Colin Dickey

Colin Dickey embarks on a journey across the continental United States to decode and unpack the American history repressed in the most famous haunted places. Dickey conjures the dead by focusing on questions of the living - how do we deal with stories about ghosts, and how do we inhabit and move through spaces that have been deemed haunted?

An American History in Haunted Places

Ghostland

For better or worse, the language of hauntings and ghosts is a convenient metaphor for a whole host of problems not connected to the supernatural, and the recourse to such vocabulary becomes a means to process or make sense of experiences that can otherwise seem overwhelming and mystifying.

A city obsessed by its ghosts seems to be weighed down by a conflicted view of the past. Something close to melancholy: a weight it can't quite let go of, a lingering sadness. And though we don't often think of the United States in these terms, this melancholy is as much a part of our history as our triumphs.

If you listen closely, the ghost stories of the Myrtles Plantation say more about the tellers than they do about the supernatural. A slave abused by her master, who in response turns murderous; the Indian ghosts whose burial lands have been disturbed--all of these stories, in one way or another, respond to history. Ghost stories like this are a way for us to revel in the open wounds of the past while any question of responsibility for that past blurs, then fades away.

We know Salem--we know it to be a tragedy, we hold it up as a cautionary tale about mass hysteria and persecution--and yet we're also confused: we conflate the dead with actual witches, we attribute actual supernatural powers to those killed, we revisit their deaths for comedy and entertainment. Above all, we fail to apply the lessons we've supposedly learned from 1692, for by no means was this the last time in American history when a powerless minority was scapegoated, persecuted, and killed by an ignorant mass. We recall the events of Salem, but we can't quite remember why they matter.

A fascinating look at ghost stories throughout American history. The author does an excellent job of grounding each chapter by discussing the real people involved, the impact that ghost tourism has on communities, and the social/economic/racial factors that lie beneath folklore and urban legends. As someone who grew up in Salem, MA, the subject of the first chapter of the book, I enjoyed the nuanced look this book gave to each subject it dealt with. 

Wynter

Chances are that your hometown, no matter how large or small, has at least one haunted place. In mine there are about a dozen, and all of your standard haunts are represented. There is an abandoned hospital that I used to drive by every morning. With its hollow windows, crooked chain link fence, and a “no trespassing” sign, it gives you a sense of foreboding without a fail. Naturally, the building itself carries a legend of horrendous abuse, a lost mass grave, and a slew of wandering spirits. I saw a light once in one of the windows on a chilly winter night, and though my logic tried to convince me of homeless looking for shelter, some small, primeval part of me whispered of ghosts.

Looking for a haunted B&B? We have one of those too. The beautiful three-story house from the turn of last century is said to be inhabited by one eternal guest – a murdered wife of the former owner. It is said that in a fit of jealousy he killed her in one of the bedrooms upstairs, and then dragged her body to the basement, disposing of it in a large cast-iron coal furnace. To this day she is said to haunt the old suites, pulling on sheets of sleeping guests, flickering the lights, and appearing to some as a faint apparition. At least until recently. The last time I was in the area, the historical building was pulled apart to make room for a high-rise. Who knows if the ghostly lady finds peaceful abode in the unfamiliar monolith of glass walls and stainless steel appliances…

There is an old schoolhouse with a resident poltergeist, a converted military base whose new townhouses are being bothered by strange bumps in the night, and a grande hotel still occupied by a phantom horse that plummeted to its death when pulling construction materials to the top floor. Ghosts are everywhere. While those in my hometown all reflect its history and myth, the stories themselves are oddly familiar to those in other cities. They share the same themes of jealous rages, tragic accidents, epidemics, war, and human suffering. They occupy the same places of former glory, rich history, and communal gatherings. Whether it’s a haunted house or a haunted hotel, these stories can be found in every town and every country.

So what does that have to do with Colin Dickey’s Ghostland? Well, beyond a usual paranormal guide to most infamous haunted places in the United States, Colin undertakes the task of understanding how and why we believe we see ghosts and talk to spirits, and general connections haunted places have regardless of location. While the book’s goal is not to convince the reader of existence of paranormal, or debunk the notion altogether, the author does his best not to subscribe to the romanticism of ghosts, but to see the real picture. However, most of the time it means he completely busts the myths and legends surrounding these haunts. He researches real history and real people behind these stories, and draws his own conclusions as to how they evolve from everyday tragedies into fantastic tales of supernatural.

The author spends quite a bit of time discussing the psychological aspects of belief, and ethics of capitalizing on other people’s sorrow when perpetuating these myths to attract tourists. I think this is a book you will either love or get bored with, depending on what your expectations are. If you are looking for a sensationalist guide to give into a little spooky fantasy right around Halloween, you are not looking for the right book. Though the haunts themselves are spooky enough, they are not the main focus. But if you do prefer a well-written account of American paranormal history from a sociological and psychological point of view, with an emphasis on truth, then there is no better book than Ghostland.

This is seriously the best title on the subject I’ve ever read. I’ll be getting a copy for my personal library.

Ana Hein

3.5 stars. A lot of great information and history in very dry prose

maggie

this is such an important and interesting detangling of how ghosts float into our lives, our histories, and our humanity. whether it be online or in a gothic haunted house, the world around us holds onto its pain and expels it through the art of storytelling and shivers up the spine. this book masterfully breaks down the haunted history of america and exorcises the myths that play into racist or classist stereotypes. if respectfully lays spirits down to rest and raises the ones that are too iconic to forget.

Elizabeth Neill

I did like this book and the history but at times it was hard for me to follow along. This isn’t really about ghosts but more why we believe in them. I liked how he talked about ghost stories changing with time because it reminds me of a ghost story we have here where I live. It changes all the time and it depends on who you are talking to. I love learning the history of a ghost story and why people believe in them.

history + philosophy + ghosts = a great time.

Samantha Alukas 

I quite unfairly rated this book. It was a well written and enjoyable read, but because I am a big creep, I already knew about most of these haunted places, and so my unjust disappointment resulted in a 3 star rating.

Caitlin Snyder

Listened to the audiobook.

(+) Very interesting discussion on the race of famous ghosts & I liked the chapter on Detroit

Itzel

Juliana

Kathy Rodger 

Hannah Derzanovich

Alexis Palew

Dickey, piqued by a house hunt in Los Angeles that revealed derelict foreclosures and "zombie houses," embarks on a journey across the continental United States to decode and unpack the American history repressed in our most famous haunted places. With boundless curiosity, Dickey conjures the dead by focusing on questions of the living -- how do we deal with stories about ghosts, and how do we inhabit and move through spaces that have been deemed haunted? Paying attention not only to the true facts behind a ghost story, but also to the ways in which changes are made to those facts and why, Dickey paints a version of American history left out of the textbooks, one of things left undone and crimes left unsolved.

Ghostland An American History in Haunted Places

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