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May 19, 2011

K.D. rated it:

Scary at the start. Then it drags on. But towards the end, it makes the homerun. Bigtime. I did not see it coming. Almost all the questions answered sufficiently. Then it delivers the knockout with this as the very last sentence: There is much that can and should be learned from here.

That line from a horror story book? Yes, sir. This is a horror story with a heart. Not like the usual horror movie with scaring-the-hell-out-of-you as the only intent.

An American Haunting: T More...

19 comments like (6 people liked it)

Oct 10, 2011

El rated it:

Since my parents currently live in Tennessee, the Bell Witch story has been a frequent source of conversation between myself and my mother, though neither of us have visited the site yet (as we hope to one day do it together). I know actually very little about the story, other than the blips I've seen on other supernatural documentaries on TV, so the horrible dramatic reenactments are all I have to really go on here. I've had this particular book on my shelf for at least four or five years, so More...

5 comments like (4 people liked it)

Oct 21, 2008

Kristen rated it:

I have only done minimal research on the Bell Witch or "Old Kate" so I really cannot vouch for the accuracy of this novel. True the introduction implies that this book is from a long lost document, a first hand account written by Richard Powell, for those of you who are familiar with the tale of the Bell Witch, Richard Powell was the school master who eventually married Betsy Bell. Betsy was the Bell Daughter who was most violently attacked by the witch.

Though many of the More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Nov 12, 2011

Melanie rated it:

I happened to be flipping through channels one evening and came across a movie titled "The American Haunting" in the beginning of the credits "Based on a true story". Not one to watch horror flicks (don't care for the gore) I was interested in the idea the events may be true. The movie was not that great, but I became very interested in the Bell witch, and found this book.[return][return][return]The story begins present time when a manuscript is discovered that has never been More...

0 comments like

Oct 06, 2011

Carroll rated it:

I think the only problem with this book is that it does not involve haunting or a witch. The phenomenon it describes is called "poltergeist". The phenomenon is real and not "supernatural". It always involves adolescents or pre-adolescents with deep psychological disturbances which cause chaos which takes place while they sleep.

What makes this of real interest is what it tells us about the power of the human mind and psyche.

It is also interesting that the More...

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Sep 04, 2010

Dan rated it:

The Bell Witch is the perfect mix of mystery, supernatural thriller and historical piece for a fun novel. Brent Monahan's introduction and "history" of the manuscript / letter was interesting and I was not a fan at first, but it set the tone well for the main narrative.

The actual story of the Bell Witch has an excellent build to it that I enjoyed immensely. As the power of the witch and the development of the main characters progresses you are drawn in more and more.
More...

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Jul 08, 2010

Josh rated it:

Ehh...I wasn't all that impressed. Truthfully, the book had a decent start. As the haunting first makes its presence known and begins harassing the Bell family, there is some pretty chilling stuff. Had the beginnings of a good, frightening story. But as the plot dragged on and the narrator obsessed more over his love interest (the 13 year old Betsy Bell...) and the "witch" spent more and more time entertaining guests like a proper hostess, everything in the story became commonplace More...

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May 24, 2009

Laurie rated it:

A true story of a Tennessee haunting in the early 1800's. It's interesting that this is manuscript written by a neighbor of the Bell family who witnessed the events which had a great deal to do with the writer's future wife, Betsy Bell.

While the writing wasn't always exciting, it's difficult to speak badly of it since it is not written by someone who claims to be a writer, and rather, is just getting down the details for his and Betsy's daughter. I do think I would prefer this version More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 07, 2010

Ethan rated it:

When I first read this book, I thought it was a true story; but when I looked it up on Wikipedia I discovered that this version turned out to be a bit fabricated. That's a bit disappointing, but the book is still great. Based on a Tennessee legend, it deals with one of the only recorded cases of a specter killing a person. Be warned, however, that this book doesn't have any chapters in it, but it's a fantastic read nonetheless. Amidst the dialogue, romance, and poltergeist hauntings, one of the More...

1 comment like

Apr 21, 2009

Africableu rated it:

The story was creepy, especially at first, but it quickly got old. I know it was supposed to be based on a true story, but what does that mean? The modern dilemmas presented were VERY 21st century. (The schoolteacher's shock at the racist attitude of one of the characters, for example--really? Racist attitudes in the 1800s in Tennesee? Say it isn't so!) And the "reason" for the haunting--again, not saying it COULDN'T happen, but it seemed a little too modern-shock-value-I-see-where-thi More...

0 comments like

May 19, 2010

Jess rated it:

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. I read it twice when I was younger and was obsessed with it. I went through a phase where I gobbled up anything and everything about poltergeists.

It was definitely a little creepy, but I think what kept this from being a four-star read for me was knowing that this isn't an actual manuscript, but rather one that Monahan conjured based off of the "true" story (whether you believe in the supernatural or not). See, when I was younger, I More...

13 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 23, 2011

Becky rated it:

2.5 stars

From the blurb: "The Bell Witch took up residence with John Bell's family in 1818. It was a cruel and noisy spirit, given to rapping and gnawing sounds before it found its voices.

