Welcome to Litsy!

I am giving this a pick even though it was not what I expected. I wanted to be creeped out by real accounts of ghosts, and instead this was more about debunking myths, which is not nearly as much fun.
#pop19 #ghoststory

Read most of this today and listened to most of China Rich Girlfriend (not a spooky season read but my library hold came in, c'est la vie). Took an extended break for food, Bake Off, and feeling sorry for the husband with bronchitis. Getting back into books but I think I'm done with ghosts for the day.

Arrived early for a school book fair, luckily I'm greatly enjoying the book our book club is reading for Spooktober. Less lucky, I'm the only one in bookclub enjoying the book and will likely have to defend my choice next week. 😱

I‘m feeling a little disconnected from litsy - the first half of this month has been kind of bananas and I just haven‘t had the time to keep up with any social media, let alone my favorite social media... but it seems like things are calming down and I have more presence of mind. Easing back into the swing of things with a #Caturday evening post. The kittehs are keeping me company while I read about ghost stories around the US 👻 😺 #catsoflitsy

Fantastic! Dickey explores why we come up with the ghost stories that permeate American society (though many of our most famous yarns are full of fabrications or made up whole cloth) and what these stories tell us about our country and culture. Well researched, nuanced, and highly readable.

September was a slow reading month for me (only 9 books) and I started October off with company in the house so it has been wonderful today to settle down and get some serious reading done. Finished the majority of The Haunting of Hill House, a short story (An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge) and now some spooky #nonfiction with my almost black cat Polly. #catsoflitsy

I can finally start my spooky reading for the month! These are the two I‘m starting with (and they may or may not be the books I‘ll discuss at #ATXReadersSociety later this month). I‘ve heard good things about both of these books, so my hopes are high. 😄 #spookyreads #octobermoodreading (#catsoflitsy cameo courtesy of Elliot)

I read this for last year's #screamathon and really enjoyed it. It's full of #urbanlegend(s).

#screamathonphotochallenge

@4thhouseontheleft

#screamathon #ghost

I only have a small selection of my books with me right now but this is on my shortlist as far as TBRs go.

@4thhouseontheleft

#chillingphotochallenge #haunted

A road trip around the most haunted places of the United States. 👻

#TeamSlaughter #Scarathlon @Clwojick 1 point

I‘m terrible at keeping to an actual TBR, but here are some ideas for what I‘d like to read in October. #OctoberTBR #FallisBooked

A fascinating history of the United States in haunted places, including cemeteries, parks, government buildings, whole cities, and of course the ubiquitous haunted house. It doesn‘t really delve into the paranormal question of whether ghosts really exist or not, but rather analyzes the reasons why we come up with these ghost stories. Now I‘d like to visit some haunts near my city! 👻

Does anyone know where can I read this book for free? Preferably for kindle. I searched everywhere and the prices are to high for my country (the price is 4 times higher than the normal price of a book in my country because it's not translated). Audiobooks are not really my thing. Anyone?

Finished! On to the next book pictured behind.

I really enjoyed this book, not something I've really ever read before. Are there other haunted places books that really go through the history of the area, show fact from fiction and ask the tough questions about history?

#ghosts #history #haunting

And hello @Dragonfairykats @Dhanya2277 @ImperfectCJ

Weird place to read a spooky book but I'll take it

Not what I expected but still fascinating. This is more an analysis of what haunts us culturally, historically, and emotionally than just a collection of ghost stories. a lot of debunking of old myths as well.

Incidentally, I was surprised that a house only 2.5 miles away was mentioned— had no idea that the current owner had sued the seller because a murder-suicide had not been disclosed in the sale 😳.

Not sure how I feel about this yet. Seems to be more of an analytical collection of essays regarding haunted houses more so than a collection of stories about haunted places. It‘s not bad, just not what I was expecting. Something about the authors tone bugs me though...can‘t quite put my finger on it. Perhaps I‘ll enjoy section 2 better. Hard to go wrong with bars, restaurants and brothels 🤪

1. Ghostland and A Memory Called Empire.
☠️
2. My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
☠️
3. Uhhh....Death Note? I really don‘t know, don‘t really watch much of anything anymore 😅
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain

When I host one of the book clubs I go to, I like to make a dinner based on the book. There wasn‘t really anything food related in this month‘s pick, so I themed the dessert on my pick for next month. 👻 #bookbakes

A fascinating look at the historical / sociological function of ghosts. So much love for Colin Dickey. Although in my mind, there‘s now a crossover universe between Ghostland and Afterlives of the Saints. The ghosts of early Christian hermits, maybe...that no one quite remembers, because hermits.

Thanks @vivastory for recommending this one: really enjoyed Dickey's analysis of haunted stories in America over the past 3 centuries. Great for both fans of ghost stories and history: he begins by just describing the stories themselves (the audio narrator affects a dramatic, raspy voice 😀), and then offers insight into aspects of each story from a sociohistorical context. Fascinating and revealing- made me see ghost stories in a new light.

