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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
fun account, September 19, 2009
This review is from: The Haunting of America: From the Salem Witch Trials to Harry Houdini (Hardcover)
The authors take a close look at alleged haunting in America going from colonial times to 9/11. There is a myriad of claims over the three plus centuries as the writers describe what allegedly occurred with the emphasis on the paranormal aspects of an event. William J. Birnes and Joel Martin evaluate the possibility as to whether black magic was actually practiced just prior to the Salem witch trials and a couple of George Washington tales especially several sightings at Gettysburg and other battle sights. Other presidents also receive focus like Jackson who testified at the Bell Witch incident and Lincoln who supposedly dreamed of his assassination. Filled with charming fakes like Margaret "the big toe" Fix and hypnotic charmers like Franz Mesmer, THE HAUNTING OF AMERICA is a fascinating look at the alleged paranormal history of the country. The book includes Houdini, Doyle, Edison and Rhine as the para intertwines with the normal whether it is the Ford Theater, Valley Forge, the White House or even the early evolutionary leap of ultra adaptive Cro-Magnan and even more adaptive Homo sapiens, perhaps seeded from an ET visit. This is a fun account to read; just leave behind the skepticism as the entertaining tome lacks any.
Harriet Klausner
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really enjoyable history of the supernatural in the US, December 3, 2009
This review is from: The Haunting of America: From the Salem Witch Trials to Harry Houdini (Hardcover)
I really enjoyed this book.
I will admit that it takes a while to get through the introduction which tries to sum up various notions of paranormal activity in the world prior to the settling of the US. it seemed a bit out of place and didn't tie too well into the meat of the book.
However, once you get through the introduction the book is an engrossing read. Each section of the book is more focused on a concept then a specific time period, which I tended to prefer as it allows the reader to see trends as opposed to getting caught up in time lines or having the narratives progression stopped because a notable figure must be addressed.
The book also, in my opinion, gives a fairly even handed account. It addresses what events happened and gives a voice to the skeptics at the time. If someone was debunked, the authors are nor afraid to say so. If the skeptics were unable to debunk it, you will learn that too.
All in all definitely worth a read if you're interested in the roots of Americas fascination with the paranormal.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting History Of Spiritualism, August 22, 2010
This review is from: The Haunting of America: From the Salem Witch Trials to Harry Houdini (Hardcover)
The title of this one can easily throw off a potential reader, which is a little irritating. There is nothing about hauntings in this book, as the title implies. Instead, the authors follow the history of spiritualism - psychics, mediums, etc. - throughout American history. We learn about the popular spiritualists of the day, their seances, etc. We also learn about a few popular politicians, such as Abraham Lincoln, who used mediums to help them make decisions.
The writing was easy to follow, though, for me, a little too rambling at times. The one huge problem I have with it is that the authors never once so much as mentioned Edgar Cayce. I don't know how anyone can write a book that supposedly encompasses spiritualism, yet not once bring up Edgar Cayce's name.
However, I did enjoy the chapter on women's role in spiritualism and its importance for the women's movement. The authors offered a unique perspective I have not seen in any other books.
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