December 9, 2009

A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Seances, Mediums, Ghosts, and Ghostbusters
By Peter H. Aykroyd with Angela Narth, and Foreword by Dan Aykroyd
Publisher: Rodale Books (September 2009)
Pages: 237 - Price: $25.99

Review by Lee Prosser - leep@ghostvillage.com
Ghostvillage.com review

A History of Ghosts is a fascinating, well-written nonfiction book. It should attract many readers, and it would make an ideal gift for some person you know who is interested in the paranormal, and the world of ghosts. Enjoyable, it is highly readable.

The book is divided into five long, informative chapters. The readers will find much enjoyment in the insightful foreword, preface, and prologue. Chapter 1 details the home circle, Chapter 2 details ghosts abroad and the international stage, Chapter 3 details extraordinary skills, and Chapter 4 details from séance to screen. An epilogue follows with acknowledgments, comments, endnotes and sources, index, and biographical notes. The photograph sections contain many intriguing photos covering aspects of the paranormal and its investigators.

Peter H. Aykroyd gives an honest, hands-on approach to a history of ghosts. Many topics come to life in this book, including such entries as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, direct voice mediums, clairaudience, clairvoyance, automatic painting, Lily Dale, Swedenborg, ESP, Charles Fort, Nandor Fodor, home circle séances, the Fox Sisters, Harry Houdini, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, mediums, reincarnation, Sai Baba, photography of spirits, spiritism, telepathy, spiritualism, James Van Praagh, the popular movie Ghostbusters, Anne Gehman, The Witch of Lime Street, the Bangs Sisters, doppelgangers, automatic writing, shamans, among others.

Any reader who purchases this book should find it an enjoyable reading experience, and refreshingly honest in its approach. Highly recommended. Topnotch.

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