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Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking — Spiritualism

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Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking

Name: Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking
Price: 28.00 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9781399418706

✍️ Vernon, Alice

Reader Score

4.6

(1 review)

$28.00 ~~$34.00~~ Save $6.00 (17%)

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Alice Vernon's "Ghosted" offers a compelling intellectual journey through the history of paranormal investigation, from its Victorian spiritualist origins to its modern, tech-driven incarnation. This insightful work explores not just *how* we've hunted ghosts, but *why* this fascination persists, evolving alongside scientific discovery and cultural shifts. It delves into the underlying human motivations—be it processing grief, seeking fame, or confronting existential fears—that propel our ceaseless quest for the supernatural, highlighting the profound connections between our evolving society and our spectral pursuits.

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Spiritualism

Praise for this book

“Whether you believe in ghosts or are sceptical - this book will enthral. Vernon describes beautifully the history of ghost hunting and questions why we keep searching for ghosts. Ghosted is not really about ghosts at all - but about the living, and the grief which touches us all.”

— Professor Alice Gregory

“Whether you believe in ghosts or are skeptical-this book will enthral. Vernon describes beautifully the history of ghost hunting and questions why we keep searching for ghosts. Ghosted is not really about ghosts at all-but about the living, and the grief which touches us all.”

— Lit Hub

“out for spectral scalps and YouTube hits ... Vernon's real subject is the basic need to believe, as true now as at the turn of the last century. Indeed, perhaps it's more vital - and human - than ever before.”

— New York Times

🏛 Bloomsbury SIGMA 📅 2025 📖 304 pages 📔 Hardcover ISBN: 9781399418706

Fun Fact

Vernon's "Ghosted" is a refreshingly intelligent exploration, deftly weaving together social history, cultural studies, and the psychology of belief. It excels at providing context for our enduring fascination with the spectral, making it a vital read for anyone interested in the *why* behind the ghost hunt, rather than just the *what*. Those seeking mere spooky anecdotes or definitive proof of the paranormal will be disappointed. This book establishes itself as a thoughtful, academic contribution to the cultural history of the occult.

📝 Description: Ghosted: A History of Ghost Hunting, and Why We Keep Looking

A social, historical and scientific exploration of ghost-hunting, and why our fascination with the paranormal is as timeless as the ghosts we hope to find. The history of ghosts is ancient, but the history of active ghost-hunting is relatively recent, and investigations into the paranormal have developed hand-in-spirit-hand with scientific discoveries, from radio waves to smartphone apps. Now, more than ever, we want to find our own ghosts. Is it to help process grief? Become influencers? Or ease our fears of death? Ghosted follows the story of paranormal investigations from the Victorian era to the modern day, examining how our fascination with ghost hunting has changed alongside technology and culture. Where we once gathered around tables, observing and recording every movement of the medium, we now take electronic equipment and app-laden phones around haunted locations to catch ghosts digitally. Where theatres and concert halls held sold-out performances by conjurers recreating the tricks of fraudulent mediums, we now delight in picking apart and exposing the evidence presented on reality television programmes. In this book, Alice Vernon embarks on a journey to encounter a ghost, travelling to some of the UK's most haunted locations and encouraging readers to interrogate their own scepticism and belief. Ghosted examines what we are looking for, why we are looking for it, and why have we never given up the ghost.

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

Vernon delivers a thoughtful exploration of the paranormal landscape, successfully linking Victorian spiritualism with modern tech-driven investigations. However, readers seeking sensationalist tales of haunted houses or definitive proof of the afterlife will likely be disappointed by this analytical approach. The book is less about the ghosts themselves and more about the humans chasing them, making it potentially dry for those expecting narrative thrillers. It suits intellectual curiosity over entertainment value, requiring patience to engage with its sociological framework rather than its supernatural claims.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers fascinated by the intersection of psychology, history, and the occult will find this book deeply rewarding. It offers more than just a chronicle of ghost hunting; it provides a compassionate lens through which to view our collective grief, existential fears, and desire for connection with the unknown. By examining why we persist in seeking spectral encounters despite technological advancements, the author validates the human impulse behind the paranormal interest. This is essential reading for those who wish to understand not just the 'how' of ghost hunting, but the profound emotional and societal drivers that make this ancient pursuit so enduringly relevant in our modern world.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.6/5

★★★★★

If you're intrigued by the cultural history of the paranormal, the psychology behind belief, or how technology shapes our understanding of the unknown, this book is for you. It's a thoughtful exploration that delves beyond the spooky into the profound.

Reader rating

4.6

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

Vernon delivers a thoughtful exploration of the paranormal landscape, successfully linking Victorian spiritualism with modern tech-driven investigations. However, readers seeking sensationalist tales of haunted houses or definitive proof of the afterlife will likely be disappointed by this analytical approach. The book is less about the ghosts themselves and more about the humans chasing them, making it potentially dry for those expecting narrative thrillers. It suits intellectual curiosity over entertainment value, requiring patience to engage with its sociological framework rather than its supernatural claims.

❓ Frequently asked questions

No, rather than focusing on the ontological truth of ghosts, Vernon's work delves into the *human impulse* to seek them. It's a cultural and historical analysis of why we hunt, not a scientific treatise on what we find.

Not in the traditional sense. While it discusses specific historical investigations, the book's primary focus is on the investigators, their methods, and the societal contexts that shape their pursuits, offering a more academic perspective than a collection of scary tales.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Evolution of Investigation

This book meticulously charts how methods for detecting the paranormal have transformed over time. From the solemn séances of the Victorian era, relying on mediums and subtle physical phenomena, to the modern-day use of sophisticated electronic equipment and smartphone applications, Vernon demonstrates how our approach to ghost hunting is inextricably linked to technological advancements and prevailing scientific paradigms.

Cultural Reflection

Vernon skillfully illustrates how our engagement with the spectral world mirrors societal anxieties and aspirations. The book posits that our desire to find ghosts often reflects deeper cultural currents, whether it's an attempt to cope with loss, a yearning for validation in an increasingly connected world, or a fundamental human need to confront our mortality. It's a lens through which to understand ourselves.

Timeless Fascination

Despite changing methodologies and cultural contexts, the core human drive to seek out the unknown remains constant. "Ghosted" explores this persistent fascination, suggesting that our continued pursuit of spectral evidence taps into primal needs for meaning, connection beyond death, or simply the thrill of encountering the inexplicable. It's a deep dive into the enduring allure of the veil between worlds.

📜 Historical context

While belief in spirits is ancient, active, systematic ghost hunting is a more recent phenomenon, emerging significantly in the Victorian age. This book places contemporary paranormal investigations within that lineage, demonstrating how the quest for evidence has always intertwined with scientific progress, from early spiritualist experiments to today's digital explorations of the unseen.

📚 Glossary

Paranormal Investigations
Victorian Spiritualism
Technological Synchronicity

📔 Questions to reflect on

Reflect on a time you felt a connection to something unseen or unexplained. How did you interpret that experience, and what did it reveal about your own beliefs?
Consider how modern technology, like social media or AI, might further alter our perception and pursuit of paranormal phenomena in the coming decades.
Vernon suggests various human motivations for ghost hunting. Which of these resonates most with you, and how does it connect to broader societal concerns about life and death?