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."

This book is a collection of essays by a group of people on the front lines of inquiry into the paranormal, sharing their research and stories.

Over 70 stories of hauntings from all parts of the world.

For today's huge cult of the supernatural, this companion to "The Field Guide of North American Monsters" explores the country's most haunted places and the stories behind them. 40 photos.

Retold from personal interviews, newspapers, archives, and other sources, stories of ghosts, apparitions and othe supernatural occurences ranging from historical tales embedded in 19th century superstition to contemporary accounts of strange occurences in modern-day homes. This revised edition includes new stories and revisions to some of the tales original to the first edition. In addition, a few stories have been dropped for various reasons.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE...ON SOCIAL MEDIA! True believer Noa, her cynical little sibling Gus, credulous cameraman Ko, and skeptical Astrid head to one of the most haunted towns in America to prove that ghosts exist, for all the social media likes! The investigations of hauntings uncover something more devilish than just a couple of ghosts, something that will put Noa and Astrid’s relationship to the test... ...and reveal the centuries-old sinister secrets of the town itself.

Here’s your ghostly guide to spooks, spirits, and specters of Montana. From haunted hotels to eerie inns, this book will take you to all the spookiest spots in the state. Want to meet a phantom? Experience a poltergeist? Commune with the dearly departed? Let Haunted Montana lead the way to places you can stay to experience the other side.

In this book Tiya Miles explores the popular yet troubling phenomenon of "ghost tours," frequently promoted and experienced at plantations, urban manor homes, and cemeteries throughout the South. As a staple of the tours, guides entertain paying customers by routinely relying on stories of enslaved black specters. But who are these ghosts? Examining popular sites and stories from these tours, Miles shows that haunted tales routinely appropriate and skew African American history to produce representations of slavery for commercial gain. "Dark tourism" often highlights the most sensationalist and macabre aspects of slavery, from salacious sexual ties between white masters and black women slaves to the physical abuse and torture of black bodies to the supposedly exotic nature of African spiritual practices. Because the realities of slavery are largely absent from these tours, Miles reveals how they continue to feed problematic "Old South" narratives and erase the hard truths of the Civil War era. In an incisive and engaging work, Miles uses these troubling cases to shine light on how we feel about the Civil War and race, and how the ghosts of the past are still with us.

San Diego Specters is an entertaining investigation into haunted sites-some famous and others obscure-throughout San Diego County. Fresh witness accounts are combined with genuine historical research on each of the suspected haunted places. Haunted sites examined include the Hotel Del Coronado, the world-renowned Whaley House and other historic buildings in Old Town San Diego. Firsthand reports of ghost and poltergeist phenomena are blended with historic data to provide an unorthodox and engaging portrait of spectral San Diego. All haunted locations listed in the book have been thoroughly checked by the author, John Lamb, a trained detective with 22 years of law enforcement experience.

Chicago is full of ghosts, mysterious deaths, murders, and tragic events. Visit over eighty macabre Chicagoland locations you'd never want to visit after dark. The most famous Chicago ghost stories, including ""Resurrection Mary"" and ""Bachelor's Grove,"" are featured along with some lesser-known tales such as ""The Sunnybrook Asylum"" and ""The Gate.