Ghosts of Old Louisville: True Stories of Hauntings in America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood [Paperback]

David Domine (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2005

The most haunted neighborhood in America? With more than 45 square blocks of wonderful hundred-year-old mansions and charming town homes, Old Louisville counts as the largest Victorian neighborhood in the nation. Given that there are more than 1,000 structures in all where generations of families have lived, loved and died, it is not surprising that there might be a ghost or two knocking about in this acclaimed National Register Historic Preservation District. So many so, in fact, that Old Louisville has also gained the reputation as being the most haunted neighborhood in the country. David Domine found this out for himself when he purchased a lovely 1895 chateauesque mansion on Old Louisville's famed Millionaires Row in 1999. A self-proclaimed skeptic, he dismissed rumors of a mischievous resident poltergeist named Lucy when he moved in, but he soon found himself at a loss to explain the disembodied footsteps, mysterious odors and paranormal activity that plagued the old home. Even after unnerving events caused him to flee the home in the middle of the night, Domine tried to come up with rational explanations for the strange occurrences. Gradually, however, he came to accept the possibility of supernatural phenomena and began to dig into the past of the old home known by locals as the Moorish Palace. He eventually came up with a theory as to who or what might be haunting the property, and in the process he was able to uncover a wealth of fascinating history and ghostly tales about his historic neighborhood. Ghosts of Old Louisville: True Stories of Hauntings in America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood chronicles the harrowing events in his own home and discusses the haunted past of other significant structures in the neighborhood. Rich with interesting historical tidbits and vivid architectural descriptions that bring the opulent mansions and charming homes to life, Domine creates an enchanting mood piece as a backdrop for his tales of the paranormal in this unique American neighborhood.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...eerie and enchanting." -- bookclub@ket, October 2006

"Dominé's book is a well-deserved and long-needed addition to the storied history of...the country's most remarkable Victorian neighborhood." -- The Courier-Journal, June 26, 2005

"His beautiful writing, rich with architectural knowledge and crisp details, sends the reader far back into the Victorian era..." -- Louisville Eccentric Observer, October 26, 2005

"[His] time-consuming detective work pays off handsomely..." -- Janet Brennan, Mysteries Magazine, Issue 12

"...well written and interesting book about a unique neighborhood." -- Haunted Travels, October 31, 2005

From the Back Cover

A trained interpreter in Spanish and German, David Domine earned his B.A. from the University of Wisconsin in 1989 and has completed graduate studies at the Karl-Franzens-Universistat in Graz, Austria, the University of California at Santa Barbara and the University of Louisville. Ever the consummate traveler, he has studied and worked in the Philippines, Mexico, Germany, Italy, Spain and Austria, and it was in these far-off places that he honed his appreciation for American food and culture. When not translating or writing restaurant reviews for magazines such as Kentucky Monthly and Arts Across Kentucky, he teaches foreign languages at Bellarmine University and Indiana University Southeast. His current projects include his first novel The Wonders of Absinthe and Peter Paul's Kitchen, a seven-act play set in Old Louisville. He is also the author of Adventures in New Kentucky Cooking with the Bluegrass Peasant and Splash of Bourbon, Kentucky's Spirit, also published by McClanahan Publishing House, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: McClanahan Publishing House, Inc. (July 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0913383910
• ISBN-13: 978-0913383919
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #387,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Best selling author David Domine is a modern-day wordsmith who lived a storied 1895 chateauesque home in Old Louisville, one of the largest historic preservation districts in the country. A series of unexplained occurrences there led him to research the haunted history of the neighborhood, and since then he has delighted countless readers with tales of the supernatural in GHOSTS OF OLD LOUISVILLE: True Stories of Hauntings in America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood and PHANTOMS OF OLD LOUISVILLE: Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood. An accredited interpreter and foreign language instructor, he also writes travel pieces and food reviews for various local and national publications. Travel is a great passion for him, and he has lived in the Philippines, Mexico, Spain, Italy, Austria and Germany - all places that allowed him to indulge his passion for food, wine and adventure. He holds post-graduate degrees from the University of Louisville, the University of California at Santa Barbara and Karl-Franzens-Universitat in Graz, Austria. When not writing or teaching, he likes to sneak off with his dogs and hunt down new recipes and ghost stories around his adopted state of Kentucky. One of his most recent projects include a cookbook about new Kentucky cuisine released in 2007 by his alter ego, the Bluegrass Peasant; additional books include HAUNTS OF OLD LOUISVILLE: Gilded Age Ghosts and Haunted Mansions in America's Spookiest Neighborhood (August 2010) and THE BOURBON COOKBOOK (2011).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You'll love this book, I promise!, July 12, 2005

By 

Roger Martin (St. Louis) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of Old Louisville: True Stories of Hauntings in America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood (Paperback)

If you are hesitating about whether to get this book or not, don't wait another minute. Get it now. It is great, in fact one of the best reads I've had in a long time. The author has an incredible gift with language that allows the reader to forget him- or herself for a while and enter a wonderful turn-of-the-century world in Louisville's most charming neighborhood. Although the stories might give you chills every now and then (how delicious!), the solid history and grounded language will more than compensate. In a world where everyone's getting published nowadays, it is oh-so-refreshing to find this peach in the large basket of lemons we call the world of publishing today. (OK, there was the one or two minor typos the editor missed, but this happens to top selling authors!) This book is well-conceived and executed, the subject matter is intriguing and fills a wonderful niche, and it achieves that marvelous aim that all books should strive for - but alas fall far short of - : it whisks the reader away to a different world where he is entertained and informed. WONDERFUL!

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is the book for ghost story enthusiasts!, July 2, 2005

By 

Kevin Bohannon "Shadow Buster" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of Old Louisville: True Stories of Hauntings in America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood (Paperback)

I picked up this book and could not put it down. When I finally finished about eight hours later, I must admit that I was extremely sad to do so. This wonderfully written book about the spooks and specters in the largest Victorian neighborhood in thr country had my attention from cover to cover. David Domine is an expert storyteller and he knows how to engages his readers and make them a part of the action, all the while, providing thoughtful insight - and plenty of chills - into the colorful history of this undiscovered gem in the heart of Louisville, Kentucky's largest city. The stories are illuminated with a brilliant backdrop of descriptive architecture, local eccentrics, and lots of mood, something akin to the Savannah we all loved in Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I cannot wait for the next one, and wish the author continued success!

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars LOCAL BESTSELLER CATCHES SPIRIT OF LARGEST VICTORIAN NEIGHBORHOOD IN COUNTRY, July 13, 2005

By 

Jane Harnett (Louisville, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ghosts of Old Louisville: True Stories of Hauntings in America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood (Paperback)

I'm so glad David Domine spent time writing down the wonderful stories and historical legends associated with America's Largest Victorian Neighborhood. I read it is now a regional best seller, and it does not suprirse me at all. His language is colorful, engaging and precise, not to mention extremely entertaining. His stories are informative, creative, and well thought out, not to mention hair raising. His book is, in short, WONDERFUL, and he has done our community and state a great service. I hope it entices others to come to Old Louisville, Kentucky, and explore this forgotten treasure.