Book Review

Title: Ghost: Investigating the Other Side

RATING: 3 Scarabs (Liked it).

Author: Katherine Ramsland

Pages: 322

Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books, October, 2001

The author of this book delved into and wrote a book on the Vampire culture. During her experiences with that, she was handed a ring that was claimed to be haunted. Very skeptical at first, she decided to investigate and learn more about hunting ghosts. And this is where the book starts out.

She knew nothing about ghosts or ghost hunting and shares her experiences as she learns along the way. She starts off by going it alone, (which you should never do), sleeping in haunted bed and breakfasts, going on ghost tours and then branching off by contacting real paranormal investigators and learning about the tools of the trade.

As her investigation evolves, she continues to record the strange phenomena, incredible learning experiences, and rational doubts that come to her mind, in her quest to determine once and for all, if ghosts really exist.

I enjoyed the story line and especially liked the information on the history of paranormal investigation, EVP's and photography. That alone makes the book worthwhile! I feel that I learned a lot about the origins of paranormal investigation. She has interesting research on Electrical Impulse Theory, residual hauntings, and ectoplasm. I would recommend this book, but I highly caution readers, especially ones new to ghost hunting, to be discerning! The author does a number of things that Are Not Recommended! I found that aspect of the book a little disturbing and a wrong message to send to susceptible readers. After warnings about using the Ouija board, the author shrugs it off, determined to meet a ghost and uses them anyway. I like that she really immerses herself in what she does, but seems to take a lot of dangerous chances. Many people warn her to be careful, but not really 'feeling' what other people do, she doesn't think she is in danger, and continues to search for "replicable results".

She also goes into different kinds of ghosts like poltergeists, she mentions how most people debunk this phenomenon, saying that they are energy manifestations from living people, typically adolescent or young children, and goes on to say, "In other words a poltergeist, is not a ghost." We at ISIS Investigations do not believe this to be true. Another thing that concerned me about her information is that one psychic she went to told her that ghosts don't lie, that she never had one lie to her before. We also know this not to be true.

The author includes a section of photographs of orbs in her book. Again beware, a lot of these looked to me as if they were dust or other explainable origins, but she quotes camera manufactures who say they cannot explain the photos, so the orbs must be ghosts.

I think the author tried to be objective and have an open mind. She is a well educated person, having master's degrees in forensic and clinical psychology. She applied this training while investigating the subject of ghosts.

I enjoyed reading where her investigations have taken her. She got to visit some of the most haunted sites in America, such as the Lizzy Borden house, the cemetery made famous in "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil", the Chelsea Hotel in NY, the very haunted New Orleans, and the battlefields of Gettysburg. She writes in a down to earth, friendly style, which is clear and easy to read and makes the story interesting.

While I don't want to give the story away, I did find the ending a bit disappointing. Read the book and you decide what you think of it.

The author includes a full bibliography and other ghost-hunting resources, such as paranormal organizations, investigators and various haunted places to visit, if you are interested in learning more.

In the end, whether you believe in ghosts and the paranormal or not, this is certainly a good read that takes you on a journey of exploration and adventure.