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Haunted America
Halloween Nation: Behind the Scenes of America's Fright Night
Halloween is not just for children anymore. On a mission to define the modern Halloween, expert Lesley Pratt Bannatyne delves into the world of enthusiasts, fanatics, and subcultures including Goth, metal, and zombie. In a series of investigative interviews, people from all walks of life reveal their devotion to this fall celebration as Bannatyne crafts a portrait of a wildly popular and surprisingly meaningful twenty-first-century Halloween.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 15, 2011
4 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Lesley Pratt Bannatyne
9 books34 followersLesley Bannatyne is an American author who writes extensively on Halloween, especially its history, literature, and contemporary celebration. She also writes short stories, many of which are included in her debut collection _Unaccustomed to Grace_, out from Kallisto Gaia Press in March, 2022. iN 2024, her Lake Song. A Novel in Stories won the Grace Paley Prize and is published by Mad Creek Books in September 2025.
Bannatyne has shared her knowledge on television specials for the History Channel ("The Haunted History of Halloween," "The Real Story of Halloween"), with Time Magazine, Slate, National Geographic, and contributed the Halloween article to World Book Encyclopedia. Her Halloween books range from a children's book, Witches Night Before Halloween, to Halloween Nation, which examines the holiday through the eyes of its celebrants. The book was nominated for a 2011 Bram Stoker Award. Her other titles are A Halloween How-To. Costumes, Parties, Destinations, Decorations (2001); A Halloween Reader. Poems, Stories, and Plays from Halloweens Past (2004), and Halloween. An American Holiday, An American History, which celebrated 30 years in print in 2020.
Her fiction and essays have been published in the Boston Globe, Smithsonian, Christian Science Monitor, and Zone 3, Pangyrus, Shooter, Craft, Ocotillo Review, Fish, and Bosque Literary Magazines. She won the 2018 Bosque fiction prize and received the 2019 Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award for fiction, the 2020 Ghoststory.com fiction prize, and the 2024 Grace Paley Prize for short fiction. As a freelance journalist, she covered stories ranging from druids in Massachusetts to relief workers in Bolivia.
Lesley lives and works in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Bannatyne has shared her knowledge on television specials for the History Channel ("The Haunted History of Halloween," "The Real Story of Halloween"), with Time Magazine, Slate, National Geographic, and contributed the Halloween article to World Book Encyclopedia. Her Halloween books range from a children's book, Witches Night Before Halloween, to Halloween Nation, which examines the holiday through the eyes of its celebrants. The book was nominated for a 2011 Bram Stoker Award. Her other titles are A Halloween How-To. Costumes, Parties, Destinations, Decorations (2001); A Halloween Reader. Poems, Stories, and Plays from Halloweens Past (2004), and Halloween. An American Holiday, An American History, which celebrated 30 years in print in 2020.
Her fiction and essays have been published in the Boston Globe, Smithsonian, Christian Science Monitor, and Zone 3, Pangyrus, Shooter, Craft, Ocotillo Review, Fish, and Bosque Literary Magazines. She won the 2018 Bosque fiction prize and received the 2019 Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award for fiction, the 2020 Ghoststory.com fiction prize, and the 2024 Grace Paley Prize for short fiction. As a freelance journalist, she covered stories ranging from druids in Massachusetts to relief workers in Bolivia.
Lesley lives and works in Somerville, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 3, 2025
I checked this out from the library without really looking at the cover because I needed to read about something fall-related to take my mind off the heat. Halloween is in my top three fall-related things. I set this down and got a good look at the cover, and was delighted. From the first photos and introduction, I was so excited. I could practically hear Michael Jackson's "Thriller" in my head. I turned the page and laughed--zombies were dancing. Second chapter, I was thinking of different songs from the "Nightmare Before Christmas" soundtrack, to which references abound in this book in any case. This book is jam-packed with so much information about Halloween and how Americans, mostly, celebrate it. Lots of attention was paid to zombies, who I find boring, but I kept reading. This book had some of the most compassionate and sensitive portrayals of Wiccans, witches and magickal folk that I've seen in a secular book, which I deeply appreciated. I got tons of ideas for Halloween decorations, which I always enjoy. The section on Halloween-themed tattoos was so interesting, and I think it's fantastic that Halloween carolers exist. There's even a section on whether your house might be haunted. When I first moved into this apartment, I lay awake and afraid as things went bump in the night. I've lived here four years, and hardly anyone stays the night because the bumps in the night creep them out. I've gotten used to them, and I warn people, but few stay. So, I looked over the checklist and compared it to here. In all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.
