guide and in some instances a further explanation to clarify the usage of the word.
The stories themselves were an interesting collection although the telling was a bit on the flat side. Also there were a few stories that were questionable in their truth while others were quite similar to other commonly told ghost stories.
Finally the part that truly bugged me was the fiction notification in the back. The author in her introduction had made a point that even though it may have been difficult and a roundabout process she had gone to all the means possible to chase down the stories before sharing. To see that everything was basically just fiction was a letdown that stripped the books of their ghost story ranking.
Otherwise the stories have paranormal elements but aren't scary nor nightmare-inducing. As for recommending this book I can't say that I would since even the history and sincere language can most likely be found in a better presented book. And for ghost story fans it may be a decent read as long as the reader remembers these are just regular stories for entertainment purposes.
First of all was the enjoyable fact that this was quite a unique read due to the ethnicity of the author as being part or fully Scottish. The book thus was imbued with a beautiful authenticity with its capture of Scottish life in general and the use of both braid Scottish as well as Gaelic words.
These words were collected in an easy-to-access glossary in the back where their origins were made note of. Furthermore for some of the hardest seeming words there was a bit of a pronunciation guide and in some instances a further explanation to clarify the usage of the word.
The stories themselves were an interesting collection although the telling was a bit on the flat side. Also there were a few stories that were questionable in their truth while others were quite similar to other commonly told ghost stories.
Finally the part that truly bugged me was the fiction notification in the back. The author in her introduction had made a point that even though it may have been difficult and a roundabout process she had gone to all the means possible to chase down the stories before sharing. To see that everything was basically just fiction was a letdown that stripped the books of their ghost story ranking.
Otherwise the stories have paranormal elements but aren't scary nor nightmare-inducing. As for recommending this book I can't say that I would since even the history and sincere language can most likely be found in a better presented book. And for ghost story fans it may be a decent read as long as the reader remembers these are just regular stories for entertainment purposes.
April 3, 2025
Taking a storytelling class for my Masters in Library Science, I had the assignment to read a selection of ghost stories. Since I enjoyed 2 other book by Sorche Nic Leodhas I wanted to read her ghost stories for this. Non of the stories were scary- which is something I appreciated. I definitely liked her other books more though.
October 16, 2017
Another lovely collection of Scottish tales from this marvelous writer and illustrator team! Great fun to read in October, highly recommended as a family or school read-aloud.
October 20, 2017
D. fiction, children's grade 6, Weekly Reader Book Club, Mom's stash, discard. I don't care that it's a children's book; it's still too scary.
January 16, 2022
Another lovely book by one of my favorite folk writers. Not my favorite book of hers, but quite enjoyable nevertheless.
December 6, 2019
Love this story collection. Top notch
April 14, 2020
A collection of Scottish folktales for telling.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews