"Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death" by Deborah Blum

"Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death"
by Deborah Blum
read by George K. Wilson
Produced by Sound Library (2006)
approx 13 hours


It seems to be a recent trend to go out and try to find proof of the existence of ghosts, spirits and all things paranormal. We have "reality" TV shows showing ghost hunters and search amazon.com for ghost hunting and you can find all sorts of equipment that theoretically aids the hunt for ghosts. But this trend has been with humankind ever since we began burying our dead and trying to find out what happens next. Pulitzer prize winning writer, Deborah Blum takes a look at some 19th Century ghost hunting int the book, "Ghost Hunters: William James and the Search for Scientific Proof of Life After Death." During this time period Harvard professor William James, remembered more for his contributions to psychology and philosophy than psychical research, was one of the early leaders in scientific research aimed ultimately at determining whether consciousness survives bodily death.

From the mediums speaking to the spirit of a dead girl to find her body to tricksters using various contraptions to fool the audience, several members of society's Intelligencia (both British and American) were looking to prove or disprove psychical arts. William James sought out to apply objective scientific methods to the study of paranormal phenomena. Many times a fraud was found but sometimes during this book you just have to wonder.

Deborah Blum tells this story of intellectuals, philosophers, pyschologists, Nobelists from the 19th Century into the early part of the 20th Century trying to bridge the gap between science and religion when religion was being questioned by the theory of evolution and the the new sciences. I found it quite interesting as to how many folks were out to fool the public in the name of talking to the dead. I had listened to the Mary Roach book "Spook" and she also talked of the the same fakes trying to earn a buck by holding seances. In fact, this book would make a great companion to that book or vice versa.

The narrator George K. Wilson (no relation) does a superb job of narrating the book and even throws in some voice changes and accents when representing quotes from various people in this documentary. I have also heard some other books read by Wilson and I have decided that any documentary or non-fiction audio book I look at I will immediately get the book if he is the reader. He has a way that presents the story or information with no opinion yet keeps the information very interesting to hear.

So, if the study of the paranormal or you're thinking about becoming a ghost hunter like on TV, check out the history of debunking and proof in this book.

"Ghost Story" The Dresden Files, Book 13 by Jim Butcher

"Ghost Story"
The Dresden Files, Book 13
by Jim Butcher
read by John Glover
Produced by Penguin Audiobooks
Approx. 18 hours.

Whew! I just finished the latest novel in the Dresden Files series from Jim Butcher, and let me tell you I'm relieved.  In the last book, "Changes," Harry Dresden died, worse yet, he was assassinated.  I, along with many other Dresden fans, were left hanging.  I mean, c'mon, it can't end this way...Harry can't die!  Okay, he's not immortal, but really, it IS called the "DRESDEN Files."  I had to wait about a whole year to find out what happened.  I know in comic books they sometimes bring back heroes from the dead, but I really didn't know how Jim Butcher was going to get by with this one.  Sure he's written a novel about Spider-Man and knows the tricks, but with the Wizard Harry Dresden, that's not the same.

Finally I got to put the audiobook on and sit back and listen.  But wait, the publishers threw another curve at us fans.  Really it wasn't the publisher's fault but, Wow! it was a big problem.  James Marsters, who has become the voice of Harry Dresden in the audio books, was not available for the production.  If you don't know, all these novels are told in first person, and Marsters made Dresden POP!  Marsters became Dresden and vice versa.  So who do we get now?  John Glover.  To give Glover some cred, he did portray Lionel Luther in the TV series of Smallville, and he knew the kind of superhero attitude that lives within Harry Dresden.  Okay, I'll give him that.  I can't say that he did a bad job of this, because he didn't, in fact when voicing the other characters in the story, Glover shined, but it just wasn't Marsters voice behind Harry.  It seemed more of an inconvenience but as the story progressed, Glover did a great job, I just have a thing for Marsters' voice as Harry.  Had I never heard the Marsters version I would say Glover was awesome, but for right now Marsters is my favorite, just like Tom Baker is my favorite Doctor from the Doctor Who series.   Sure other actors do a great job, but I will always hold my favorite.  Maybe I can look back later and say Marsters was a great Harry Dresden and Glover was a great Harry Dresden's Ghost.

We start out this story with Chicago's resident wizard, Harry Dresden, contemplating his death.  He sees the light down the tunnel, but lo' and behold, the light is a train.  Harry is ready to take this head on when he is whisked away from the tracks from Carmichael, a former Chicago Police Officer that specialized in paranormal type of crimes.  Harry saw Carmichael ripped to shreds by a loup garou years ago, so he knew he was still dead, the problem is what is going on.  Carmichael takes Harry to the police station in the "In Between" Chicago, where Harry is told that before he moves on he must find out who killed him.  If Harry doesn't do this 3 people in Harry's life will be hurt. 

