The bleakness of Salisbury Plain and it's typically unpleasant weather all woven into a story of mystery and multiple layers that fitted together perfectly, like a spooky jigsaw puzzle. It is clever, educational, atmospheric and incredibly entertaining. Huge thanks to NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author, Neil Spring for allowing me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure. I really enjoyed 'Ghost Hunters' the first book in this series so was delighted that the author is doing more. This one is full of twists and turns and doesn't let up right from the beginning as Harry Price and Sarah Grey go off on yet another adventure to debunk spiritual happenings.
The story based on real life events and a real village of Imber is fascinating and makes me long for a bit of a road trip down to Wiltshire to see it myself. And for me, that's one of the signs of a good book setting. Do I want to go? Even with the scary ones. And I'm all for going to go scare myself in an abandoned village. Plot wise the relationship between Harry and Sarah is strained with mistrust. As per usual Price knows far more than he's letting on.
I do wonder why she sticks around someone who is not really that likeable and very good at upsetting people but as she says herself 'he's famous worldwide' a bit paraphrased. Or as is mentioned elsewhere in the book she's curious It's quite a pacy read, the main bulk of events take place over a very short space of time. The characters are really well drawn and for the most part likeable. I'm not entirely sure I'd get on with the real Harry Price but that's a personal thing and doesn't detract from the book. In fact I enjoy it when others take him down a peg or two.
Overall another brilliant read. Free arc from netgalley Classic horror at its best Neil Spring is an elegant author of what I would term as classic horror. In his writing just like an artist he paints a picture and relies on the reader to look at that picture and use his imagination to envisage the story. They have travelled to the former village of Imber on Salisbury Plain to help understand strange and ghostly sightings including the trag Classic horror at its best Neil Spring is an elegant author of what I would term as classic horror.
They have travelled to the former village of Imber on Salisbury Plain to help understand strange and ghostly sightings including the tragic disfigurement of Sgt Gregory Edwards. I love Spring's writing style and his simple but effective use of language which is a joy to read yet somewhat disturbing and creepy Around me, the trees seemed to shimmer, as if I were seeing them through a haze. At first, there was absolute silence. The air had become chillingly cold, freezing, and then I thought I heard, faintly A length of rope dangled from his right hand.
Wearing his black frock coat that fell to his knees, he exuded the sinister presence of a Victorian Executioner" The Lost Village is really the story of displaced inhabitants attempting to reclaim what the army has stolen. Once a year they are invited back but this will be no ordinary visit as a chain of events sets in motion a terrible reckoning, and a sickening revelation ensuring that Imber will be remembered for all the wrong reasons.
I particularly liked the cover of this novel with its dark angry skies and the picture of a man approaching wearing his trademark black coat, all which really adds to the atmospheric, macabre tale. Many thanks to the good people at Quercus publishing for a gratis copy in exchange for an honest review and that is what I have written.
View all 3 comments. I loved reading this book and the introduction to the authors notes. The village of Imber on Salisbury Plain is very real. A ghost town out of bounds, abandoned at the outbreak of the Second World War. For the novel to work it was necessary for the author to change the date of this abandonment to , and although some characters are indeed based on historical figures, the author has taken liberties with places and names and historical events to transport readers to a place his characters were I loved reading this book and the introduction to the authors notes.
For the novel to work it was necessary for the author to change the date of this abandonment to , and although some characters are indeed based on historical figures, the author has taken liberties with places and names and historical events to transport readers to a place his characters were able to explore. Imber truly is a creepy location remote, dangerous and eerily deserted.
I loved reading about Harry Price a ghost hunter. Harry Price was a real psychical investigator a maverick who achieved infamy during the inter-war period for his other worldly investigations, and although this story is entirely imaginary, some of it was inspired by Price's own writings and experiences. A spooky psychological drama based on a true story. Jul 13, Shirley Revill rated it it was amazing Shelves: OMG I so loved this audiobook it was totally brilliant and now I must read other stories by this author.
I listened late at night when I should have been asleep but the story was just too good to turn the audiobook off. The dark room and the wonderful narration certainly added to the story and I was tempted to turn the bedside light on a couple of times. I'm hoping any other books by this author are as good because this audiobook would take some beating. Nov 19, Maya Panika rated it it was ok. Ghosts are said to roam Imber; strange things are happening, a ghostly blacksmith is heard weeping in the night, a hollow-eyed phantom of a boy seen wandering through the woods, An intriguing premise: Ghosts are said to roam Imber; strange things are happening, a ghostly blacksmith is heard weeping in the night, a hollow-eyed phantom of a boy seen wandering through the woods, a soldier has been driven to set himself on fire by ghostly assailants.
