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ktrain3900's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
3.5
An intriguing look at ghost stories through a feminist lens, exploring in particular such tales in which women are the subject matter. This book considers feminine and female tropes, the consumption of these women-as-ghost stories, who profits from such consumption, and what this means, particularly in cases where the featured female ghosts suffer multiple marginalizations. Unlike some, I didn't find the authors' belief in the paranormal to intrude on my skepticism or interest. I did find the writing uneven in places, swaying between academic and anecdotal in a way that was a little distracting. I'm not sure if that was due to having two authors, or to trying to include a lot of material that varied widely in its factual versus fictional content. Overall, a worthwhile and engrossing read for skeptics and believers alike.
natreviews's review against another edition
It was less about ghosts and more feminist views, which isn't bad, but I'm here for the ghosts
makaylariley's review against another edition
Several pieces of their historical context were completely wrong, leading me to question all their conclusions. Plus they were demanding proof/sources for several folk legends while taking the existence of several paranormal entities as fact
duchessofreadin's review against another edition
3.0
This was an interview telling of the many female ghosts that haunt the United States. From witches, to mothers, murderers, to lonely women who chose to end their lives - you will find a little bit of everything in this book.
It was an easy-to-read book, with well laid out sections. Most of the stories I was already familiar with, but I did run across two or three I didn't know very well.
If you are looking for a great weekend read, this is it!
It was an easy-to-read book, with well laid out sections. Most of the stories I was already familiar with, but I did run across two or three I didn't know very well.
If you are looking for a great weekend read, this is it!
ehtomb's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
4.75
Fantastic. Both good stories, well researched, and a healthy dose of observation and skepticism. This exploration of women and ghosts really expanded my thinking on the converging of my two favorite subjects. The story of the haunted apartment building in NYC literally prevented me from sleeping one night.
awallbrown's review against another edition
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
5.0
Why are ghosts always female - this shares why
qu33nofbookz's review against another edition
2.0
The ONLY reason this has 2 stars and not one was because it mentions a lot of ghosts I had never heard of, otherwise, this would be a one-star or maybe even a half-a-star book.
This book is a bait and switch, it was nothing like the blurb as advertised. The "invisible women" are not, they picked mostly well-known hauntings/cases. As for the "true stories of America's ghosts", they openly dismiss many as never having existed, they are just made up, they were never "true". Maybe that is why the women are "invisible" because they never existed? Or it may be because of the over-analytical psycho babble that follows each ghost's mention to try and claim why these ghosts were made up in the first place.
Out of the two authors, Leanna Hieber's chapters are far superior to that of Andrea James. Leanna has at least done her research, visited the locations, gives you the full background, and doesn't try to explain the ghost/haunting away.
The authors, who run a ghost walk tourism company/gig pretend to be psychologists and sociologists as they overanalyze and dismiss the very ghosts that make up their (and others in their fields) jobs. They also didn't actually visit the ghost sites they discuss, or interview any witnesses who claim to have seen the ghosts they talk about. They give us the bare bones of the ghosts (name, location, vague dates, possibly cause/reason or death, a guess why they haunt) that then becomes their dismissiveness of said ghost and amateur psychological and sociological views thus making these "invisible women" even more so. (The intro into the chapter mothers and wives essentially says they are dismissing all the 'mother' ghosts because their grief over their children is something all women know so why bother with making a big deal out of it and they then dismiss all stories of them for the chapter...which is named after them...)
We don't even get the whole ghost story. That is what I came for, the ghost story.
Their sources and quotes and background on these ghosts are all blurbs from other people's books. Besides just repeating other people's work they haven't really done any digging of their own. Once or twice they put in a little effort but for about 97% of the book it's just what they heard or read regurgitated with why this exists in psycho babble that is going to change in less than a generation to mean something else.
This book is a bait and switch, it was nothing like the blurb as advertised. The "invisible women" are not, they picked mostly well-known hauntings/cases. As for the "true stories of America's ghosts", they openly dismiss many as never having existed, they are just made up, they were never "true". Maybe that is why the women are "invisible" because they never existed? Or it may be because of the over-analytical psycho babble that follows each ghost's mention to try and claim why these ghosts were made up in the first place.
Out of the two authors, Leanna Hieber's chapters are far superior to that of Andrea James. Leanna has at least done her research, visited the locations, gives you the full background, and doesn't try to explain the ghost/haunting away.
The authors, who run a ghost walk tourism company/gig pretend to be psychologists and sociologists as they overanalyze and dismiss the very ghosts that make up their (and others in their fields) jobs. They also didn't actually visit the ghost sites they discuss, or interview any witnesses who claim to have seen the ghosts they talk about. They give us the bare bones of the ghosts (name, location, vague dates, possibly cause/reason or death, a guess why they haunt) that then becomes their dismissiveness of said ghost and amateur psychological and sociological views thus making these "invisible women" even more so. (The intro into the chapter mothers and wives essentially says they are dismissing all the 'mother' ghosts because their grief over their children is something all women know so why bother with making a big deal out of it and they then dismiss all stories of them for the chapter...which is named after them...)
We don't even get the whole ghost story. That is what I came for, the ghost story.
Their sources and quotes and background on these ghosts are all blurbs from other people's books. Besides just repeating other people's work they haven't really done any digging of their own. Once or twice they put in a little effort but for about 97% of the book it's just what they heard or read regurgitated with why this exists in psycho babble that is going to change in less than a generation to mean something else.