Haunted Savannah

by Georgia R. Byrd

More than two dozen tales of ghosts, unexplained phenomena, and other spooky happenings in Savannah, GA, the city of legendary ghosts. Includes information so readers can check out the spirits themselves -- if they dare.

Genres: Ghost Stories, Nonfiction, History, Ghosts, Folklore

232 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2011

Reviews

[Frank · Rating 5 out of 5]

The founding editor of Savannah Magazine offers insight into the stories that haunt the city best known for the book and then movie, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Georgia Byrd extensively researched the facts behind the stories of the most haunted town in America, using that knowledge to craft the 24 stories in this work of fiction. She is a gifted storyteller who knows the city well. This book delves further into the stories that give Savannah its unique character than others naming the city's haunted places. In telling the story of Gracie, whose statue in Bonaventure Cemetery brings a steady flow of pilgrims, she also introduces John Walz, the gifted artist who captured the young girl who was so beloved by all who visited the Pulaski Hotel. In this way, she brings a fresh perspective to retelling Savannah's haunted history.

[Brian Edmond · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it is over 100 pages, it is most definitely not a novel; it’s a collection of short stories telling the supernatural and natural history of Savannah, Georgia. The ghost stories are fun and the range of places that were focused on were very diverse and a great choice for the abundance of history. Instead of giving several accounts of the paranormal activity at each place, they gave a lot of background and built up the narrative that introduced the activity. Although this makes for easier reading, the actual amount of supernatural accounts that are told are a little minimal given the number of places and the reputation Savannah has. Each story definitely gives background to each of the hauntings, but I wish there were more hauntings to speak of. The history is good and necessary, but every haunting doesn’t need to be put into the context of someone else’s life or to the degree of context that was given. So I’d rather there not be so much unnecessary information, instead the majority of the info to be about the history of the place, the people there, and the common sightings. It still is an awesome compilation of sightings around Savannah and one I would definitely take if I ever visited.

[Ally Ortmann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book prior to and during my trip to Savannah, Georgia, and I enjoyed it. It highlights different stories of the paranormal that have supposedly occurred in and around the city. The book is a very easy read, with each story being short. While the book told several ghost stories, it lacked significant detail and history to add context to the stories and city, which I personally would've preferred. The writing fell a bit flat for me, felt a bit childish in writing style. However, it gave me many stories to reference and locations to seek out during my trip, so if you're looking for a light, simple read to gain some fun information about America's most haunted city, this one is a good option.

[Christine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked up this book after a few trips to Savannah, hoping for some interesting history and fun spookiness. There’s very little of the actual stories behind the hauntings, and a lot of random and forced-feeling stories about tourists or other people “encountering” the hauntings. Certainly, there is more of the fictionalized encounters than the stories themselves. The book is poorly written, with pieces of stories missing, inconsistencies in details, names changing mid-way through stories, and constant off-putting shifts of timelines.

[Jaimie Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently traveled to Savannah GA around Halloween and did a ghost tour/ pub crawl. The stories that were told to us in the tour were so fascinating and I was looking for more. I went looking into a gift shop at the Pirates House and found this book. It was an interesting read and I was able to determine the exact locations where the stories were taken place as we had recently been there. Overall great and interesting book of compiled stories.

[E Scheuermann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't get past the author's writing style. This book is truly a slog to read. The voice is passive and uninteresting and there are too many instances to count of misplaced modifiers pulling me out of the story. Too many sentences start with modifying clauses that sound clunky and there are way too many commas that throttle the flow. For example: "With enormous windows that looked out onto Savannah's bustling downtown, and a contemporary interior of cool tiles and hardwood accents, guests not only dined there, but also enjoyed a comfortable and trendy wine bar that also faced Broughton Street." (pg 67) Truly, I have never been so bored reading a book (and I thought Thomas Hardy was bad). There is nothing interesting or emotionally arresting about this book - and it's supposed to be "bone-chilling" and "macabre". I'm only trying to finish it because my daughter bought it while on vacation and I'm trying to help her justify its purchase.

[April Helms · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of the four books I bought when in Savannah. This was an entertaining read, and it was good to refresh my memory on the local ghost lore down there. Wish I would have read this before visiting the Squares and Tybee, because both areas are paranormal hot spots. Mind you, this city is a veritable hot spot for ghosts.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the stories. I was surprised the author made such a mistake as in stating that Jefferson Davis was captured in Louisville instead of the correct location of Irwinville. Wasn’t appreciative of the dumb blond reference.

[Kurt Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing was decent but the stories were actually pretty amazing.

[Janet Vino · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 I was frustrated when reading the stories when dates weren’t given about when it is taking place.

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Haunted Savannah" by Georgia R. Byrd is a compilation of paranormal stories, encounters, and sightings in Savannah, Georgia. Among the various tales in the book "Ghost Car" and "Buried Alive" stand out as the spookiest for me. I appreciate that the book provides citations, allowing you to delve into the stories further if you'd like. I picked up this book after a family trip to Savannah a few years ago. In hindsight, I wish I had read "Haunted Savannah" before the trip so that I could have visited some of the locations referenced within the collection of stories. Overall, it was an enjoyable book. Happy Hauntings!

[Georgette]

I bought this while on vacation in Savannah. I enjoyed reading about some of the places and things we saw. Some of these stories are better than other, but it is a decent book for those interested in Savannah haunts.

[Terry Spurrier stephenson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good book..

[Renee Bartoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good spooky read.