Book Review: Encylopedia of Haunted Places – Author Jeff Belanger

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HAUNTED PLACES:
GHOSTLY LOCALES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Written by Jeff Belanger
Published by New Page Books
Publication Date: 2005
Format: Black /White – 357 pages
Price: $19.99

So you a ghost hunter you say? or maybe just interested in the local haunts, tales and legends? Maybe your none of those and just curious with the supernatural and what kinds of sites have been reported? All of those or none at all this book is a bible of haunts. Not only does it give you site after site accounts, it provides the address, phone numbers, websites and sometimes email addresses! Email addresses? Yep you not only get to read about them you can take a trip down and check em out yourself, provided that is an option. Published in 2005, it’s still recent enough to count on many of the information being pretty solid.

If anything, there is no denying the increase in supernatural awareness, and sensationalism brought on in the media today per way of weekly, or daily TV shows ripping up the airwaves. This guide will give the location information that they don’t really serve up on television. Being an interested viewer myself, this book was an excellent read to find some local locations that I otherwise may have missed. The next step? get a camera team and group of hunters and I’m off to ghost hunting.

To overview the book, the edition covers the haunting’s and supernatural events that occur throughout the world, though it’s divided intro regions. For instance great planes, rocky mountains, southwest are among a few. It also covers areas not usually covered in these type of books such as Canada, Asia, Jamaica, Iran, United Kingdom. Wait a minute did I say Iran? yep….. its a unique mixture that’s for sure. Also from what I can tell, in the descriptions Jeff personally toured many of these locations himself.

So in addition to back grounding info we are given a on scene breakdown as well. I would have to read every single entry to verify this but it appears that Jeff is quite the haunt traveler, very impressive indeed with real accountability on the locations. Chapters also include profiles on real life investigators. This is great for a closer look at the folks out in the field doing this for real. In a way you have all you need to get yourself started into a career if really motivated. For more causal readers, its just enough on getting the facts and the background on these controversial locations. I know there is a few stops I’m inclined to make in my next travels. A possible use I could see this for? With phone numbers provided on many locations and some web sites, this would be a great way to do a road trip and check out first hand locations haunts in person.

Now someone looking for a complete volume is both its pro and cons. If what your seeking is a US volume with every haunt in every city, you wont find that here. This is because its handpicks locations though tout the world. Some of my fav haunts such as “Danvers”, “Waverly Hills”, Gore Orphage…were no where to be found. My recommendation is to pick this up in addition to a more extensive US volume that way you can take advantage of its international aspects combined with local findings.

It also looks like Jeff’s had much help along the way, many entries are provided by notated submissions, which says alot about the community of ghost hunters in wanting to share information for publication. Even with entries you are given URL’s that take you to other ghost hunter sites filled with more info to interest your investigations.

This volume is filled with facts, history and information about the specific locations throughout the world (400 pages worth!). Such places as private residents are kept confidential but on the most part, you are given locations, address, URL and sometimes emails addy’s. The book is not overly cumbersome and set up with easy to flip though sections, with page tabs and a helpful glossary in case you forget a section. Jeff Belanger has produced an impressive book that deserves a spot of any ghost hunters shelf. His passion for the subject and research is evident as a life’s work. check out other books by the is author as well at New page Books

Available a www.newpagebooks.com