The story is badly overwritten. It meanders and blunders about, at times drawn out almost to snapping point, so all the tension is lost, the exact opposite of a page turner. Harry Price in particular comes across as an arrogant boor and the protagonist Sarah Grey is bland and stiff and never comes to life as a believable human woman. I think it needs a really hard edit - about to pages cut clean away - to bring out the plot and the suspense that are there, buried under the weight of all that unnecessary padding and fuddle.
Mar 19, Kimberly rated it liked it Shelves: In this we revisit the famous ghost-hunter and spiritualist-debunker, Harry Price, as he and his former assistant, Sarah Grey, are thrust together once again. Neither one believes that it's a "chance encounter" , but rather, something that was meant to be. Why not name this encounter for what it is? We were drawn here. Imber is where it always was, waiting for its people to come home. The excess of information regarding Sarah's "recent" past, didn't really seem to have any bearing on the mystery at hand.
In fact, I found myself pulling away from the story mentally, only to re-engage when the plot shifted more concretely to the eerie town. Instead of focusing solely on the present, and the incredible mystery presented in this village, we jump forwards and backwards in time to Sarah's past with Price which we knew about from GHOST HUNTERS , and her future, when she's in her 70's, looking back upon these incidents in her past.
This is probably more due to my own personal taste, but in this type of "historical fiction", I would have much preferred to stay with the troubled village and their job in Imber, rather than have it sectioned into pieces of past, present, and future. A good novel, that I felt could have been made even better with less "excess" information. Aug 22, Blair rated it really liked it Shelves: It's told in flashback, as an elderly Sarah sees a vision of the famous paranormal researcher and feels compelled to record the tale of one particular case they tackled together.
Like The Ghost Hunters, this story is set in a real place: The background given in the novel is all true: When the war ended, the locals were not allowed to return, partly due to a proliferation of unexploded bombs and grenades — indeed, this is still the case today. In The Lost Village, these facts make Imber a breeding ground for anger, resentment, and possibly even vengeful spirits. Former residents claim the place is haunted by the Imber dead, angry at being separated from their families.
Commander Williams of Westdown Camp, which controls Imber, appeals to Harry after a spate of eerie incidents unsettle his men. One encounter even seems to have driven a soldier insane. I thought this book, at almost pages, would take a long time to get through, but I underestimated its readability. The combination of an intriguing supernatural conundrum and a real — undeniably creepy — location is dynamite. I loved these characters in the first book and was happy to have them back; Sarah and Harry have built-in chemistry as well as emotional appeal, keeping the narrative afloat as mystery is piled on mystery.
The disadvantage of this amount of detail is that the plot becomes more convoluted than it needs to be, with a web of coincidences connecting Sarah to Imber. While suspension of disbelief is an obvious necessity for any story involving ghosts, some of the events in The Lost Village stretch credulity to its limits.
I adored the early sequence about Brixton Picture Palace, and wish this had been left to stand on its own. But there's a confidence to the writing here that wasn't present in The Ghost Hunters. I hope there are more Harry Price and Sarah Grey adventures to come. If absorbing historical fiction with a spooky twist sounds like your thing, The Lost Village makes for a perfect Halloween read.
TinyLetter Twitter Instagram Tumblr Nov 12, Ali Bookworm rated it it was amazing. Oh my what a creepy story! It has taken me a while longer to read this mainly because I have been busy but I was determined to get really stuck in and finish it. It is a very atmospheric book, dark, brooding and yes Creepy. I am always fascinated by these type of books and have read a book before based on the village of Imber.
It has made me want to go and see it for myself now. The sto Oh my what a creepy story! The story is full of twists and turns and whether you believe in the supernatural or not it still makes a riveting good read and so perfect for a dark winter's night. Oct 20, WaterstonesBirmingham rated it liked it Shelves: A good, solid, creepy ghost story.
The village of Imber, taken over by the army, is wonderfully described so that you can see it very clearly. The story is full of misdirection and surprises. Well worth a read for fans of atmospheric horror. Sep 16, Joseph rated it really liked it Shelves: Most villagers did not put up any protest — they felt they were doing their part for the war effort and, in any case, they were promised they would get back their homes once hostilities were over.
