Customer Reviews

Louisiana's Haunted Plantations

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a terrific, fun book. It's packed with scary stories about the myriad ghosts who haunt the old plantations in Louisiana. Jill Pascoe, who lives in Louisiana, writes about strange happenings in The Myrtles in St. Francisville, Oak Alley in Vacherie and Chretien Point near Sunset and many others, including some plantations that have burned down. Several stories of haunting by those long dead are genuinely creepy. The thirteen chapters key on individual plantations, except for the last about burnt plantations and the forlorn spirits who wander the ruins. The author anchors the ghost stories within the history of each plantation and often a reader will feel transported back to an age of lively grand houses with sweeping lawns and towering live oaks. Some of those people from long ago never left their plantations and continue to disturb the houses and grounds. Pascoe also writes about her personal and scary encounters with the spirits. The book is a grand read!

In the mood for a ghost story or two? Louisiana's Haunted Plantation has a few stories and more. This is a well researched book that provides a great look into the past and the present of the haunted plantations in Louisiana. Taking safety into her own hands, Jill Pascoe, gives us some first hand accounts of the plantations, and their mysterious goings-on. But most chilling are the interviews with the people who work and live at the plantations.

Each chapter focuses on a single plantation with an excellent blend of history, architecture and narrative. The black and white photos of the plantations help realize the vivid images painted by the words.

After finishing the book, I found myself wanting to visit the Louisiana and some of these plantations. Although, I might not have the courage to stay overnight at some of these places. The book provides great contact information for each of the plantations including websites.

After you've read the book, I recommend taking a careful look at the front cover...

Highly recommended!

If I were a ghost I don't think that I could find any better place to haunt than a spooky old Louisiana plantation house. Apparently there are several spooks who agree with me because according to this very well written book there are ghosts aplenty in these antebellum mansions. Not only are the locations discussed in this book haunted, but they are more often than not haunted by several spirits. No rundown old Victorian houses for these ghosts for they seem to enjoy the finer things in life, or death as the case may be.

Jill Pascoe has done an excellent job of putting together a fine collection of ghost stories from the old plantation homes of Louisiana. Her writing style is very pleasing and I found that I zipped right through this book and I finished wanting more. The author hits a very good balance between the history of the haunt and its home and very recent eyewitness accounts which come straight from the witnesses themselves. All too often these books lean so much on history and legend that they have no credibility because no living person who has experienced the ghost is consulted. Sometimes however, the pendulum swings the other way and there are numerous accounts from recent eyewitnesses but the ghost or location is given no historical treatment at all. This of course leaves the reader wondering why this ghost haunts the location in question and who might this spirit have been in life. Pascoe, in her first book has accomplished a balance that many veteran ghost authors haven't achieved after numerous books.

It is refreshing indeed to find an author in this genre who takes her work as seriously as this one does. She does not treat this like it is a college literature folklore assignment but instead seems to be very much in tune with her subject. She even has some experiences of her own while visiting the sites she writes about. It adds so much extra flavor to this type of book when the author actually visits the sites they are describing but all to few make this effort. On top of all this, she has taken the time to include the contact information for the sites discussed, including web sites. Since many of these plantations offer overnight accommodations, she has even made the effort to list the most frequent disturbances in each available room so you can decide whether you want to feel something snuggling up to you during the night or would rather just see an one armed specter. This is the perfect book for those who like to visit and stay in haunted houses. I am one of those people but unfortunately my wife is not.

The only drawback I found was the author's all too detailed description of the architecture and furnishing of the homes. I suppose this is to be expected from a museum curator but it left me a little weary at times. Other than this one little flaw I would have to say that this is one of the better ghost books I have ever read and if you are planning a trip to Louisiana this book is a must.

If you are planning a trip to Louisiana to visit our beautiful plantations than this is the book to bring with you. It gives a brief history of each plantation and describes what ghostly activity has occurred within each one. I've been fortunate enough to visit a lot of the homes listed in this book and it covers things that the tour guides tend to miss. This is definitely a recommended read.

I'm a plantation and ghost fanatic so this book was right up my alley. I only wished it had been longer and more pictures of the insides of the homes.

This book was one of the best that I've read so far on Local Louisiana's Haunted Plantations by Jill Pascoe. Enjoyed it as I have been to many of these Plantations covered in this book. Well written & very Interesting and easy to comprehend. Would recommend this to anyone interested in local hauntings in Louisiana. Looking forward to other books that she may write.

If you are looking for a very scary book, this is not the one. It does tell about ghost that are, and have lived at differant plantations in Louisiana. Most of the ghost are descibed as peaceful sprits that for some reason have decided to stay on at their earthly homes. I also enjoyed the history and the pictures that the author gives of each of these plantations. This is a very well written book, that I would highly recommend to anyone with an interest in ghost.

This is an excellent collection about plantations in Louisiana.

Very readable and very informative on the historical and architectural features of many plantations. But mostly there are all those ghosts roaming the plantations. Makes you want to go and visit and see if you will be haunted!

As a lifetime resident of Louisiana, I have long loved the history of my state, as well as the superstitions that never die here. I am especially fascinated by the plantations and the stories of those that lived there. I was quite disappointed by Ms. Pascoe's book, as it completely failed to grab my interest or make my spine tingle. I spent much of the book wondering if the author was sponsored by the plantations, as the book reads like a brochure. Louisiana's plantations are well worth visiting, though some of the best ones with the most fascinating tales are left out of this book. However, I don't need a book of ghost stories to try to sell me on that. I would have enjoyed my read much more if it had focused more on the tales of hauntings and less on the available accomadations.

I picked up my copy of this wonderful book at The Myrtles Plantation. It's neatly arranged with each plantation and its ghosts in a chapter of its own. What I really like is the directory in the back of the book giving the address and contact information for each plantation, something many books about haunted places fail to do. It's compact size makes it handy for taking with you when visiting these plantations and their ghosts. While a bit large for a pocket, it would fit nicely into a purse, an overnight bag, or a medium-sized camera bag. The type is large enough to read in the dark with a flashlight! Each plantation chapter has a photograph. The only thing lacking is a map of the plantations' locations, which would be a help when organizing a trip around these stately homes.

The ghost stories are interesting and the abbreviated plantation histories add to the research. Comments on previous guests and their experiences only add to the book. While some of the plantations experienced minor damage from Hurricane Katrina, the vast majority of them are open and ready for visitors, so go, take this book with you, and meet the ghosts!