Review: The Weiser Field Guide to Ghosts

The Weiser Field Guide to Ghosts: Apparitions, Spirits, Spectral Lights and Other Hauntings of History and Legend
By Raymond Buckland
Publisher: Weiser Books (September 2009)

Review by Lee Prosser - Ghostvillage.com review

Raymond Buckland has created a memorable reading experience with his new book on ghosts. The book also serves as an accurate, educational field guide to the paranormal. Small and compact, this quality paperback is convenient to slip into a knapsack or to slip into a brief case for whatever journey you plan to undertake.

Whether your interest is phantoms of battlefields, biblical ghosts, apparitions, vampires, shadow people, or knowing the difference between a ghoul and a psychopomp, this book has the facts! There is also a well-arranged suggested reading section for additional information and research.

Following a lively and insightful introduction, the subject matter starts with ancestral ghosts, and covers a wide range of paranormal topics. Among the many items covered are animal ghosts, apparitions, battlefield ghosts, celebrity ghosts (such as Lucille Ball, James Dean, Red Foxx, Jean Harlow, Jesse James, John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley, George Reeves, Rudolph Valentino, John Wayne, and Orson Welles), literary ghosts, materializations, poltergeists, spectral lights, among others.

A section on practical ghost hunting covers EMFs, cameras, EVP recorders, and other instruments. The importance of record keeping and research are also discussed.

This is definitely Raymond Buckland at his very finest. The writing is crisp, concise, accurate, and with that special blend of Buckland humor that always adds to his well-crafted writings. If you are looking for a hands-on guide to ghosts, this excellent field guide by Buckland from Weiser Books should be in your library, glove compartment of your car, or close nearby for easy reference. Congratulations to the author on a fine book, and to Weiser Books for publishing it and making it available to a wide reading audience.

Topnotch. Excellent. Enjoyable reading. Highly recommended. This sums up Buckland's book about ghosts.

NOTE: I don't normally give book reviews but I needed to comment on this particular field guide. It is a detailed and comprehensive work with practical tips for all ghost hunters. There are very good historical references as well as interesting explanations of terms used by paranormal professionals. I recommend this guide as a great primer for those who want to start investigations and a 'must-have' addition to any paranormal library. BTW, Weiser Books has started to publish a variety of paranormal field guides...Lon

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