Not that leaving Imber was easy — the village blacksmi 3. Not that leaving Imber was easy — the village blacksmith of forty years cried his eyes out. Ominously, he would be the first person to die after the evacuation and would return to the village only to be buried there. The war finished but the residents were never allowed to return to Imber, which remains, to date, army property, its buildings crumbling due to decades of shelling and neglect.
As the author himself admits in the introduction, he has, for plot purposes, changed the date of the evacuation from to , but he otherwise remains remarkably faithful to the background story, even managing to weave into his plot certain historical details and characters weeping blacksmith included. When the Army requests Price to investigate some strange apparitions and supernatural goings-on at Imber, he is reluctantly joined by the narrator, Sarah Grey, previously his assistant, lover and, secretly, the mother of his child.
They make a strange team — Harry consistently and almost irritatingly sceptical; Sarah, who is possibly psychic herself, more open to the possibility of the existence of a spirit world. But their new assignment will make Price rethink his certainties whilst bringing Sarah face to face with some personal demons.
At around pages, this novel is definitely a slow-burner and, at times, I found myself wishing that the book had gone through some more judicious editing. As well as a concluding action sequence which could grace a Hollywood blockbuster. This could make a fun club read for Halloween. Neither one believes that it's a "chance encounter", but rather, something that was meant to be.
In fact, I found myself pulled away from the story mentally, only to re-engage when the plot shifted more concretely to the eerie town. Jun 06, Oria rated it it was amazing. Until, of course, I was made to remember. Not by anyone living.
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But by a dead man. So many clues, scattered like the proverbial bread crumbs. A deserted village, its residents driven out by the army who claims the land as a training ground. Only once a year are the former inhabitants allowed back in, to honor their dead. But are the dead truly gone? Sarah Gray and Harry Price used "Some forgot about that nowhere place at the foot of the valley.
Sarah Gray and Harry Price used to work together to help unmask the charlatans claiming paranormal activities are real. Together they must find out if the village of Imber is really haunted or if other, more diabolical games are being played out. This is an amazing story that weaves in real details almost seamlessly.
The Lost Village
The village of Imber is real, and so is the story behind its abandonement. All the time I was reading, I had the feeling this was a homage to the place, a slice of fiction constructed upon something real so that its history won't be forgotten. There are a couple scenes of delicious creepiness, and the big reveal at the end was worth the wait. I loved every minute of it, from Sarah's incredible past to Harry's annoying but driven need to find the truth behind the mystery.
If you love a good ghost story based on real places give this book a try. After finishing the book I discovered this was actually book 2 in a series but it felt like a standalone story so I wasn't bothered by that. I liked it so much I just got book 1 on my Kindle. I look forward to another great ghost story. Oh i enjoyed this so much. I was lucky enough to receive this advanced copy from Neil via facebook, and i was absolutely delighted to meet up with Sarah and Harry again.
I've been hoping for a follow up to The Ghost Hunters, and as this book is set in Imber which i've heard about since i was a child having grown up in the next county , i couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Neil's writing style is rite up my street, he has a way of drawing you into the story and making you care about the characte Oh i enjoyed this so much.
Neil's writing style is rite up my street, he has a way of drawing you into the story and making you care about the characters and its so interesting with twists and turns and things happening that you just wouldn't think of. Its creepy and unthinkable and dark and i want to read it again. A brilliant book worth every one of the 5 stars and i would highly recommend it to anyone. Very slow and was tempted to put it down not even half way through. But I persevered and I'm glad I did as this was a very good story.
Here's to hoping for another story about Harry Price and Sarah Grey in the future. Oct 17, Grace rated it liked it Shelves: There were some character traits i didn't particularly like and an occurrence towards the end of the book that seemed unceremoniously wedged in, but overall i enjoyed it. Oct 19, Kate rated it really liked it Shelves: Very entertaining and spooky tale! Neil Spring writes supernatural stories that reader from page one, can loose themselves in. I was not disappointed, this was the creepiest one yet.
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Set in the lost village of Imber ,Salisbury, there have been complaints of voices, echoing through the village, ghostly howling of a dog, and the church bells that ring by themselves. Long lost secrets, that should have stayed hidden are Neil Spring writes supernatural stories that reader from page one, can loose themselves in. Long lost secrets, that should have stayed hidden are coming to the fore, putting all those who reside near Imber in danger. Help is needed, and that help comes in the shape of Harry Price, notorious ghost hunter see The Ghost Hunters and his former partner Sarah Grey.
