Ghosts of Salem: Haunts of the Witch City is a really interesting collection of historic and paranormal tales.
I had previously read New Hampshire Book of the Dead: Graveyard Legends and Lore by Roxie J. Zwicker and LOVED every second of it. Unfortunately, this one was quite different, but it was still one I would definitely recommend.
My Thoughts on Ghosts of Salem: Haunts of the Witch City by Sam Baltrusis
I’ll admit, after Roxie’s book, my hopes for this one were pretty high. I found it interesting that the author stated in the introduction; Ghosts of Salem is, in essence, supernatural– themed travel guide written with a historical lens. Keeping that in mind, I dove in.
It was immediately apparent to me that this is a book that would be better read in small chunks rather than all at once like I did because it is very repetitive. The first chapter is especially repetitive… specifically with explaining who Giles Cory was.
The repetition was prevalent throughout the book, which really started to get on my nerves, along with how frequently the author used the word “Yep” usually followed by more repetition, or a semi-snarky comment. But the content was still super interesting, so I never thought about stopping.
The file under notes at the end of each tale were pretty funny… for the most part. It worked semi-well with the random lines in each section that tried to lighten the mood a bit. For example, “File under: resident evil” was included after a tale about the Samuel Pickman House, where two people, living in the house at different times, suddenly became very violent. However, these little bits weren’t added to each story, which was kind of odd, and sometimes they seemed a little too light for the content we had just read.
Overall, definitely a worthwhile read!
This is one that I can see myself picking up before my next trip to Salem to refresh my memory about certain buildings and locations. And of course, this is a great read for a dark, cold, and windy night!
Definitely a must read for anyone looking for more information about the history of the area.
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Definitely sounds like a fun read if I was taking a trip to Salem!
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I would definitely pick this one up, reading small chunks at a time seems like the way to go.
For sure!! It's a lot to take in too, so small chunks would be perfect!
I've always wanted to visit Salem – maybe someday!
It's SO amazing to be there! The museums and witch-related shops are so interesting, but the local shops that don't follow the witch theme are amazing as well!
What an interesting genre mash-up. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you!
Sounds like such a good read
It sure was! I love stuff like this so much!
I would definitely like to read that
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Seems like an interesting read – though definitely not to be read all the way through.
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
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This one sounds perfect for the season. And now I'm off to check out the New Hampshire Book of the Dead because you make that one sound so good too!
~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum
Definitely! Ah yay!!! Enjoy!!! It's so interesting!
I always mean to read more about the Salem witch trials but never seem to get round to it-seeing this book title kind of reminded me!
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Ah, I think the repetition aspect of this one would bother me to no end so I don't think I am going to pick it up. But that aside I am glad it wasn't too bad of a book.
Yeah the repetition was certainly though to deal with… that's my biggest reading irk!!