Ghosts: A History of Phantoms, Ghouls & Other Spirits of the Dead [Hardcover]

P. G. Maxwell-Stuart (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2007

The ghost experience is a remarkable common one. Ghosts are seen or heard, or their presence is felt in almost every kind of place by almost every kind of person. They appear once, or regularly, with a purpose, or for no apparent reason. They may be friendly, hostile, or peculiar, and seen by one person or several. Most are recognisably human, but some are merely bright lights or animals or even objects. Most are dead, but some are still alive, and a number of people have seen ghosts of themselves. P.G. Maxwell-Stuart's book traces the history of ghost phenomena from the ancient world to the present day and the ways in which people have tried to deal with the hope, the fear, the curiosity, and the disbelief which ghosts have aroused.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

P. G. Maxwell-Stuart is Senior Lecturer in History at the University of St. Andrews and is an acknowledged expert on the occult. His other books include Witch Hunters (Tempus 2005), Witchcraft: A History (Tempus 2004), Wizards: A History (Tempus 2004), An Abundance of Witches: The Great Scottish Witch Hunt (Tempus 2005), The Occult in Early Modern Europe: A Documentary History, and Satan's Conspiracy: Magic & Witchcraft in Sixteenth Century Scotland. He lives in St. Andrews.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Tempus (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0752439359
• ISBN-13: 978-0752439358
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,117,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Story of Ghosts, March 15, 2010

By 

Slainte "customer" (UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts: A History of Phantoms, Ghouls & Other Spirits of the Dead (Hardcover)

If you're looking for the story of 'Ghost Stories', here it is. A compelling, comprehensive and greatly informative presentation of the narrative concerning the other side throughout human history. The author presents recorded encounters between the living and the dead from the Classical through to the modern era noting the influence of both religious and philosophical movements upon the average person's means of filtering a paranormal event.

Contents

The Ancient World: Mapping the Afterlife, Calling up the Dead

The Middle Ages: Piteous Revenants, Necromantic Spirits, and Vampires

Early Modern Ghosts: Persistent Appearances, Stage Phantoms, and Poltergeists

The Seventeenth Century: Bolstering Religions, Partnering Witchcraft

The Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries: Unnerving the Public, Intriguing Science, Photographing Spirits

The Twentieth Century: Manufacturing Ghosts on an Industrial Scale

Included are 20 b&w images. The living's perception of the dead is engagingly brought forth through the anecdotal and the analytical. A rich and rewarding read.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars it's okay, January 4, 2010

By 

Joseph L. Kolb (harris, mn USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ghosts: A History of Phantoms, Ghouls & Other Spirits of the Dead (Hardcover)

maxwell-stuart appears to be a well-published researcher in the field of occult and spiritualism. this is the first book i have read of his, and liked the way the book is layed out. chapter headings go from ancient times to the twentieth century, giving examples of the beliefs in ghosts and their origins in each respective century. the books biased is heavily into theology, mostly discussing ghosts from a christian/protestant viewpoint. the ghost stories are culled from religious scribes. unfortunately, i didn't find anything really worthwhile and informative in this book. there are some nice illustrations in the book though. ghosts appear to be mediators between the past and present. just like marley's ghosts in the christmas carol.