Customer Reviews

Haunted Hudson Valley

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I laud Zimmerman for attempting to catch the Hudson's haunted heritage in her little book. Sadly, she misses most of the Valley's mystery. Her stories are mere accounts. We don't hear Dunderberg's goblins, see dark details, or feel any goose bumps in her clunky writing. Many of the regions rich legends just frighten Zimmerman off. There is, for example, a ghost of Major Andre, known in Sleepy Hollow where Benedict Arnold's co-conspirator was caught.Even Washington Irving knew of Andre's ghost, and mentions him in the Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the Greatest Ghost story of all time. If Zimmerman actually visited Irving's homestead Sunnyside, the staff would have given her unofficial ghost tales. You won't get ghosts from just making a phone call. She does track down current hauntings with zeal. I admire her carrying a camcorder to varied spooky sites. Zimmerman's passive voice writing style, however, and yawning omissions left me crying for the real haunted Hudson. Skip Zimmerman and read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow!

As a storyteller with a passion for Hudson Valley folktales, I was disappointed by this book. Each story is a bare retelling of "facts" with no evocative language, no poetry, no soul (if I dare) and no historical background.

Used this book for a project in a class. Living close to the Hudson Valley, it was interesting to learn about the history involving many places I have frequently seen on my travels

I really enjoyed reading Haunted Hudson Valley. While the ghost stories captured my imagination, I especially enjoyed learning about the history and lives of people who have lived in my county. For those who tend to think they need to travel to a faraway place to get mystery and intrigue, this book shows that there's plenty of mystery right in our own backyard. And Linda's compassionate approach to some of these spirits got me to thinking - what's to be done if these spirits really are trapped in their own twilight zone...?

I thought the author took an interesting approach to writing the stories as they were conveyed to her and then investigating some of them, attempting to prove or disprove the tale. It was fun reading, especially about the places I am familiar with.

Sophomoric writing."Book" is actually a simply prepared pamphlet. Writer fails to thoroughly research her subject. Pitiful accounts of ghostly cats and half pigs. Seems the writer was void of material on the subject. The last account is of a haunted house in California. Hardly the hudson valley.A waste of money and time.

I am filming a video documentary on Haunted Places in New York and New Jersey. This book has helped me soo much. be sure to buy it.