Harry had just recently found out he had a daughter and was assassinated just after he saved her by wiping out the entire race of Red Court Vampires.  This genocidal act was done by pulling some favors from some unsavory characters and created a void in the supernatural power struggle of the world.  When Harry is sent back to Chicago (as a ghost) 6 months have passed since his death and the world has changed reflecting that void trying to be filled.  His first stop is at the home of Morty the Ectomancer (one who can communicate with spirits).  He finds Morty's home under attack by wraiths and being guarded by ghosts of Morty's ancestors. 

After a very cool battle Harry learns some of the secrets of being a ghost.  First off ghosts' power comes from memories, and in order to fight one must expend that memory energy, but the cost is that with each expended memory the ghost loses a little of itself until it becomes a murderous wraith.  Harry's magic as a wizard is no longer effective against the living and he becomes a beginner in relearning the magicks of the ghost world. 

Harry then learns what has happened to his old friends, Karrin Murphy, a former Chicago cop who now fight against the supernatural threat with a team of werewolves, vikings (courtesy of the mob boss Gentleman John Marcone) and Waldo Butters, former coroner now the owner of Bob, the spirit form of a former wizard now the supernatural equivalent of the internet.  Occasionally they get the help of Harry's former apprentice, Molly, who seems to have lost a bit of her mind in the battle against the Red Court and now goes by the name of "The Rag Lady." 

Helping his former friends now becomes a priority and Harry seems to have forgotten his task of solving his murder.  But leave it to Harry (via the great writing of Jim Butcher) to manage to work the two into the same task.    Throughout the story Harry gets hints as to who his murderer is but can't seem to grasp the answer.  Here's where I was a bit miffed, because I had it figured out at the first hint.  But through the twists and turns that make the Dresden Files stories so great we find out why Harry doesn't get it.  (Thank you Jim Butcher for the awesome storytelling.) 

Another thing that grabbed me at first was why wasn't Harry's Brother, Thomas, not involved? What Happened!?!?  But alas Butcher had that figured out as well.  Yep, this is one of those books that you have to get to the very end before it all soaks in.  Great Stuff.

But what happens next?  I think I've got it figured out, and yes it looks like Butcher will be releasing a new book in the series, "Cold Days," so it looks like we'll get more.  Again, I say, "Whew!"

"The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide" by Margie Kay

"The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide"
by Margie Kay
Published 2010 by 7th Planet
204 pages


With the emerging world of digital technology, especially audio and video, it seems that ghost hunting is the thing to do. You see it all over cable television and for years many communities have some sort of paranormal society or ghost hunters. If you think you may want to take up the night vision goggles and camera and find your own phantasm, this may be the book for you.

Margie Kay has put together a handbook for the professional or amateur ghost hunter with a personal touch. Through her years of ghost hunting (33 or so to give you an idea) Margie has had her share of experiences in the paranormal. She is a trained psychic and paranormal investigator and has been instrumental in solving over 30 missing persons cases, numerous homicides and thefts using her unique clairvoyant, clairaudient, clairsentient, and remote viewing abilities, which she has honed over the years with amazing results. She has amazed investigators and law enforcement with her abilities and accuracy, in some cases getting names, addresses, streets, and license plates as well as descriptions of victims and perpetrators. And she still finds time to hunt ghosts.

In this book she not only gives a great checklist of the items to take on your next paranormal adventure, but she even provides hints on how to acquire some items, even when budgets are tight. Such as some children's toys that could be helpful, or even checking out eBay for some good deals.

Margie uses her experiences to tell the reader how to handle different situations and what to expect in many situations. Through the book are stories of how many of her haunted experiences have gone, from her team being called in to investigate dark shadowy figures haunting a house to what could be recorded impressions from past events while setting up shop in historical downtown Independence, Missouri.

Not only did this book provide nice how to information but also what to do to invite the spirits to "show" themselves. Many of the television shows about ghost hunters approach with a view to try to debunk the hauntings first, kind of like a scientific approach. Margie uses that but also throws in the mix a spiritual/psychic level to the experience so that maybe all that cannot be explained can be observed in a reasonable light. While the information was very nice, I have to admit reading the various experiences she talks about was some fun reading that sometimes, I had to make sure the room from where I was reading was well lit.

Margie closes out the book with an extensive list of haunted sites you can visit and do your own phantasmagorical research. In this list she provides contact info as well as whether or not the sites are open to public or if you have to call in advance to arrange private sessions.

There are also listings of Radio/TV ghost hunting broadcasts that you can tune in and get hints.

So, whether you are a professional Ghost Hunter, hobbyist, or simply curious this book would be the perfect handbook, to keep in your bag of tricks.

