Colin Dickey's Ghostland: An American History in Haunted Places takes an interesting approach to the always popular paranormal topic. Instead of focusing so much on the spirits themselves, Dickey deeply discusses the history of each location and dispels some of their ingrained myths.Whether it's a "haunted" house, an eerie hospital or an abandoned prison, there are scary stories in all of them. Some are true, but many are not true at all or greatly exaggerated. In Ghostland, Dickey takes readers on a journey throughout the United States, visiting these locations in places like Salem, West Virginia, and New Orleans.
Dickey focuses not so much on the ghosts, but on each place's history: the egregious conditions at mental institutions, the execution of people thought to be witches, and what the truth really is behind the Winchester Mystery House. Ghostland is an enjoyable book, but Dickey also forces people to confront the harsh stories throughout the history of this country.
MY RATING - 3.5
