Short And Bloody History of Ghosts

Publishers Weekly

The Short and Bloody History of... series by John Farman kicks off with five titles that present digestible chunks of information alongside comic illustrations. The Short and Bloody History of Ghosts begins by asking "What are ghosts?" before exploring such subjects as "Ghosts Around the World" and Animal Ghosts ("The most common four-legged phantoms are usually known as hellhounds and take the form of huge black dogs"). A glossary of ghostly lingo, suggestions for further reading and recommended Web sites round out the offering. Highwaymen; Knights; Pirates; and Spies follow the same format, with short bios of some infamous examples. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

VOYA

Light and breezy but not very bloody, these minihistories from the Short and Bloody Histories series present several ever-fascinating subjects. Ghosts examines mostly those spirits residing in England, although there is one chapter on ghosts from around the world. Other chapters discuss the basics of the materials of which ghosts are made, the definition of a ghost, animal and inanimate ghosts, and some of their more horrible acts. An epilogue provides tips on how to hunt ghosts and what to do should one encounter an apparition. The bloody part arrives in an awkwardly added chapter on vampires, included possibly just to fill space. Some of the information is useful for reports, but the brevity points to browsers being the biggest users. The writing style and subjects might also make these books beneficial additions to hi/lo collections. Others in the series (unseen by this reviewer) focus on pirates, spies, and highwaymen. Glossary. Index. Illus. Further Reading. VOYA Codes: 3Q 3P J (Readable without serious defects; Will appeal with pushing; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). 2002, Lerner, 96p. PLB
— Pam Carlson <%ISBN%>0822508370

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-Ghosts and poltergeists, hauntings and monsters all pop up in this charming compilation. Brief accounts of strange encounters come from India, Egypt, China, ancient Rome, and several other countries. The bulk of these reportedly true events originated in England with a representative sampling from the United States. Most of the tales included have appeared in other collections, but a few are not so readily found elsewhere. While the accounts are generally presented in a straightforward manner, Farman often throws in a dry, witty comment to lighten the mood. Humorous cartoons add to the irreverent atmosphere. Chapters sort the contents into categories such as "Modern British Ghosts," "Inanimate Ghosts," "Animal Ghosts," and "Vampires." Along the way there are some basic theories about what spirit encounters may really be and hints on how to hunt for and deal with ghosts. This book could be simply an entertaining amusement, yet Farman adds on a substantial glossary, a list of recent collections of ghostly tales, a dozen related Web sites, and a surprisingly detailed index. Although this is just one of hundreds of collections of paranormal encounter tales, it is one of the more appealingly packaged bundles.-Ann G. Brouse, Steele Memorial Library, Elmira, NY Copyright 2003 Cahners Business Information.