August 26, 2019
I love Halloween, this must be said. When my kiddos were growing up we had an open house on Halloween, all the neighbors & our friends would stop by, I did free tarot readings & we had home-made treats. This book is everything I hate about modern Halloween. It is full of misinformation & glorifies the bullshit 1980s-2000s cheesy horror crap. I prefer the religious (pagan, Catholic, your choice) divinatory, or mid-century Americana Halloween. Give me Celtic myths, middle America pumpkins & apples, lovely or horrifying witches but not zombies, Mike Myers or burlesque. If it wasn't a library book I would have thrown it in the trash.
August 19, 2023
I’ve been reading about Halloween for years. One thing publishers push back on with holiday books is that they’re “seasonal.” Still, fans of Halloween will read about it anytime. I recently read and commented on Lesley Pratt Bannatyne’s first book on the holiday, but Halloween Nation is written with a more firm hand and is printed in larger format, in full color. It’s both a fun and informative book.
One thing Bannatyne notes from the start is that Halloween is ever-changing. It’s difficult to pin down. What it is today isn’t what it was in our childhoods, and that’s certainly not what it was back at the turn of the twentieth century. This book explores the origins of some trademarks of the holiday such as ghosts, witches, and pumpkins. Trick-or-treating as well. It focuses, as the title suggests, on the American experience of it.
Like many books that describe social occasions, it does feel a little weird to read this after the Covid-19 pandemic. Written before that happened, there was an optimism about how various ventures were growing into major celebrations and now we find ourselves picking up the pieces of a shattered pumpkin of society. Reading this book is like stepping back into more innocent times. And that’s well worth doing. I muse a bit more about it on my blog: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.
One thing Bannatyne notes from the start is that Halloween is ever-changing. It’s difficult to pin down. What it is today isn’t what it was in our childhoods, and that’s certainly not what it was back at the turn of the twentieth century. This book explores the origins of some trademarks of the holiday such as ghosts, witches, and pumpkins. Trick-or-treating as well. It focuses, as the title suggests, on the American experience of it.
Like many books that describe social occasions, it does feel a little weird to read this after the Covid-19 pandemic. Written before that happened, there was an optimism about how various ventures were growing into major celebrations and now we find ourselves picking up the pieces of a shattered pumpkin of society. Reading this book is like stepping back into more innocent times. And that’s well worth doing. I muse a bit more about it on my blog: Sects and Violence in the Ancient World.
October 3, 2025
Fine book to get in the mood for Halloween. What does it celebrate, icons (ghosts), witches, pumpkin obsession, dead men rising, the Jack o' Lantern story, creation of Halloween frights, terrortainment, monsters and pranksters, trick or treat. Together with many photos and background information you know what's going on on 31st of October. The author did a real good job to shine a light on modern Halloween and its tradition. Really recommended!
September 5, 2012
First, if you're a Halloween enthusiast, you need to get this book. Not only does it briefly cover the origins of Halloween but more importantly, it looks at Halloween through modern eyes. I feel is something really missing from today's Halloween bookshelf. There's plenty of books on the origin/history of the holiday already and that helps to set this one apart from the rest.
Halloween Nation gives you a taste of different aspects of the holiday, who celebrates it and how they do it. It's like a walk around Disney's EPCOT but for Halloween. The people interviewed range from artists, zombie walkers, pumpkin growers, goths and even burlesque dancers. Being from the Boston area, it was great to see a couple local celebrities (Devilicia and Mister Reusch) in the book.
The bibliography is quite extensive and you could build your own Halloween library just from the books listed there!
I do have a few problems with the book, however. The major issue I have is that a lot of the photos are printed right smack in the middle of the book binding. Frequently this results in you not being able to take in the picture in its entirety as well as you could if it was on a single page. I'm presuming it was done this was done to keep the page count down but I would have been happier with smaller photos if it meant keeping the image intact.
The second issue I have is a bit minor. I felt like I hit a wall at the end of the book. I came to the end of the last chapter not expecting it to be the end of the book and that was that. With the variety of aspects about Halloween that are talked about I would have liked to have had an afterword or some kind of epilogue as the finishing touch.
Having said that, these problems are mine and should not prevent you from picking up this wonderful book. I would give it 4.5 stars if possible.
I was lucky enough to meet the author when she came to Salem MA to doa a signing and she was wonderful to discuss Halloween with.