With these voices and its supernatural acts, the Bell Witch tormented the Bell family. This extraordinary book recounts the only documented case in U.S. history when a spirit actually caused a man's death.

[...]this book recounts the tale with novelistic vigor and verve. More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jul 18, 2011

Lyn rated it:

This is the book upon which the 2006 film starring Donald Southerland was made. Maybe I'm getting older or thoroughly de-sensitized by media, but a good old fashioned ghost story just does't scare anymore. This one was sort of hokey, not the spooky tales I grew up with. My cousin scared me to death with Bell Witch stories when I was little. I do need to go up to Adams and check out the place and I did enjoy reading about 1820s Tennessee, and about Andrew Jackson's visit.

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Mar 29, 2011

Mike rated it:

I like how this book 'pretends' to be a true story (or is it?!), and I really liked the language of the storyteller and the added realistic citations. I also thought the beginning was scary and the end was terrifying. The middle was a little silly, but, after looking up the true legend online, this is how it all was supposed to have happened. Overall, I thought it was very enjoyable, but not anything that would keep me up at night.

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Aug 13, 2009

Carrie rated it:

I enjoyed the begining and the end of this book. But the middle was a bit unbelieveable for me...come on, a witch joking around with people and strangers coming in just to converse with a witch...in the 1800's?? I'd be moving out of the town...All in all, a good read. It's a good one if you live out in the woods in a little cabin,(me) creepy...You start to wonder if you, yourself, could be a bit witchy.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 11, 2012

Bonnie rated it:

I'd heard about the Bell Witch haunting, which occurred in Tennessee, but never read much about it. According to the introduction, this is an edited version of a manuscript written by one of the principals at the time. Engrossing tale, almost hard to believe. Pretty well written though not very stylistic, the hardest part is that there are no chapters, it just goes on and on from start to finish.

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Oct 13, 2011

Samantha rated it:

Sometimes having heard of something so much can build a story up. This was the case with this book. I realize that this is a true story, but I just didn't find it all that scary. It was really just weird. The ending was certainly a twist, a yet still doesn't explain anything...or does it? Perhaps the ending makes the story seem more be true as life's stories rarely end with tidy bows.

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Nov 08, 2009

Thomas rated it:

I listened to the audiobook version and only made it through half of this. Generally speaking I just found it tedious in the manner of many mid-1800s accounts of hauntings. I found it dull, methodical and repetitive, and basically didn't feel like it was about interesting people.

Ultimately, it seems like there's nothing wrong with it if straightforward haunting accounts are your cup of tea, but I just couldn't get into it.

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Apr 13, 2010

Katie rated it:

This is definitely the most in depth Bell Witch story I've ever heard. I was thrilled that the author found a reason for the haunting and explained it at the end of the book, but ALL of her personalities started getting annoying and much too drawn out after such a long time. Throwing Andrew Jackson in there? That should've been omitted.

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May 27, 2011

Aerin marked it as to-read

I read this book as a preteen and took it as utterly true. It scared the living crap out of me, and I loved it absolutely. Although I want to reread it for nostalgia's sake, I think it will just make me feel old and jaded to realize how much enthralling power books used to have over me, and never will again.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 24, 2010

Marie rated it:

Good book, pretty scarry but still at moment pretty unbelievable, especially when the witch's conversations with some of the guests... I mean if this is supposed to be true, then sources other then the writer/witness should be famous too, that should have been written all over the press...?
But still, very interesting story.

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Jan 09, 2010

Jack rated it:

This book is one of the most creepy I have ever read. It is still rumbling around in my head. I don't really know what to make of it. It is supposed to be one of the most documented "hauntings". I would love to see the source material.

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Feb 25, 2009

JG (The Introverted Reader) rated it:

I don't think this was written all that well, but it really creeped me out. Of course, I'd also just had all my wisdom teeth pulled and I was loopy on pain meds when I read it, so that might have something to do with it.

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Oct 20, 2010

Marla rated it:

Halloween part 2. This is an old manuscript that has been published under this authors name. Written in the early 1800's with Andrew Jackson and Benjamin Franklin making appearances.

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Jul 18, 2009

Miracle rated it:

It wasn't the story I had heard before about the
Bell Witch. However it does make me a little more curious about the story. I would love to go to Adams TN to see the house and cave.

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Nov 12, 2010

Leslie rated it:

Occasionally, I enjoy this kind of book. I found it extremely well written and believe it to be highly plausible. Decide for yourself whether it really could be a true story.

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Apr 21, 2010

Les rated it:

Wow! What an excellent book! I literally couldn't put this one down and read it in a day. Both creepy and humorous, this story really kept my attention. I don't want to give away any of the plot, so I will just say "Read it!" It's a quick and easy read and well worth the time.

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Jan 12, 2012

Scott rated it:

It was more of an interesting book rather than a horror novel of any kind. It had a strong feeling of fiction. Expecially since the entity was so chatty with everyone.

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Jan 15, 2012

Wendy rated it:

another true story written like a novel. creep fest too. witch? poltergeist? psychic? in need of an exorsism? dunno, but a compelling read!

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May 05, 2011

Amanda rated it:

I didn't realize I'd seen the movie version of this until I got to the last chapter and guessed the not-so-shocking ending. Oh well...

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