"In Odd We Trust" Written by Queenie Chan & Dean Koontz

"In Odd We Trust"
Written by Queenie Chan & Dean Koontz
Illustrations by Queenie Chan
Published 2009 by Del Rey

Have you ever read a comic book? I love comic books. Stephen King turned his "Dark Tower" series into a comic book series, Clive Barker has some comics based on some of his stories and so has Dean Koontz. It looks like Dean Koontz "Frankenstein" series is out in comic book form. What a great genre for authors such as these. There is a specialized genre of comics originated by the Japanese called "Manga." Manga comics not only tell great stories but feature some very unique illustrations. At the same time Manga comics have some fun quirks, like large eyes, extremely large tear drops to show sadness or exasperation, but they are very fun to read.

That's what this review is about. Dean Koontz created the series of "Odd Thomas" books (4, so far) that tells the story of a young humble every man that has 2 special gifts. The first and foremost is that he sees dead people. Not only does he see them but he does something about it. Let me explain further for the uninformed. Odd Thomas (yep, that's the name his parents gave him) sees the recently departed or rather, souls that have died but haven't yet moved on. Usually the reason they haven't moved on is that they've been murdered and Odd must solve their murder before they can move on. There is the exception of one soul, that of "The King," Elvis himself. Odd doesn't know why "The King" hasn't moved on or why he has chosen Odd's home town of Pico Mundo, California, to hang out, but he is pretty good company. The recently departed cannot talk, Odd doesn't know why and this makes things a bit harder when it comes to solving murders. By the way, in the later books by Dean Koontz, Elvis moves on and Frank Sinatra hangs out with Odd.

This manga comic is a prequel to the books written by Koontz and is co-written by Manga author/illustrator Queenie Chan. Queenie Chan has published several manga novels through TokyoPop.

This story is full of the twists and turns that Dean Koontz puts into every Odd Thomas novel. A child in Pico Mundo has been murdered and since Odd can see the boy's ghost, it is up to Odd to solve this crime. It turns out the kid's nanny is being stalked and when the stalker tried to deliver an eerie letter to the nanny the little boy was home from school early and the stalker killed him. What happens next is that Odd must find out who the killer/stalker is and keep him from killing another easy target.

Remember this is a Dean Koontz novel as well as a Queenie Chan manga and just when you think you have it solved, another turn in the story comes up and throws it all out of whack. The illustrations that push the story along are brilliant and the story follows great in the Odd Thomas collection.

The Birthing House by Christopher Ransom

The Birthing House
by Christopher Ransom
Read by Edward Herrmann
Published by Blackstone Audio
Approx 10 hours

Conrad Harrison receives a large inheritance from a father he hardly knew. In returning to his home in Los Angeles, Conrad stops in rural Wisconsin and buys a house. The century-old house was once a birthing house, where midwives delivered babies, whose history remembers countless deliveries of babies, both alive and dead. Conrad is immediately drawn to the house and goes back to Los Angeles to get his wife, Jo, so they can start over. Their marriage seems to be on the rocks, especially when arriving in L.A. Conrad finds a man with his wife. They move to the house and begin working on their marriage.

Jo doesn't feel comfortable in the house and quickly goes to Michigan for a job opportunity. While Conrad is home alone during her training period the old owner of the home stops by to drop off a photo album that has a history of the house. Looking at a photo album, Conrad sees a picture of his wife, staring back at him in rage. And from there we are launched into a horror story of possession, obsession, and murder, as Conrad descends into madness, where reality and dreams seem to blend until Conrad is completely unaware of what is real.

While Jo is gone, the neighbors take Conrad in and welcome him to the neighborhood by inviting him over for dinner. Here he meets all the neighbors and more importantly the rebellious pregnant daughter. Soon after he rescues the girl from an abusive boyfriend and shows her his project which is to try to breed some rare snakes that almost never breed in captivity. The girl points out that if this is true then they have a miracle when she discovers 9 eggs in the snake's cage. This is a female snake that has never been with a male.

Strange visits from ghostly apparitions, bizarre and violent behavior in his dogs, and an odd attraction to the pregnant teenager next door plague Conrad Harrison as he tries to understand what is happening to his sanity. Meanwhile, his wife becomes impossible to reach after admitting to him that she, herself, is pregnant but it can't be Conrad's.

This audio book is one of those haunted house stories that leaves you with chills and perking up every time you hear a sound. At the same time this haunted house story is based on births not just deaths like most haunted house stories.

Edward Herrmann is very convincing in reading this story, in that he captures every nuance and chill with the subtleties of his voice. When the main character Conrad is in his deepest state of the haunting, Herrmann's voice takes on an even more haunting chill which pulls the listener into the story so that escape is impossible.