Celebrity Ghosts and Notorious Hauntings

July 8, 2019
Jones (Demons, the Devil, and Fallen Angels) delivers an entertaining exploration of celebrity and other famous ghost sightings. She begins with an overview of the various types of ghosts, among them apparitions (they “take on a much more ethereal quality and can look like a mist or a fog”), residuals (they “do not interact with witnesses”), and poltergeists (which “move objects around, break things, open doors and cause actual physical trouble”), then briefly dives into theories about ghostly activity and answers such question as why ghosts prefer sad places (“because emotions such as pain, fear, and sadness are more powerful and likely to leave a spiritual imprint at locales such as cemeteries, hospitals, and orphanages”). Famous ghosts include Jean Harlow (“She and her second husband, producer Paul Bern, are often seen roaming the mansion they once owned together”) and John Lennon (rumored to haunt the Dakota apartment building in Manhattan, where he lived when he was murdered). Haunted places include those familiar (the Lizzie Borden house and the Winchester Mystery House, which is said to be haunted by those killed by Winchester guns) and obscure (the Farnam Mansion, believed to be haunted by the ghost of a cat). Lightly illustrated with photographs and art, Jones’s well-researched guide will be a treasure trove for amateur ghost hunters.

December 1, 2019

Jones (Demons and the Devil) considers the demises and chilling afterlives of well-known figures, from singer Elvis Presley to President Abraham Lincoln. Though Hollywood stars such as Marilyn Monroe and George Reeves are covered, so are notorious haunting locations including the Amityville Horror house and Alcatraz. Jones includes eyewitness ghostly encounters from director Peter Jackson, singer Lady Gaga, and other celebrities. Stories of ghosts and haunted places are as old as humanity, and recent ghost hunting television shows have increased the interest in the subject. Despite the "celebrity angle" promised in the title, however, this is more of a general guide to ghosts and hauntings. Some may lose patience with Jones's less than skeptical text ("perhaps that energy that was a living person stays in that closed system even after it has changed upon their death"), but those intrigued by the supernatural will enjoy the work. There are some international haunting locations mentioned, but the bulk of the material is focused on the United States. A bibliography and extensive index are provided. VERDICT A solid introduction to the idea of ghosts and hauntings, for those with a serious interest in the paranormal.--Gary Medina, El Camino Coll., Torrance, CA

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