Once you start to read, Imber will haunt you, the cold, grey dampness of the village along with the silence, will get into your bones, you will feel the icy chill, as Sarah and Harry delve deeper into the evil past of this haunted village, a village where the dead don't sleep. The Lost Village is inspired by real historical events or at the very least a real place.
Fairly dull really and more trudging. The whole book is quite cliche from the plot to its characters. Along with just a bit too much character-finds-out-information-the-reader-won't-find-out--about-till-later-torty that I was, frankly lacking in interest when it came to the cliche and qui The Lost Village is inspired by real historical events or at the very least a real place.
Along with just a bit too much character-finds-out-information-the-reader-won't-find-out--about-till-later-torty that I was, frankly lacking in interest when it came to the cliche and quite seeable twist. Not one I'd recommend. This was the first book I completed in , and I have to say I was very impressed. The plot centres on the real life village of Imber in Wiltshire, a village that was abandoned during the Second World War so the army could use it for training purposes. The displaced residents were promised that they would one day be allowed to return to their homes but for some reason that never happened.
Imber remains a ghost village to this day, used only by the army to train its soldiers. I thought that sou This was the first book I completed in , and I have to say I was very impressed. I thought that sounded like a pretty intriguing premise for a story and the book itself proved to be just that and a whole lot more besides. It wasn't particularly scary, in fact, I would class it more as a mystery-thriller with supernatural elements than an actual ghost story, but it still contained some genuinely creepy and unsettling moments, with one or two bordering on being quite disturbing.
The story moved along at a good pace, although there was the occasional slower section, and there were plenty of twists and turns thrown in to keep you on your toes, many of which I did not see coming. I also really enjoyed Neil Spring's writing style which is quite naturalistic and unflashy but suits the tone of the story really well.
Another thing I should mention is this is a follow-up to The Ghost Hunters but it is written in such a way that you do not need to have read 'The Ghost Hunters' to understand it or to enjoy it. I sincerely wish that some group of researchers had continued this work, which sadly lost steam after most of the main investigators, particularly Hodgson and James passed on.
My personal feelings on the subject accord with those of James; I don't necessarily believe in life after death or spirit communication, but I have not ruled out such things, because there are some situations that current science cannot explain fully. I highly recommend this book. Dec 23, Amra Pajalic rated it really liked it. I love the Victorian period.
It was a time of great invention and creativity. I've always loved stories about the paranormal so I was sold on this book when I read the blurb. If you're interested in spirits and mediums this is a must read. Well written and researched Blum looks at the history of the Society of Psychical Research and its key membership. Through their personal stories and obsessions there are many questions raised. Blum is an author who knows her subject matter and has delved deep I love the Victorian period. Blum is an author who knows her subject matter and has delved deep into the Victorian period. Scientists interested in proving the possibility of life after death embarked in investigating the phenomena of mediums.
The book charts the controversy and conflict caused between scientists interested in the phenomena and those that didn't believe that this type of research was valid. While there were many fake mediums during the Victorian period, there were some that could not disproved. The scientists researching mediums faced a quandary, at what point was there irrefutable proof as to life after death? And how could life after death be proven when the phenomena of mediums was so unreliable? Tests could not be replicated even with mediums who had proven to be accurate.
The scientists undertaking this research developed many thesis that make for fascinating reading and provide food for thought. The book focuses on the medium Leonora Piper and her work with the Society of Psychical research. There were two things that I found most fascinating about this book. During a seance when he was questioned about life after death he presented answers that tied in with Christianity thought of God. SPR concluded that the medium mediates the message. That is whatever messages are sent by a spirit are interpreted by the mediums' thought processes and experiences.
This seems to illustrate why mediums can sometimes be accurate and other times so completely wrong. If the medium does not have knowledge of a particular subject matter or their brain works in a different way to that of the spirit, it's difficult for the message to be sent accurately. The second was an experiment conducted by Margaret Verrall a friend of Fred Myers. Verrall decided to prove if there was life after death by communicating with Myers.
She decided on automatic writing, the phenomena of holding a pen and having a spirit take over and write messages. Over three months she set aside at least an hour every day and waited. After three months of waiting she started writing about other matters. On the days that there were messages from Fred, Verrall wrote messages that replicated the conversations Myers had with Piper.
This makes me wonder if anyone could contact with spirits if they put the time into it. Do we all have the ability to get in touch with the paranormal? Or is it that the spirits are so eager to make contact that they are clamouring for anyone to speak to? While I still don't know if I believe in life after death, I do believe that there are many mysteries in the world that we are ignorant about.
