The encyclopedia of ghosts and spirits

by John Wallace Spencer

For centuries we have scared ourselves half to death with tales of ghosts, poltergeists and other spectral phenomena. It is easy to dismiss such bizarre, otherworldly events as pure fiction and thoroughly enjoy them as such, albeit with a thrilling frisson of uncertainty. But many people, including such diverse personalities as Carl Jung and Donald Campbell, have not found it so easy to shrug off the possibility that what we call 'ghosts' may be very real experiences indeed.
Modern technology has opened up a whole new methodology for testing the authenticity of ghostly manifestations. Armed with video cameras and highly sensitive recording equipment, today's 'ghostbusters' are making remarkable claims which can only feed the debate about just what ghosts are, and force us to keep on questioning the meaning of the evidence they are laying before our very eyes.
John and Anne Spencer are prime movers in this fascinating world and are actively involved in ghost vigils and psychic research. In this ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GHOSTS AND SPIRITS they have gathered 300 accounts of ghost sightings, poltergeist activity, and highly suggestive evidence for the possible influence - both malign and well-intentioned - of spirits. Divided into sections according to the nature of the phenomena (including 'ghosts of the famous', 'ghosts linked with fights and battles', 'timeslips' and 'ghostly animals' amongst many others), the book builds into the most comprehensive file of evidence for the existence of ghosts ever compiled. With state-of-the-art advice on how to investigate poltergeists in an exclusive interview with top researcher Maurice Grosse, plus the secrets of the ghost-hunter's toolbox revealed along with other key aspects of this increasingly precise science, THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GHOSTS AND SPIRITS is both an enthralling compendium of real-life ghost stories and an essential manual for would-be ghost-hunters.

Genres: Paranormal, Nonfiction, Occult, Ghosts

408 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 1992

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

John and Anne Spencer have compiled this first volume of ghost sightings, poltergeist activity, and possible evidence of paranormal phenomena. The authors contribute contribute substantially to the debate about the existence of such phenomena and put forward scientific evidence for their own theses.
In their introduction the authors deal with 'ghost busting', the science of investigating ghosts, and suggest that the first rule of 'ghost-hunters' (no-one has yet come up with a satisfactory term for the job) is discretion and understanding their witnesses-not patronizing or dismissing them.

The Spencers have divided the encyclopedia into chapters about various types of ghostly phenomena including Ghosts and visions associated with particular places, ghosts of the famous, Haunted objects, Recordings and replays, the wicked and the cruel, ghosts with a message and Doubles, bi locations, Doppelgangers and Vardogers.
Each chapter examines the phenomenon under discussion and provides myriad accounts of ghost sightings, paranormal activity and suggestive evidence of spirits.
Some of these incidences are easier to dismiss than others.
Example abound from well-intentioned malign spirits from the 7th century BC to 1991.It includes sightings of the various wives of Henry VIII, Abraham Lincoln in the white House, George II and John Keats.

Cases mentioned of poltergeists include the frightening and unpleasant story of the Bell Witch in Tennessee in 1817 and the haunting of Esther Cox in Nova Scotia in 1878.
The authors explain poltergeists as usually being attached to a particular person, often a young person undergoing the trauma of adolescence, and these hauntings most often disappear in time.
The authors examine at length the science and philosophy behind the phenomenon of ghosts and spirits explaining that we live in a multi-dimensional universe. also many scholars such as Carl Jung and Donald Campbell have not been willing to easily dismiss that what we call ghosts may, at least in some cases, be very real experiences.

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

If the truth is to be told, this book doesn’t fall into my usual reads.

The book was handed to me by a relative as a general interest kind of read, as something she thought I might enjoy. It was interesting, I will say that, but I cannot see myself going out of my way to read it again and again or to read that many more books like it.

It was simply something different to pick up and read.

[Andrew Willcocks · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not particularly well-written and the authors are a little too credulous for my liking. A number of interesting cases, with few of the better known ones appearing. There is a section by Maurice Grosse at the end of the book which is truly badly presented. He became famous for his investigations into the infamous Enfield Poltergeist, being totally taken in by young girls who were caught faking events and even admitting fakery, which he chose to ignore. I only read a part of this section as it became too painful to progress.

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an encyclopaedia of ghosts and spirits, split into chapters like ‘ghost animals’ or ‘ghosts involving transport.’ I sat and read through this book- whereas I feel like it may have been better as a reference text, but then it is an encyclopaedia, so this is the purpose of the book. I found the last couple chapters (on the ghost hunters toolbox amongst other things) which were more narrated to be more readable. Overall I enjoyed the book and you can tell a lot of work went into it.

[Kimmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit boring

[Kaye Salter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, camp sort of book! Well organized

[Shelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vol. 2 i prefer this one to the 1st volume as its more organised

[Euan M LLL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Books like this can be quite formulaic, but as a person that is very interested in the subject matter this didn't phase me much.

Although I can see reading this in a quick fashion could be tiring.

A very wide and expansive mix of different real life "ghost stories" to be found here.

Very enjoyable and fascinating for me.