Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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31 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you like open-minded yet still skeptical view., May 24, 2001
The Ghost-Hunters Guidebook is the premiere book on ghost hunting in the English-speaking world. It is imitated and plagiarized outright on the web, but most notably on MTV's Fear website. It's not hard to see why. It is the most complete book on the subject. Author Troy Taylor covers everything from the history of spiritualism to the late, great ghost-hunter Harry Price. This book also has the most complete ghost hunting how-to anywhereThe best thing about this book, in my opinion, is the lack of spiritual garbage that is normally attached to books like it. I think the most dangerous thing about ghost hunting is not the fact that you are searching for phantoms, spooks, and specters, as some people might tell you but rather the religious and spiritual propaganda that the "so called" experts have laced their books with. Any book, or anyone for that matter, that tells you to say a special prayer or cast a spell before you enter a graveyard, is not looking at ghost hunting from a scientific point of view. Taylor's book gives you the facts and teaches through his experience. It's straightforward and to the point, no voodoo or hoodoo. All you are going to find here is facts, history, and education about his subject. It's books like this that are going to get the scientific community to someday pay attention. The Ghost-Hunting Guidebook is a must-have for anybody who calls himself a ghost hunter, even the one that drinks chicken blood before an investigation.
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50 of 55 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
best and most authoritative guide to date, May 22, 2000
As a researcher of the paranormal, I have seen many so-called handbooks and guidebooks on the subject of ghost investigation. Some are little more than ego vehicles for their authors; others are more entertaining collections of investigations stories. Troy Taylor, president and founder of the American Ghost Society, has brought a new level of professionalism to the field with "The Ghost Hunter's Guidebook," which stands as the best and most authoritative book written to date on ghost investigation. Both beginners and experienced investigators should make this book their bible. Taylor gives his readers thorough coverage of the subject: historical background; explanations of ghosts, poltergeists and hauntings; high-tech tools; photography techniques; mediumistic approaches; how to conduct sound investigations; and how to work with the media and public. Pros, cons and cautions are given careful discussion. "The Ghost Hunter's Guidebook" is the product of Taylor's own first-hand experiences in numerous investigations. Troy is a careful researcher dedicated to promoting professional, responsible research in a field vulnerable to the media's appetite for the sensational. "The Ghost Hunter's Guidebook" gives the straight savvy. The material is grounded, practical and informative. It comes as no surprise to me that Taylor's book has gained international praise, including high marks from some of England's most discerning ghost investigators. "Thoroughly recommended," says Alan Murdie, chairman of the distinguished Ghost Club of London. I couldn't agree more. -- Rosemary Ellen Guiley, author of "The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits"
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32 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
If you could get past the author's arrogance....., February 5, 2000
By A Customer
You might be able to find a few helpful hints for the amateur ghost hunter. However, I felt that the author was insulting to his target audience, and disdainful of others who are active in his field. Within the first three pages he calls those who investigate cemeteries "Silly", which offended me deeply. He was implying that you have to check the history of an area before investigating it, but HELLO? If it is a CEMETERY, especially an older one, chances are it is haunted, and ghost photographs can be found there. He then went on to state that people who do the majority of their ghosthunting in cemeterys were not investigators, but merely people going out there for fun being "Silly" to get shots of ghosts. I do not believe that a person has to do investigation within a home or building to prove that they are ghost investigators/ researchers. It about keeping and collecting data, not location that makes a scientist. He has filled a 140 page book with about 40 pages of the history of spiritualism, which is not what I am looking for in a ghost hunter's guide book. If I want a book on Spiritualism then I will buy one, although in my opionion it has been done to death in ghost books. Also he is repetitive, and has chapters in the book that are not very informative, as in, "Are Ouija boards dangerous?" Throughout the chapter he says, I'm not sure, I don't know, no answer at this time... Then why have it in the book at all? For being a leading professional ghostbuster, I question a lot of what he wrote down, although he does present some information that is valuable to individuals who do not have access to the Internet to find this information out for themselves from other ghost hunting websites. I was very disappointed in this book and will not buy from this author again, even though I am a ghost hunter myself and very interested in this field.
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