That there is a world we can see and perhaps a world we cannot. Ghost Hunters is a fascinating read and one that will turn your ideas about life and death on its head. Sep 24, Laura rated it it was amazing Shelves: Ok, it took me forever to read this book because it was so chocked full of information. I recommend this to anyone who wants to think deeply. If y Ok, it took me forever to read this book because it was so chocked full of information. Many of the authors I read include paranormal elements, or the "woo-woo" factor if you will, since that is the current fashion.
This book explains so much about the very real war between religious thought, scientific process, and those of us; who in the famous words of Rodney King ask plainitively, "Can't we all just get along? Better risk loss of truth than chance of error. James argued that the pursuit of truth, even when it might seem illogical by the rules of science, was always worth the risk.
Another great quote pg by W James: Myers acceptance of the complexity of the cosmic environment, "although we may be mistaken in much of the detail, in a general way, at least we become plausible. He thought it a mistake to dismiss ideas of history simply because they didn't fit current scientific methodolgy. Mar 24, Caroline rated it really liked it Shelves: The Victorian era was probably the high-point of belief in spiritualism - who doesn't picture all those fine gentleman and corseted ladies participating in seances, dabbling with Ouija boards, tilting tables and automatic writing?
It's probably no coincidence that this peak in belief coincided with the rise of science as we understand it - perhaps this emerging insistence that the universe could be codified and classified and explained also gave rise to some kind of reaction against it, this bel The Victorian era was probably the high-point of belief in spiritualism - who doesn't picture all those fine gentleman and corseted ladies participating in seances, dabbling with Ouija boards, tilting tables and automatic writing?
It's probably no coincidence that this peak in belief coincided with the rise of science as we understand it - perhaps this emerging insistence that the universe could be codified and classified and explained also gave rise to some kind of reaction against it, this belief that there were some things beyond explanation?
The individuals explored in this book combined those two beliefs in one - they believed in both science and spiritualism; they believed that the former could explain the latter, and that an ordered, rational universe didn't necessarily preclude the existence of the immortal soul and life after death. Probably at no point in history, before or likely to come, were so many eminent and respected men of science involved in the hunt for ghosts, telepathy, telekinesis, mediums, spirit communications, ectoplasm.
Professors, authors, knights of the realms, Nobel prize-winners, men like William James, Sir Oliver Lodge, Charles Richet - these were no cranks or credulous fools. This book will not convert the skeptics or shake believers. There is enough evidence, enough inexplicable occurrences, to make even the most rational reader have a few doubts - and the author herself admits that she came to this book as a woman of science and went away It may not change anyone's mind, but I found this a fascinating read, of a time when science was just as certain it had all the answers as it is now.
And yet the questions still remain Mar 22, Andrea Dowd rated it did not like it.
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I had high hopes for this book but when it takes me more than a week of reading to get pages into it, the author has not done their job or engaging me as a reader. The story of William James really should have been the story of the British start of the Psycical Research Society since a majority of Blum's story took place there. She combined the significant physical, scientific, and research-based science progress in with the search for the paranormal.
Combine all that backlog of historical s I had high hopes for this book but when it takes me more than a week of reading to get pages into it, the author has not done their job or engaging me as a reader. Combine all that backlog of historical scientific breakthroughs with ghost stories, mediums, charlatans and too much hopping back and forth between major scientist and you have a very boring and difficult to follow book.
If the book gets better as it goes along, I would be very impressed by the person who finished it. Sep 20, Martha rated it really liked it. Richardson does not shy away from James's lifelong interest in what I will call Spiritualism but it is only a part of William James's extraordinary career. However, Blum's book is dedicated to the subject and William James is just one of many eminent scientists who belonged to psychic organizations and studied and challenged and puzzled over psychics.
The book goes on a bit too long, but there are some intriguing stories here and Blum treats the subject with respect - which surprised me. I kept waiting for her to say something like" wasting their energy" but she doesn't. Her afterword explains this. Mar 13, Chris rated it really liked it. This was a bit of a tedious read, the author doesn't really use any enthusiasm while describing the life and work of these scientists.
It wasn't a bad book though I suspect the reason has more to do with subject matter and less to do with the authors ability. All of the researchers and their opposition were so compellingly interesting that I found myself reading on even though it felt as if the story were being read to me by a monotone character like Ben Stein. I'll give it a 4 out of 5 but the This was a bit of a tedious read, the author doesn't really use any enthusiasm while describing the life and work of these scientists.
