Big is right! This exhaustive collection of stories, histories and documented accounts of hauntings throughout the Empire state will keep you busy for some time to come, if you're into ghost hunting or visiting the sites of well-known incidents, some of which are apparently still occurring on a regular basis. The author's extensive knowledge of her home state also helps, as the book also provides very informative and engaging local histories of the places in question, some of them quite tragic, which is an unusual bonus for books of this type, which mostly just focus on the paranormal occurrences.
This book was conceived from a reported 130 or so files and cases in the author's vast collection, so the variety is ample. Some of the locales are well known, such as the Vanderbilt mausoleum, New York University's Washington Square Park, where the graves of untold numbers - but possibly in excess of twenty thousand - of Yellow Fever epidemic victims lie, and famous haunted houses, but many more sites are known only to locals. It's an eclectic mix of travel book, local guidebook and ghost hunting guide, which keeps it interesting and engaging. It's also arranged conveniently according to area or region, so you can just focus on those areas you're planning to visit if you're short on time.
This is a fun read even if you're not planning to visit New York any time soon, but it would be indispensable for anyone who is planning a trip there, especially if you're fascinated with the paranormal.
This book was conceived from a reported 130 or so files and cases in the author's vast collection, so the variety is ample. Some of the locales are well known, such as the Vanderbilt mausoleum, New York University's Washington Square Park, where the graves of untold numbers - but possibly in excess of twenty thousand - of Yellow Fever epidemic victims lie, and famous haunted houses, but many more sites are known only to locals. It's an eclectic mix of travel book, local guidebook and ghost hunting guide, which keeps it interesting and engaging. It's also arranged conveniently according to area or region, so you can just focus on those areas you're planning to visit if you're short on time.
This is a fun read even if you're not planning to visit New York any time soon, but it would be indispensable for anyone who is planning a trip there, especially if you're fascinated with the paranormal.