This was my Halloween #audiobook. He gave a lot of history about places that people think are haunted and what things have happened there. It's was interesting that he wrote about his experiences in a lot of those places. And I liked the Lemp Mansion chapter bc it's in St Louis! But it was kind of strange that he didn't end up giving an opinion about whether or not those hauntings, or any others, are or can be legit. Listened on #scribd

There‘s nowhere in this nation that wasn‘t already inhabited before Europeans arrived, and there‘s no town, no house, that doesn‘t sit atop someone else‘s former home. More often than not, we‘ve chosen to deal with this fact through the language of ghosts.

“Ghost stories are about how we face, or fail to face, the past- how we process information, how we narrate our past, and how we make sense of the gaps in that history. Besides, even if we could dispel them once and for all, we need them too badly.”

Colin Dickey has written a well researched book on the historical and sociological impact on the lore of ghost stories and into different types of haunted places, the myths which have grown around the realities of said myths. There is a lot to consider reading these stories and a lot of the rumors of hauntings are shown to be a concoction of the human mind. Fascinating.

Starting this just in time for Halloween! #spookyreads #halloween

The dead are watching, whether or not we choose to listen to their stories

#blameitonLiberty thanks to All the Books podcast. I read and listened to this from #screamathon. Not at all what I expected, but so good. I highly recommend it. 🎃🎃🎃🎃

Slightly longer review on my blog: https://wp.me/pKWKW-4Q

I picked this out of the available books on the Library overdrive because it‘s October and maaaybe I should read something a creepy.

Rather than a collection of ghost stories and hauntings, Dickey has presented a historical and sociological deep-dive into types of haunted places, what are the myths, what are the realities, and how do constructs like racism/sexism come to bear on the “haunting” of a location. It gave me a lot of think about.

So far this book is both completely unexpected and incredibly fascinating. #history

Embedded deep in the idea of home ownership-the Holy Grail of American middle-class life-is the idea that we don't, in fact, own the land we've just bought. Time and time again in these stories, perfectly average, innocent American families are confronted by ghosts who have persevered for centuries, who remain vengeful for the damage done.

There's nowhere in this nation that wasn't already inhabited before Europeans arrived, and there's no town, no house, that doesn't sit atop someone else's former home.

Spooky read for the spooky season 👻☠💀

Our country's ghost stories are themselves the dreams (or nightmares) of a nation, the Freudian slips of whole communities: uncomfortable and unbidden expressions of things we'd assumed were long past and no longer important.

According to one poll, 45 percent of Americans say they believe in ghosts, and almost 30 percent say they've witnessed them first-hand. Though this belief lies outside the ways we normally explain the world-contradicting science and complicating religion- it's a difficult belief to shake.

Oof. Today seems to be a day for hard #truth in the books I‘m reading. 😔

Ghostland is a fascinating look at American history and culture through the lens of our relationship and perceptions about ghosts and haunted places. This is not a work of sensationalism, rather it is an engaging, fact-based look at the places where the unexplained gives us insight into our past.

This was easily one of my favorite nonfiction books of last year. Dickey memorably writes about architectural anomalies that provoke unease & documents the necessary conditions for rumors of #ghosts A fascinating book.
#OctoberXFiles
@Cinfhen @Robothugs

Struggling a bit with Lore in print, so I‘m switching over to audiobook for that one and picking up this book for the evening. I have high hopes for it and can lay blame for this purchase directly at the feet of @Liberty 😂😂

5⭐️ - Read this book!
This is like an alternate history of America, told by its ghosts.
Link to the full review below.
Just... read this book!❤️📚

Check out Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places by Colin Dickey
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28815491

Had heard marvelous things about this book but was expecting something fun and lighthearted and instead got a fascinating history lesson and learned so much! Would love to read similar books/learn more about ghost stories. Any recs?

Ghost stories, baseball and red wine. It must be October. #GoSox #YankeesSuck #NDfootballduringcommercials

1. Either!
2. Apple pie 🍎
3. Witches 🧙
4. Both!
5. Psycho
#TuesdayTidbits #thisorthat @JenlovesJT47

I don't read as much nonfiction as fiction, however a great nonfiction book can be every bit as magnificent as a novel. Above are a few that I've read in the past year that really stand out. The authors knowledge, dedication, investigative spirit & #fascination with their subjects shines through.
#SeptemberDanes
@Cinfhen @Kalalalatja

I‘ve been fascinated with haunted places since childhood (Salem and the Winchester Mystery House have always been at the top of my list). Dickey‘s book is an extensive travelogue for those who like history with their hauntings. I found myself trawling Wikipedia after each chapter, wanting to learn more about the legends featured in the book.

Spending a lazy, hazy summer day just reading, reading, reading. Tell me some of the great books you‘ve read this summer, please and thank you. 📖 ☀️ ❤️

Was this book written for me?

#audiobooks

Just OK. I listened to the audible version and when I could actually pay attention, I often wondered if some of the locations described in the book had a gift shop. Merchandise would be perfect for a Litsy swap.

I am trying Very Hard to get better about buying a bunch of books (HA), but here's the book haul I came home to.

Anthropomorphic 👻🤓