I'll give it a 4 out of 5 but the author is not one I'd look for in the future. Nov 17, Sonia Gensler rated it it was amazing. This non-fiction book focuses on Harvard psychology professor William James and his interactions with various 19th century scientists and philosphers who tried to document legitimate paranormal activity.
Anyone interested in Victorian scholars, 19th century Spiritualism, or studies of the paranormal should check this one out. Jun 04, Rebecca rated it liked it. This fascinating and hard-to-put down volume although I was a bit unnerved while reading it at night follows several scientists who spent much of the 19th century and a bit of the 20th trying to reveal whether there was a scientific basis for many supernatural phenomena, including telepathy, telekinesis, communication with spirits, and haunted houses.
In the process, they debunk many fraudulent claims including Madame Blatavsky and the Fox sisters , but they can't quite explain away all the This fascinating and hard-to-put down volume although I was a bit unnerved while reading it at night follows several scientists who spent much of the 19th century and a bit of the 20th trying to reveal whether there was a scientific basis for many supernatural phenomena, including telepathy, telekinesis, communication with spirits, and haunted houses. In the process, they debunk many fraudulent claims including Madame Blatavsky and the Fox sisters , but they can't quite explain away all the reports they collect.
As they repeatedly test remarkable mediums and hear overwhelming reports of ghostly warnings of loved one's deaths, these scientists become more convinced than ever that in the vast ocean of fakers, some events truly are supernatural in origin. But they face growing suspicion and ridicule from their fellow scientists and anger from spiritualists who find those they've put on pedestals tumbling down one after another.
My major problem with the book is the conclusion. It doesn't really conclude! As the original scientists in William James circle die off, the book simply draws to a close. But the real excitement of the book is their research, and the questions which it poses -- which have yet to be satisfied. Thus, you find yourself a bit at a loss, without a nice feeling of "fini" at the end of the book. I think that structuring the book differently might have alleviated this problem. For example, had the book followed fewer people, focusing more on their narratives, it might have felt more "over" when the people at the center of the story die.
Or having the final chapter or two follow more recent follow-up studies on the same topic. I think the book is appropriate for anyone over 14, so long as they don't get creeped out easily. It's rather clean and might stimulate some interesting conversations. I think, actually, a lot of teenagers who are often curious about supernatural phenomena will enjoy the details in the book about how to tell the difference between a fraud and someone who is either the real-deal or less-obviously playing their audience. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here. Together the couple practiced how they would hold Eusapia down during seances. But she had been married to a traveling conjuror and would be caught in trickery countless times. Members of the Society for Psychical Research wanted to be sure. But above all, they wanted to believe. If Eusapia was exposed, they would find someone with more impressive powers. Blum, a professor of science journalism at the University of Wisconsin, begins in America in the middle of the 19th century. In , the Fox sisters, a pair of teenage girls from upstate New York, demonstrated their skill at eliciting information from spirits at P.
The spiritualist newspapers, of which there were many, claimed two million believers. Table-tilting and spirit-writing were all the rage. He was particularly taken with Daniel Dunglas Home, whose powers, according to astonished witnesses, included the ability to levitate, float out of a window and then float back in. Home, who became one of the best-known mediums in Europe, also floated into high society, marrying a goddaughter of the czar, with the novelist Alexandre Dumas as his best man.
Most of the scientific establishment, on both sides of the Atlantic, disagreed — often vehemently, as in the case of the scientist and lecturer T. But a smattering of eminent scientists remained open-minded or even joined the cause. Wallace brought the chemist William Crookes, future president of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, into the fold.
Crookes was the discoverer of thallium — a toxic element that some skeptics alleged had adversely affected his mind — and his work on cathode rays played a role in the discovery of the electron. Even mediums complained of the fraud that was rife in their trade.
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So in , Sidgwick and his friends formed the Society for Psychical Research with the earnest intention of investigating supernatural claims. Sidgwick, the son of a clergyman, had abandoned Christianity but feared the moral effects of the decline of religion. All three men accepted the dominion of modern science; their aim was to imitate its methods and provide rigorous, empirical evidence of a spiritual realm. It also seized the interest of William James, who served as president of the British society for two years and was involved with the short-lived American version. James is not the main focus of this book.
Although he never quite accepted that life after death had been proved, James was soon convinced that Mrs. Piper who died in , at 93 knew things she could only have discovered by supernatural means. Like many other investigators, James was prepared to rest his case solely on her startling abilities. May 13, Joanna rated it it was ok. Deborah Blum has managed to take fascinating subject matter and turn it into a messy slog of a book.
