I came across this on The Rest Is History podcast, where the author featured as a guest and reviewed some of the history of ghosts in the UK.

What to Expect

An attempt to examine if England truly is the most haunted nation, whether it’s the isles’ weather or just the people. After setting the scene there’s an attempt to build (or at least define) a taxonomy of ghosts, and then survey how they changed over the years due to cultural influences.

From 17th century haunted battlefields, to Victorian séances, to the impact of modern technology and indeed the business side of ghost stories. This book is as more about how we as humans relate to ghosts, and how that has evolved and responded to the mores of the day, than it is about the actual haunted houses.

What I liked

I appreciate what the author was attempting to do, and enjoyed many of the anecdotes and listings of old resources. I’ll certainly see if I can locate some of the many old treatises Clarke mentions, to enrich my own ghost stories.

What to be aware of

The thread is somewhat hard to follow. Run-on sentences, digressions, diversions, tangents, multiple footnotes in the middle of sentences, and a meandering, time-jumping narrative make it hard to digest. This isn’t a reference book as much as it is a twitchy review, where making sense of things remains as an exercise for the reader.

Felix’s and Jack’s Reviews

Felix belongs to an older time, and the ghosts — or shades — of the dead have a pretty specific appearance and role in the world. He enjoyed seeing how perceptions of them changed over time, but wished for a more structured resource that didn’t cause him a headache.

Jack was more attuned to this style, having had to read many a mediaeval manuscript in his days at uni. That said, he thinks the classifications and science of the dead in our world are sorely lacking. Having had to deal with several hauntings in both his academic and police career, he can set the record straight and offer better explanations.

Summary

It’s an interesting read and all the footnotes and referenced contemporary manuscripts make a useful jumping board for those who like primary sources. It also, as mentioned, focuses largely on England with only passing touches on other cultures. I’d recommend it if you enjoy geeking out and derive joy from footnotes, even when they make you re-read the sentences again. You can get a copy here.

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Enjoying the reviews, but wondering who the heck are those Felix and Jack fellows? Glad you asked! Felix is the protagonist of the Togas, Daggers, and Magic series, an historical-fantasy blend of a paranormal detective on the background of ancient Rome, and Jack is the police detective running the Unusual Crimes Squad, dealing in occult crimes in modern-day Australia.

Come meet Felix and Jack on the free short stories and novels!