Customer Reviews

Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is not a collection of ghost stories designed for telling 'round the campfire. Citro isn't trying to frighten his readers, nor is he striving for a horrific, ghastly atmosphere. Instead, he simply tells the stories in a relaxed, informal narrative which is every bit as riveting as it is informative. He doesn't try to persuade anyone, either; he offers various theories and plausible explanations for the events he describes, but they seldom ring true -- obviously, Citro selected stories of happenings which, to date, have yielded no good answers.

But while the explanations generally don't hold water, the stories themselves sound very believable and real. That's because Citro also hasn't targeted the stories where a single gibbering yokel stammered out his story to a disbelieving audience; he's tapped tales with witnesses (at times numbering in the dozens or more), substantial documentation and, where possible, the results of formal investigations.

Having been a native Vermonter and New Englander, I had not realized the ghostlore involved with this section of the country. Many of the stories occur within minutes of my own location. This book points out the origins and as much fact as can be researched. The end result is left with the reader as to which can be explained and that that which can not. Read this book alone at night and you will hear sounds that you used to take for granted, or did you?......

This book is a must have if you like off-the-beaten-path reads. It is well written, and keeps you turning each page. Joseph Citro is one of my favorite authors, he doesn't push it down your throat, you are left to decide what you believe, but they are all great stories. Definitely in my library for keeps.

I've been reading and writing horror stories since my pre-teen years, and while I find the novels entertaining, they don't scare me. I'd thought myself "scare-proof" by books until I read this one. Reading about all the "true" stories that happened in places I've visited or lived in scaried me more than I would have thought possible. Don't read it before bed!

The author takes a humerous approach to the oddities of New England. Many stories are historical dating in 18th and 19th century. This book makes you think twice about the world beyond. The author has gone to great lengths to varify all information presented. Wonderfully written; I couldn't put it down.

This book is the best. It not only contains interesting information about true ghosts and hauntings, and other uncanny events, it is well written, humorous, and will keep your attention from the first page to the last. It is great even for those who live outside of New England, but for those who do, it contains in some cases, where to FIND the scenes of these events. Incredible book! You will not be disappointed!

When you meet Joe Citro, he's cheerful and upbeat, and very benign. I had the opportunity to meet him when he talked to my high school english class. He scared us with a simple tale. And then I bought the book...... Had I known what kind of scary state, not to mention region, I lived in, I would have moved. But how bad can the rest of the country be? This is a great book, especially if you never want to sleep....I recommend reading it at a slumber party.....late, late at night!!!

This tells about various ghosts, monsters, UFOs and such that exist in New England. The stories aren't violent or bloody but done in a matter of fact and cheerful matter. It's beautifully written and reads very quickly. It also provides a pleasurable thrill or two without trying to terrify or scare the reader. It's like sitting around with a bunch of friends and swapping a bunch of true ghost stories. Well worth getting!

From the title of this book, I was expecting mostly ghost stories. However, this book is unique in its genre, and I was very pleasantly surprised! Although many of the stories in this book are older, this author's ability as a raconteur quickly overcomes the boundaries of time. These tales are superbly told by a master at his game. Joseph A. Citro, in his own words, claims to be an "anthologizer." That is exactly what he does here, and he does it well.

The author's ability to narrate a captivating tale is the epitome of the classic New England story-teller, wry humor included. His prose breathes invigorating life into these stories, most of which are "off the beaten path." He will at times make you shiver, and at other times scratch your head. Gathered for your inspection are some of the most creepy, bizarre, and, in some cases, well-documented strange happenings from across the region. Joseph A. Citro has set himself apart as a top-notch investigator of odd history and unsolved mysteries, a true "Bard of the Bizarre." I am especially a fan of the stories about the sightings of the "Yankee Bigfoot." There were some pages I couldn't turn fast enough.

This collection peeks into lots of New England's nooks and crannies, and should be included in any ghost story, folklore, or mystery-filled library. These strange tales are engrossing, well varied, and unique. I would love to sit down with the author over a roaring campfire, late at night, with only the forest winds howling . . .

What you'll love about this book is that Citro spins a good yarn. His storytelling style reads well, and your eyes effotlessly flow over the words. As for whether these stories are true, he includes some fantastically compelling reasons why they could possible be more than simple legend or folklore. Documentation, methodical investigations by qualified skeptics, law enforcement sightings, journalists, and witness-upon-witnesses, all shared in a non-overbearing fashion. He's not trying to prove anything, he's just tickling our thoughts -- and it works!

The stories themselves are either interesting, quirky, terrifying (or all of the above), and all of them -- I mean all of them -- are utterly unique. Just stuff you couldn't have made up on your own even if you were using hallucinogens!

If you're a skeptic it will challenge you. If you're a person of faith it will make you rethink your pre-assumed theologies. But ultimately this book succeeds because at its heart they're just well-told stories that will chill you to the bone and make you think at the same time.