This thing takes serious work to get through. The structure makes it so that you are continually introduced to a rotating cast of characters and frequently jumping between them. I couldn't keep anyone straight after a while so it was hard to stay invested. I was also disappointed that the book did not include any information about research that has been done since this main group over a hundred y Deborah Blum has managed to take fascinating subject matter and turn it into a messy slog of a book.
I was also disappointed that the book did not include any information about research that has been done since this main group over a hundred years ago Even if you are interested in this subject I'd steer clear of this one. Nov 02, Ross Blocher rated it really liked it. The title "Ghost Hunters" doesn't do this book justice, as it brings to mind the modern crop of sloppy so-called investigators who scare themselves for television audiences. This book is hardier stuff, chronicling scientists of the late s and early s, many with stellar credentials and accomplishments in mainstream fields, who sought to apply rigorous investigation to the practice of mediumship.
The subtitle provides a better synopsis: Even so, this is not a book solely focused on the famous philosopher and psychologist, and he is only one player in a large cast of characters. The narrative covers an important span in history for those, like myself, who are interested in paranormal phenomena and the question of whether or not those phenomena are real. As I've had some experience in the field, it is fascinating to read this account of the earliest critical investigations into spiritualists and mediums. Blum sets the stage well, describing the rise of spiritualism there is plenty here about the Fox sisters, the Davenport brothers, Madame Blavatsky, et al.
The stage is set for a clash between empiricism and occultism. Even the co-discoverer of Natural Selection, Alfred Russel Wallace, plays a role as a champion of the supernatural. As the book's timeline progresses, Blum reminds us frequently of the new inventions that come with each year, further cementing scientific primacy in the intellectual community. The rest of the scientific community was eager to distance itself from them, and was uncomfortable when reputable figures like Wallace and James not to mention other central figures like Charles Richet, Frederic Myers, William Crookes, and Oliver Lodge gave time and credence to these embarrassing pursuits.
Their work was not made easier by psychics, the vast majority of whom were readily exposed as frauds. Indeed, the SPR and ASPR spent much time debunking paid and performance mediums in hopes of gaining credibility for the rare individuals worthy of closer attention. These "white crows" if you seek to prove that not all crows are black, you only need discover one white crow were hard to come by.
Even promising figures such as the Italian Eusapia Palladino, featured prominently in the book, would be caught regularly in outright fraud, but at other times produce effects of levitation, ectoplasm, light and sensation that stymied investigators were powerless to explain. The real star medium of the book is Leonora Piper, a demure figure who claimed not to understand the source of her powers. She would slip into a trance and give readings, often in the assumed voice of a dead French man Dr. Phinuit , or perhaps a deceased scientist. Sometimes her readings were too vague or factually incorrect, and Phinuit had no record of ever having lived nor can he speak very good French.
The researchers were quick to write these shortcomings off, for when Piper had a successful reading, it was alarmingly successful, with details there was no way she could have known. Indeed, the researchers paid private detectives to follow her around, and observed strict protocols in bringing subjects unannounced and unintroduced. They would try to throw off Piper with fake names, but she'd still produce amazing details. For decades, Richard Hodgson and other investigators poked and prodded her during her trances, took her to Europe and back, and continually asked her to provide readings for little or no money.
Perhaps, they hypothesized, she was simply reading minds, but whatever she was doing the researchers were convinced they had the real deal. There are stories in this book that are really hard to discount, and one can hardly blame the researchers for taking them seriously. In fact, I think their investigations were entirely reasonable given the circumstances. All I can say is that I wish I had been there to witness some of these readings and seances in person, and to see this evidence that sounds so incredibly compelling.
It definitely makes one think, and if these results were not trickery - indeed they would say something very significant about the existence of psychic phenomena. I just wonder where these skills are today, and if there are any white crows left to investigate. It's not a perfect book. Deborah Blum is a great writer "The Poisoner's Handbook" is a favorite of mine , and she's clearly done a huge amount of research on this topic, but this is a page turner by no means.
I'd usually get through about five pages and feel I needed a break to digest all the information. There are times where she could have left out asides that do little other than slow the pace. There's also a vast stable of characters, with new figures being introduced constantly, even into the final pages of the book. They pop in and out of the narrative, and one is sent scrambling each time to remember where we heard his name before.
