A History of Ghosts: The True Story of Séances, Mediums, Ghosts, and GhostbustersPeter 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. |
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ability apparitions appeared Arthur Conan Doyle ASPR automatic writing Aykroyd circle Bangs Sisters became began believe Carrington Charles Richet clairvoyance considered Crandon Dan Aykroyd early ectoplasm Emmanuel Swedenborg entity Eusapia Eusapia Palladino experience EXTRAORDINARY SKILLS Flint Fodor fraud Garrett Géley GHOSTS ABROAD GHOSTS AT HOME GHOSTS TODAY glossolalia Hamilton hands heard Hereward Carrington HISTORY OF GHOSTS HOME CIRCLE human interest INTERNATIONAL STAGE James James van Praagh Lacey later Leslie Flint levitate light Lily Dale living manifestations Margery materialization medium medium’s cabinet mediumship messages Mirabelli paranormal performance perhaps person phenomenon photograph physical Praagh produced psychic investigation psychic phenomena Psychical Research reported Richet Schrenck-Notzing scientific séances seemed seen Sir Arthur Conan sitters sitting Skeptical slate writing spirit communication spirit guide spirit photography spirit world spiritualist suggested Swedenborg table tipping tion trance Uvani visions voice Walter Ashurst witnessed York young