Halloween Nation gives you a taste of different aspects of the holiday, who celebrates it and how they do it. It's like a walk around Disney's EPCOT but for Halloween. The people interviewed range from artists, zombie walkers, pumpkin growers, goths and even burlesque dancers. Being from the Boston area, it was great to see a couple local celebrities (Devilicia and Mister Reusch) in the book.
The bibliography is quite extensive and you could build your own Halloween library just from the books listed there!
I do have a few problems with the book, however. The major issue I have is that a lot of the photos are printed right smack in the middle of the book binding. Frequently this results in you not being able to take in the picture in its entirety as well as you could if it was on a single page. I'm presuming it was done this was done to keep the page count down but I would have been happier with smaller photos if it meant keeping the image intact.
The second issue I have is a bit minor. I felt like I hit a wall at the end of the book. I came to the end of the last chapter not expecting it to be the end of the book and that was that. With the variety of aspects about Halloween that are talked about I would have liked to have had an afterword or some kind of epilogue as the finishing touch.
Having said that, these problems are mine and should not prevent you from picking up this wonderful book. I would give it 4.5 stars if possible.
I was lucky enough to meet the author when she came to Salem MA to doa a signing and she was wonderful to discuss Halloween with.
September 30, 2012
I usually approach non-fiction books with a bit of trepidation, dreading text book type passages, dry words and language or concepts that are over my head so I have to re-read them three times to grasp the content. But Halloween Nation is filled with plain ol’ Halloween fun.
Halloween Nation is Lesley’s more than usual immersion into the world of Halloween. The New York City Greenwich Village Parade, zombie walks, naked pumpkin runs and Halloween and Vine are just a smattering of the places explored. Musicians and organizers and witches (Oh my!) enlighten us on their views and activities of the holiday. Lesley delves deep into a few mythological aspects of Halloween such as Jack-o-lanterns (don’t worry-still not dry) and how the internet has changed the holiday. What I loved best is that I felt I was right alongside her. Her voice is friendly and fun and her writing is clever and fresh. She’s self deprecating, inquisitive and charming. (I know, you’re probably thinking I only wrote that because she’s my friend. But if I felt any different I wouldn’t have said anything at all!) The book went by very fast. I would sit down only intending to read a page or two and before I knew it chapters sped by.
Interspersed within the pages are quotes and gorgeous photos. The book is high quality, it even smelled good…just like a book should. Too weird? If you have any interest in Halloween at all, you will find some amazing events that you never knew existed, perspectives that you never thought of and people you would love to meet.
Being a huge Halloween fan, I felt as if I was reading my own thoughts echoed in other people’s quotes. I found myself nodding in agreement and understanding. I smiled, I laughed out loud, I learned and mostly, I was absolutely delighted.
Halloween Nation is Lesley’s more than usual immersion into the world of Halloween. The New York City Greenwich Village Parade, zombie walks, naked pumpkin runs and Halloween and Vine are just a smattering of the places explored. Musicians and organizers and witches (Oh my!) enlighten us on their views and activities of the holiday. Lesley delves deep into a few mythological aspects of Halloween such as Jack-o-lanterns (don’t worry-still not dry) and how the internet has changed the holiday. What I loved best is that I felt I was right alongside her. Her voice is friendly and fun and her writing is clever and fresh. She’s self deprecating, inquisitive and charming. (I know, you’re probably thinking I only wrote that because she’s my friend. But if I felt any different I wouldn’t have said anything at all!) The book went by very fast. I would sit down only intending to read a page or two and before I knew it chapters sped by.
Interspersed within the pages are quotes and gorgeous photos. The book is high quality, it even smelled good…just like a book should. Too weird? If you have any interest in Halloween at all, you will find some amazing events that you never knew existed, perspectives that you never thought of and people you would love to meet.
Being a huge Halloween fan, I felt as if I was reading my own thoughts echoed in other people’s quotes. I found myself nodding in agreement and understanding. I smiled, I laughed out loud, I learned and mostly, I was absolutely delighted.
January 22, 2013
Being a huge Halloween aficionado, I have read many books on the topic, and I have to say this was one of my favorites. I liked the eclectic feel to the book - it covered iconic Halloween figures, haunted houses, why people love Halloween, pranks, music, movies, etc. It definitely made me yearn for fall time and Halloween spookiness!
November 17, 2011
Very interesting. Loved it
September 4, 2013
It's like a text book on Halloween. I did learn some cool stuff but it wasn't the best I've ever read. I did like how it covered modern people celebrating in different ways.
October 5, 2013
A fun and insightful look into the various ways Americans celebrate Halloween today. Recommended for all fans of the world's best holiday.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews