An Illustrated History of Ghosts (The Illustrated History Of)

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An Illustrated History of Ghosts is the latest instalment by Adam Allsuch Boardman in his Illustrated History series. This was my first time encountering Boardman's work but based on the premise and being published by Nobrow, I was expecting something aimed at older readers and either principally visual or prose/sequential art in tandem. (Akin to books like Luke Healy's Americana, also published by Nobrow.) This book is part of Adam Allsuch Boardman’s Illustrated History series which gives an introduction into the history and culture of ghosts and all things unexplained. Whether you are a ghost fanatic or simply piqued by curiosity, you’ll get a robust deep dive into the experiences of paranormal occurrences, alternative explanations for these occurrences, and our culture’s fascination with them. Prepare to embark on a strange journey that allows skeptical inquiry, or perhaps the possibility of believing in the afterlife! Welcome to another installment of 31 Days of Halloween! This is our chance to set the mood for the spookiest and scariest month of the year as we focus our attention on horror and Halloween fun. For the month of October we’ll be sharing various pieces of underappreciated scary books, comics, movies, and television to help keep you terrified and entertained all the way up to Halloween.

It begins by defining what a ghost is and how they are relayed through myths and legends – with a definition of what myths and legends are (a good feature and it’s necessary for future reading that children understand the difference). It then classifies, ‘Types of Ghost,’ what hauntings are and details some scientific explanations known as, ‘Skeptical Inquiry.’ Each section thereafter focuses on periods of history right up to ghosts today, exploring historic hauntings, spiritualism, ghost hunters, phantom vehicles/animals, possessed possessions and haunted buildings, amongst many other topics. The muted colour palette brings about a sense of calm when reading the book which is ironic considering the subject matter. There is the perfect balance between information and pictures/diagrams which is great for less confident readers as they will gain much from simply looking at and discussing the pictures. Join us for the launch of An Illustrated History Of Ghosts by Adam Allsuch Boardman on November 10th from 6-8pm.Once that was sorted though I did enjoy the book but it didn't really give me anything new. It reads a lot younger than I was expecting (especially as it is classed as Nonfiction (Adult) on Netgalley...) and the illustrations don't really get across the impact of some of the things we're reading about (such as ghost photos etc). This novel is exactly as the title suggests. I would have loved to read something like this when I was younger and in my first moment of awe and insistence of watching ghost hunting videos and shows and adamant that ghosts and spirits are real.

Get to the heart of the unexplainable in Adam’s third addition to the “llustrated History” series filled with private seances and ectoplasm to spiritual mediums and spirit photography galore. Fans of conspiracy and strange phenomena will transport themselves across the centuries through diagrammatic illustrations paired with well-researched facts about exorcism, mediums, ghost photos, talking boards, and connections to after life. Occasionally I felt it made light of or was critical of certain cultures and beliefs, while also pushing a particular opinion/agenda, which made me question some of the 'facts' I was being presented. There were some instances of 'this may have been' and 'some historians believe' without clarity on who, and how credible, these opinions are. There is a further reading list at the end, but individual facts aren't specifically cited within the text so it's difficult to know the book's sources for individual pieces of information. Join us to celebrate the launch of Adam's latest book, there will be plenty of printed goodies, a spooky playlist and refreshments!The book begins with providing definitions for the terminology that is used in the book such as what a ghost is, the meanings of myths and legends. There is also a unique guide on the different types of ghost and yes there is more than one type of ghost which was news to me. I did have a bit of a giggle when I read that poltergeists were described theatrical ghosts because they like to throw things around and traditional ghosts are described as quite talkative. The books is then split into chapters covering different centuries, highlighting the types of ghost that are linked to each century. It also goes into depth about how ghosts are portrayed in different cultures and religions. The section on the 19th century shows the growth of otherworldly movements such as spiritualism and theosophy. This time also gave rise to new forms of spirit communication through mediums and talking boards, the most famous example of which is the Ouija, and the formation of groups like the Ghost Club and the Society for Psychical Research, which actually continues today.