Peter Aykroyd spent his childhood watching his family's parlor séances through the crack of a basement door. Here, for the first time, Aykroyd tells the strange and delightful story that inspired his son, Dan, to make the mega-hit, Ghostbusters. Part history, part family legend, A History of Ghosts starts in 1848 in upstate New York, where the spiritualist craze first began. Aykroyd introduces the reader to notable mediums while telling the story of the development of spiritualism, interweaving a personal history marked by a fascination with ghosts and spirits with the larger narrative about the role the paranormal has played in our culture. Such legendary figures as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini appear and vanish. Everyone loves a good ghost story. Successful TV shows such as Medium and Ghost Hunters are proof that our national obsession with ghosts is here to stay. Millions of Americans believe in the paranormal—and even skeptics have heard a bump in the night and suspected it might be something supernatural.

The father of "Ghostbusters" star Dan Aykroyd shares the blockbuster movie's real-life inspiration: his own family's colorful history and experiences with the paranormal. color photo insert.

Since time immemorial, tales of the spooky, paranormal, and mysterious have been staples of folklore across the world. Japan is no exception, and its unique position as a melting pot for cultures from around Asia gives it a particularly rich heritage of supernatural legend and tradition. To write this book on Japan's ghosts and other freaky phenomena, author Catrien Ross collected accounts of the eerie and terrifying from around Japan. Along the way, she braved frightening locales including the unquiet grave of the beautiful, betrayed Oiwa, and sacred Mount Osore, a gateway for communicating with the dead. The result of her journeys is a glimpse into hidden aspects of the Japanese world of the paranormal: a world of blind, women shamans, trees that grow human hair, weeping rocks, and even a graveyard where Jesus is reputed to have been buried. Covering ancient and modern times, Supernatural and Mysterious Japan offers not only some good, old-fashioned scary stories, but some special insights into Japanese culture and psychology. It delivers terrific entertainment—and some good chills—for the Japanophile and the aficioniado of the supernatural, alike.

Discover the spine-chilling history of ghosts and the supernatural across the world in this illustrated guide. A History of Ghosts, Spirits and the Supernatural charts the extraordinary narrative of one of the most fascinating and controversial subjects in the world, covering everything from Neolithic ancestor worship and ancient necromancy to modern-day ghost-hunting and creepypasta tales and from the Japanese onryo to the La Llorona of Latin America. The perfect introduction to the subject, this spellbinding volume details the numerous ways in which spirits and the spirit world have been depicted in myth and religion, folklore, art, and literature. In this ghostly novel, you will find: Recounts of infamous tales of haunted houses and ghost ships, séances and mediumships, poltergeists, possessions, and demonic encounters. Feature profiles for other ghostly or undead beings, such as vampires and werewolves. The numerous reasons that ghost stories and tales of the uncanny are a common feature of cultures the world over. A serious but reader-friendly overview of a fascinating and controversial subject that explores the supernatural across the world and throughout history. The most holistic history of the subject available, A History of Ghosts, Spirits, and the Supernatural will shock and delight you in equal measure - whether you are a believer or a skeptic.

Skeletal remains rotting behind cellar walls, temple priests removing brains with iron hooks, phantom locomotives roaring across midnight plains—Brian Righi isn't making this stuff up. The ghost stories he finds in history are far more chilling than any Hollywood horror scene. Join the seasoned paranormal investigator on a tour through mankind's millennium-old obsession with death and the afterlife. Ghosts, Apparitions and Poltergeists surveys 4,000 years of hauntings and ghost huntings—from the embalming rituals of ancient Egypt to the Ouija boards and séances of nineteenth century Spiritualism—highlighting a few outlandish tales and colorful characters along the way. Once you've learned the history, launch a paranormal investigation of your own with Righi's guide to modern ghost hunting, full of detailed advice culled from his seven years of experience in the field.

The author describes his experiences ghost hunting. The author also answers common questions you may have about ghosts. For instance, the author was with his wife in New York and his wife was attacked by a ghost. She was seeing a ghost and was being taunted and messed with. She informed her husband and he told her to go to sleep and he would watch over her. Minutes later he was attacked by a demon ghost and he was sick and throwing up. The author describes his experiences ghost hunting at New Orleans, Louisiana; Key West, Florida; New York, Miami, Florida; and other cities. The author discusses his experiences being attacked by ghosts, awake and sleeping. The author can relate to the world of victims who have been attacked by evil spirits. This book was written for those who have questions and do not understand the paranormal world we live in. The author will take you on a journey that you haven't been on, or maybe you have and can relate to what is written. The author expresses his passion for ghost hunting and when you read this book you will have an understanding of how real this is. The author guides the audience on resolving problems by taking the right steps to overcome the problems the readers may be having in their lives. The problem is society likes to hide from their fears. The author discusses how to help the world in changing their lives for the better by addressing the fears that haven't been resolved their whole lives. The author has written this book to help out a lot of victims who have or are dealing with situations concerning the spirit world.

Annie Wilder's collection of true family ghost stories gathered from old letters and family genealogy books or told around the dinner table. --Provdied by publisher.