Customer Reviews

The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book, is simply put, perfection. I remember reading this book when I was in middle school, and I have kept a copy with me since. Now being almost 30 years old, it shows that this book can make an indellible impression on people.

My only dissapointments are, that it may be the most complete listing of paranormal stories on west virgina folklore, It can never house all the stories out there. Simply put, there just isnt enough room.

Another dissapointment, is that people from outside of the region, have no clue about this book, its existance, or just what a good read they are missing out on.

No matter the books current cost, its worth every penny and then some

Enjoy

Viro Los Diablos

I approach this book primarily with an interest in folklore, not in "ghost hunting." The short 100 stories in this book are told very much from the perspective of the original teller, which is nice I think. Also the writing style is pretty entertaining and a few tales are even a little spooky - and it takes a lot to spook me.

One thing I particularly liked about the book is the fact that the tales are grouped into chapters, for example "Ghostly Children," "Mine Ghosts," "Birds and Animals," etc. with several examples of each. It's easy to get lost when its one random story after another, but grouped in chapters like they are makes it easier to pick up on particular themes and makes the book as a whole more memorable.

If you're interest is in "ghost lore" and you prefer "accounts" over modern-day "hunting" or a lot of embellished "storytelling" then I would say this is certainly one book you should have.

I've read this book many times since the first time I read it in 6th grade. As a native West Virginian I knew where many of the places are that are mentioned. The illustrations that are in some of the chapters are interesting and the stories themselves are just superb. I always find myself re-reading certain ones when I want a good spooky read. I own Coffin Hollow too but this book is my favorite between the two. I think I like it more because this one is split into chapters such as "Ghostly Children", "Omens of Death" and "Jealous Rivals". This book is one you should read if folk lore, a good ghost story, or local hauntings are something you enjoy reading about.

Looking back almost twenty years, it seems easy to remember the first time I was read a short story from this book. I was young, no more than six years old, sitting with my grandmother at her well aged dining table. This book drew me into the world of folklore and haunts. It really piqued my interest for reading in general. I am now in my mid twenties. My collection of books has grown, yet this one is still my favorite. When I look at my books, lined in rows, I am always drawn to the bright orange book. The one with a skeleton on the front. The one with so many fond memories attached. It is just a collection of short "ghost" stories, each one easliy read within a few minutes. Yet, somehow each story leaves you with a different and distinct feeling. Very well written.

I bought this book "Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales" for my Grand-daughter, and started reading it myself, we both really enjoyed it, I am 59 and she is 11. This is a great read for anyone.

Ruth Ann Musick, The Telltale Lilac Bush and Other West Virginia Ghost Tales (University Press of Kentucky, 1965)

Musick presents us one hundred ghost stories from her extensive folklore collection. She makes no effort to doll them up (though she does say in her preface that she edited them, some heavily, to take out redundancy), and so they often read quite plain; those looking for a Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark-esque compendium will be disappointed here, as Musick chooses the stories she presents in order to illuminate a specific type of ghost story or a specific set of commonalities. I would think this would be of most use to a writer who's looking for an interesting subplot or the like; there's a great deal of primary source to be mined here. ***

I have wanted this book for awhile and Amazon is where I found it, and I really like the book and it is in excellent condition.

Simply put, this book scared the crap out of me when I was little, and largely influenced my fascination with the horror genre all together. Who knew WV had such great lore?

Here's a tip don't read this before you go to bed. Otherwise it's a very interesting book on all the legends and folklore in West Virginia. Being a resident of this state I find this book very eerie and spooky from start to finish.

I absolutely love this book. I am a ghost book enthusiast and this is my all time favorite. I am probably partial to it because it is about my home state. I read some stories that happened within 5 miles of my house.