A Ghost Hunter, A Medium, and An Ex-Wife
Written: May 21 '07 (Updated May 21 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: History & People presented well
Cons: Proof is presented weakly
The Bottom Line: Good for the entertainment value.
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| cmaw63's Full Review: Hans Holzer - Real Hauntings: True American Ghost ... |
In my efforts to prove that ghosts exist, I was hoping Hans Holzer's, Real Hauntings: True American Ghost Stories would lead the way to the real deal. Ok, I'm not really trying to prove anything...and that's good, because this book sure didn't do the trick.
Real Hauntings: True American Ghost Stories
Hans Holzer is a "believer". No ifs, ands, or buts about it. For some reason, I was never quite clear on, he chooses to be offended by the word ghost. He refers to it as "callous". He has decided that "haunting" works better. Yet, throughout the book he uses the callous word...a lot.
That is just one of the minor problems I had with this book. As stated before, Real Hauntings: True American Ghost Stories is written with an obvious slant that these stories are real, that there couldn't have possibly been any fraud or untruths. What is his proof? A medium.
The mediums used in these stories excel at their...well...mediuming. It seems ghosts readily enter them and use them as a vessel to speak to the living. Every single time. And she couldn't possibly know any of the facts her ghost guest spits out to Hans Holzer. How do I know? Because Dr. Holzer said so. Ethel Fuller and, especially, Sybil Leek are a couple of the fine examples of the mediums in the stories.
The ex-wife? Again, something I never quite figured out. Why was she along for most of the hauntings? All I could discern was Hans Holzer liked saying "my ex-wife Catherine".
Now...Dr. Hans Holzer. He is a fine storyteller, even if a little bit odd. He is a well educated man, having attended Columbia University, NY, Vienna University, Austria, and received a Ph.D. from London College of Applied Science. He taught parapsychology at New York Institute of Technology. Why do I add these tidbits? Because it amazed me that a man, that seems at least somewhat intelligent, wrote this book and expected me to believe.
The Stories
Contacted by "real people", Hans Holzer would decide on whether or not his help was warranted on the basis of their "eye-witness" accounts. Each story included information about the people that owned/lived in the place and the history of each building, to see if they could place a person's name to the ghost and the reason it was still hanging around.
After Dr. Holzer, whichever medium, and the ex-wife traipsed around the buildings for a while, the medium would channel the ghost. Dr. Holzer would speak to this entity, releasing him or her from it's earthly bonds. He was able to release quite a few of them. Others just left, never to be heard from again. Dare I say even they couldn't believe what was going on?
Traveling from New England to New York, Pennsylvania to the Midwest and, finally, from the American South to California, Dr. Holzer met and released many ghosts.
My Ghosts...err, Thoughts
While it may sound like I didn't like this book, the entertainment value was fairly good. Most of it just wasn't believable. Not something I would expect from True ghost stories. I guess I expect more data, more facts...something...anything...other than a medium saying "She's here.".
Unlike Ghost Stories of Illinois, I did find the history and people presented in Real Hauntings: True American Ghost Stories to be interesting.
Do I believe? I don't know...no one has ever proved to my satisfaction that ghosts do exist. Yet, on the other hand has anyone ever proved that they don't? I'm still looking for them...I'll get back to you on it when I find the answer.
I give this book 3 stars and an entertainment recommendation...just don't expect to be a believer when you're done reading it.
ACK!!! A few hours after posting this I realized the book shown is about the reproductive system. Ummm...that is not the cover of Real Hauntings: True American Ghost Stories!!! The hardback cover on the book from the library has a house and trees shrouded in fog. I'm hoping the photo above isn't a ghostly warning!!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
cmaw63
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 in Pets, Home and Garden, Books |
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Member: Julie
Location: Illinois, USA
Reviews written: 307
Trusted by: 73 members
About Me:
Looking forward to my first grandbaby. She's due November 24!
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