Customer Reviews

Northern Frights (Second Edition)

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Dennis Boyer compiles an excellent collection of shorts in which he explores the "ghost stories" of Northern Wisconsin. I say "ghost stories" very loosely because rather than present the standard stories as most writers, Boyer also provides a glimpse at the culture and feel of the area.

Each story is filled with details about it's source and the area in which it is taking place. It is a must to read this book with a regional atlas to follow along with his travels.

Perhaps the most compelling part of Boyer's book is his choice to leave most of the stories open ended. Boyer does not reveal his personal reaction to his experiences and leaves it to the reader to explore the region for themselves.

"Northern Frights" is an excelent look at the Ghost Stories of the Wisconsin North Woods, but one that also gives you a deffinate feel for the culture of the area described. From the Ghost Snowmobiler to the paranoia of the Ghost Ranger or the Skeleton Mound, this book details everything. And, perhapse the most frightening parts of this boo kat the segments that seem to compliment one another when the differant interview subjects do not know one another. this book kept me up late at night from both fright as well as deep interest.

This is the second of two books about Wisconsin ghost legends written by this outstanding folklorist and author. I have to say that this and his "Driftless Spirits" are two of my favorite non-fiction books out there. It's not just a dusty collection of old spook-tales attached to lonely places, this is a volume of living legends. Mr. Boyer writes from a personal perspective, traveling from distinct points in the north of Wisconsin, he tells of strange and amusing encounters with the colorful northwoods-folk that inform him of the lay of the spiritual land and gives his own impressions of the places, the tales and the tellers. You follow along with him as he travels through the northwoods area of Wisconsin collecting not just stories and aquintences, but also a true feel for the spirit of the people who have inhabited that special region since time began. Whether it be a vision of doomed lovers at a supremely scenic spot or the antics of a naughty drunkard, the spirits he encounters are the living spirits of this state, colorful and rich in culture and history. The stories he collects are the ones that still affect us today. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Wisconsin folklore, ghost stories and culture.