Highly recommended for those interested in the topic - others will not be convinced to persist unto the end. Dec 17, Bob Nolin rated it really liked it Shelves: An excellent and thorough account of the psychical investigations of James and his coterie. As others have noted, a simple bibliography is lacking, or even just a "suggested for further reading" list.
Mar 23, Cory rated it liked it. This was surprisingly interesting, considering a lot of it dealt with religion and philosophy and other rather erudite topics. It said some interesting things, though, about the intersection of science and faith, and the disservice that each group scientists and religious followers does each other and their own group by not keeping an open mind.
Sep 18, Christine Howard rated it liked it Shelves: An interesting book about James and others in the late 's with their search for an afterlife. Nov 23, Salty Swift rated it liked it. A history of ghost hunters This will certainly appeal to hardcore history buffs. Nov 03, Tarafa rated it did not like it. Narrations that lead you nowhere. Ghost Hunters tells an interesting story about the first decades of the Society for Psychical Research in the late 19th and early 20th century. Blum's descriptions of the various members, their experiences and relationships are very absorbing, and I found myself as engaged with her characters, William James, Henry Sidgewick, Edmund Gurney, Richard Hodges, and others as I am when reading a novel.
Though most of her subjects led lives as professional scientists and academics, Blum concentrates on Ghost Hunters tells an interesting story about the first decades of the Society for Psychical Research in the late 19th and early 20th century. Though most of her subjects led lives as professional scientists and academics, Blum concentrates on their quest to discover scientifically acceptable evidence of psychic phenomena, particularly the knowledge and manifestations displayed by spirit mediums.
Though the society investigated other phenomena such as divining rods and ghosts, these potentially interesting topics are largely ignored in favor of investigations that point to some sort of communication with the dead through mediums. Thus, the feats of the famous early medium Daniel Dunglas Home are given as largely amazing and unexplained, therefore possibly genuine, manifestations of psychic powers.
On the other hand, the activities of Madame Blavatsky and her Theosophists are dismissed entirely after an early expose by Hodges of her fraudulent practices.
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Italian medium Eusapia Palladino is both exposed committing fraud and shown producing genuinely inexplicable manifestations, depending on which group of investigators are on the case in any particular instance. Unlike skeptics like Ruth Brandon The Spiritualists: The Passion For The Occult In The Nineteenth And Twentieth Centuries who look for possible non-supernatural explanations for the incidents she describes, or believers like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Edge of the Unkown , The Coming of the Fairies who seem prepared to accept as genuine any psychic manifestation that is not unequivocally and openly a fraud, Blum does not try to place the unexplained within any sort of explanatory framework.
Scientists such as John Tyndall who considered any investigation of psychic phenomena to be a waste of scientific resources are portrayed very unsympathetically, while researchers like William Crookes who accepted some obvious frauds as genuine mediums are treated in a more understanding manner; though she expresses no definitive opinions on the subject Blum seems more inclined to accept the extraordinary claims of mediums than to insist on the definitive proof that such claims demand. Jun 22, T Fool rated it liked it Shelves: The whole of this comes through intertwining experience of two sets of figures.
The first is comprised of scientists and philosophers who, over decades, overlap in joint work. In a thrill-seeking age like ours, such activity is the stuff of cable television shows and New Age The whole of this comes through intertwining experience of two sets of figures. In a thrill-seeking age like ours, such activity is the stuff of cable television shows and New Age bookstores. In an age of psychology and social liberation like ours, contacting the dead seems at most a metaphor for overcoming social and sexual repression, a relic of Victorian stiffness.
The late 19th Century Western world was also one when scientific progress itself assumed a kind of propriety. The scientific establishment, so evidently fruitful in providing technical advances, took on a swagger. Having proven its methodology so much more relevant than mythic explanation, it tended to patronize — if not mock — all but its own as superstition. Some scientists felt uncomfortable with this attitude.
If scientific methodology was to continue to serve as well as it had to date, then it could be applied to any potential study: To have concluded that material explanations represented all relevant explanation was arrogance. The scientists and philosophers who chose to ask this question from a serious scientific point of view are the protagonists of this book, most notably William James, but others also involved in the American and British branches of the Society For Psychical Research.
Not flakes — these were skeptics. Skeptics not just in regard to the parlor-fakery of performing frauds, but in regard to overinflated claims made by a rigid Establishment fearful of losing an ideological hold over a world unstably accustomed to accepting reality in strictly material terms. The social and professional contention evident in the lives of those profiled in this book surrounds us, as well and as much. The real focus is on whether there are open minds.
Oct 26, Nick rated it really liked it Shelves: