Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Book Review: Nevermore by Troy Taylor

Full confession, I came to the Poe Party late.  My first exposure to the works of Edgar Allan Poe was in middle school where I had the read "The Black Cat" as part of a reading assignment.  I was horrified.  My English teacher also failed to put the work of Poe in context or to actual discuss anything about the author.  Like most public school students, I absolutely hated most of the assigned readings I had to read in English class.  It wasn't until college and my interest in gothic literature that I started to reassess Poe's work that I discovered my love for his prose and my fascination with his life story.  Now that I live in Virginia, I had the chance to visit the Poe Museum in Richmond and attended the Poe Festival in Baltimore which has enhanced my love for Poe's work.

A couple of week's ago I was thrilled to see an ad from author Troy Taylor that he was releasing a new book on Poe.  I quickly ordered my copy when it became available and on Friday I received my copy of Nevermore: The Haunted Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe (American Hauntings Ink).  I was not disappointed. 


Edgar Allan Poe is an enigmatic character.  The story of his life reads like a gothic novel.  He was brilliant but often difficult to work with, Poe was his own worst enemy.  Poe had an amazing ability to alienate those who could have helped his career.  He suffered from a host of mental and physical ailments which likely led to his mysterious death in Baltimore in 1849.

Photo I took at Edgar Allan Poe's grave on the 169th anniversary of the author's death.

Taylor's biography is a gripping read as he charts Poe's life, the theories behind his death and Poe's haunting afterlife.  The standout feature of the book is the chapter which discusses Poe's reburial in Baltimore's Old Westminster Burial Grounds and the mysterious Poe Toaster who left an offering at Poe's grave every year from 1949 to 2009.  The book also covers the ghost stories at the sites connected to Poe. 

Nevermore belongs on the shelf of all fans of Edgar Allan Poe and Troy Taylor.

You can purchase an autographed copy of Nevermore and view Taylor's other books at American Hauntings

Rating: 5 Orbs     

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Book Review: American Hotel Story by Richard Estep

 Ah, the Hotel Cecil, the most talked about haunted location of 2021.  Located in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, California, the Cecil opened in 1924 with the dream of becoming the premier spot for businessmen and tourists.  Sadly, the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression put a halt to any grand future the hotel might have had.  The Cecil became the last stop for the depressed and the broke denizens of LA who used the hotel to permanently "check out."  The hotel became notorious for the number of murders and suicides that took place within it's rooms and even housed two serial killers, Richard Ramirez and Johann Unterweger.  Heady stuff for any location.



Hotel Cecil (Photo courtesy Wikipedia). 

The final straw in this toxic stew of misery came in 2013 when Canadian student Elisa Lam disappeared while staying at the hotel.  After an intense search of the hotel came up empty, the LAPD released the last sighting of Lam captured on the hotel's CCTV.  Lam was filmed in one of the hotel's elevator's apparently hiding from someone or something.  Her behavior in the elevator has sparked endless internet fodder and speculation on what caused her to act the way she did.  The body of Lam was discovered in one of the hotel's water tanks after guests complained that the water pressure was running low and that the water had a strange brown color and tasted bad.  Her death was ruled an accident caused by her bipolar depression.  A tragic end to a beautiful soul who was just beginning to find her place in the world.

Elisa Lam's tragic death coupled with the dark history of the hotel has turned the Cecil into a genuine pop culture phenomenon.  Numerous documentaries have been made detailing the numerous deaths that have occurred at the hotel.  Internet sleuths have taken to Youtube to analyze Lam's death and producing numerous colorful theories to explain her death.  The hotel was even the inspiration of a season of Ryan Murphy's anthology horror series American Horror Story: Hotel.  With all this attention it was only a matter of time before Ghost Adventures jumped on the bandwagon.  In January 2021 the streaming service Discovery+ premiered a two hour special Ghost Adventures: Cecil Hotel.  In true Ghost Adventures fashion, series host Zak Bagans concluded that the hotel was the home to demons who possessed the guests and residents of the building causing all the death and mayhem.  



In response to all the hype, it was refreshing to read a balanced history of the Cecil by prolific paranormal author Richard Estep.  American Hotel Story: History, Hauntings, and Heartbreak in L.A.'s Infamous Hotel Cecil charts the history of the hotel from its glory days to the present.  Estep relies on period newspaper articles to document what actually happened at the hotel in the process dispelling some of the more colorful legends about the building.  Besides being a dedicated paranormal investigator, Estep is also a EMT in Colorado.  The author uses his expertise in both the paranormal and the medical field to great effect in American Hotel Story.  

Unlike his previous books, Estep did not have a chance to actually investigate the hotel due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restoration work the Cecil is currently undergoing.  Though he did not personal visit the Cecil, Estep interviewed those who have investigated the hotel several times.  So does the Cecil really live up to all the hype?  The truthful answer is maybe.  Yes, the hotel is likely haunted by ghosts.  But so are countless other hotels.  All hotels have had deaths, there's are just not as widely publicized.

But what truly haunts the hall of the Cecil is the endemic poverty of the neighborhood that surrounds it.  The Cecil stands out as a beacon of the Skid Row attracting all the lost souls of the area.  Despite being one of the wealthiest countries in the world, the US still struggles with treating drug addiction and mental illness.  Those with mental illness are frequently stigmatized by society and members of their own families.  Elisa Lam suffered from bipolar depression and while she was staying at the Cecil was not taking the prescribed dosage of her medication.  The results were catastrophic and resulted in her tragic death.  It is disgusting to allege that Elisa was possessed by demons and does nothing to further the acceptance of those who suffer from mental illness.

I found Richard Estep's book on the Cecil a much needed antidote to the all the hype about the hotel.

American Hotel Story is available on Amazon.

Rating: 5 Orbs          

Thursday, February 18, 2021

Book Review: Ghosts Abroad in Ireland by Vanessa Hogle

In psychic medium Vanessa Hogle’s new book Ghosts Abroad Ireland, the reader is taken on a spirited tour of the spirits that haunt the environs of the village of Ballaghaderren, Ireland.  The book is the companion to Vanessa Hogle and Gwen Clapper’s documentary series Hidden Gems: Ireland available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.




Vanessa is passionate about helping lost souls through her work as a medium.  I have had the pleasure of seeing Vanessa at work and her compassion for the spirits is genuine.  She is not in the field to get a TV show.  Hidden Gems was funded through the hard work of Vanessa, Gwen, and by donations from supporters.

In Ghosts Abroad Ireland, Vanessa takes the reader along with her as she investigates the haunted sites of Ballaghaderren.  The village of Ballaghaderren is steeped in history and Vanessa encountered the past in all its pain and glory.  From the scared beauty of the Cave of the Cats to the dark spirits that haunt a convent that sold babies in illegal adoptions, the reader is whisked along on a spirited journey.  Along with the ghosts, the reader gets to experience the local color of Ballaghaderren. 

I enjoyed every minute of reading Ghosts Abroad Ireland and the book kept me entertained during a rather cold and snowy weekend.  Vanessa has an engaging and honest style of writing.  The only thing that would have added to the book would have been if Vanessa would have explained why Ballaghaderren called to her to visit and investigate.  I also would have loved to have seen pictures of the sites and the investigations included.

Ghosts Abroad Ireland is available on Amazon 

Rating: 4.5 Orbs   

Tuesday, October 27, 2020

The Morbid Curious Number 1

Greetings!

2020 has been an interesting year to say the least.  While I have been blessed to have kept my job--though on reduced hours--it was difficult to be kept away from friends, family, and the outside world.

To keep my sanity I tried to keep busy researching and writing.  This included writing an article for the brand new paranormal themed journal The Morbid Curious: Journal of Ghosts, Murder & the Macabre [No. 1] published by Troy Taylor's American Hauntings Ink.  My article "The Phantom of Hazel Hill" explores one of the earliest ghost sightings in Fredericksburg, Virginia in 1816.

The journal is chock full of ghosts and the macabre and features articles by Troy Taylor, Rene Kruse, and Amanda R. Woomer.  Articles include an examination of haunted restaurants in Salem, Massachusetts, the horrific Brockton, Massachusetts shoe factory explosion, H.H. Holmes' janitor, and more.     

I grew up reading Troy Taylor's works, so it was an honor to have my article included in the first issue of his new journal.

You can purchase a copy of The Morbid Curious here

Sunday, February 2, 2020

Ghosts of the Black Hawk War

The Black Hawk War of 1832 has been a neglected conflict in the history of the American frontier.  The war was a short but brutal armed conflict between American settlers in Illinois and the forces of the Sauk chief, Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, called Black Hawk.  The conflict steamed over American encroachment on Sauk lands which led to an active war from May to August of 1832 in Illinois and the Michigan Territory (now Wisconsin).  I was only aware of this war because of Abraham Lincoln's involvement as a captain in the militia.  Captain Lincoln never saw combat, but his service gave him a taste for leadership and a sympathy for the plight of the common solider that would come to good use during the Civil War.



Paranormal investigators Dan Norvell and Larry Eissler have combined their love for history and the paranormal in their new book Ghosts of the Black Hawk War published by Haunted Road Media.  Norvell and Eissler takes the reader on a spirited tour of the blood stained sights connected with the Black Hawk War.  Along the way, readers will meet the spirits of militiamen and Sauk warriors who are tied to the land that they died defending.  The highlight of the book is that Norvell and Eissler take the time to lay out the history of the conflict in an easy to follow manner.  This book is the perfect blending of the history with the paranormal.  Norvell and Eissler did their homework which made their interactions with the spirits meaningful.  My only complaint is that a map would have been useful to show the reader the location of the sights mentioned for those unfamiliar (like me) with the terrain of northern Illinois.  At the conclusion of Ghosts of the Black Hawk War the author promises that there will be more books charting their investigations in Wisconsin and the war's conclusion.  I hope to see more volumes in the series.

Ghosts of the Black Hawk War is now available at Amazon.       

Monday, September 23, 2019

Book Review: The Horrors of Fox Hollow Farm by Richard Estep

In 2008, Rob and Vicki Graves and their two sons purchased Fox Hollow Farm a sprawling eighteen-and-a-half-acre horse farm located outside of Indianapolis, Indiana.  The farm seemed the perfect place to raise a family.  The house was built in 1977 and even had an indoor pool.  There was one drawback though--the house and property were stigmatized by the deeds of the previous owner Herb Baumeister. 

To members of the community, Herb Baumeister appeared to be a successful business man and devoted family man.  Under the mild-mannered facade lurked one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.  The discovery of over 5,500 human bones in 1996 on the property of Fox Hollow Farm exposed Herb Baumeister secret life.  Baumeister reign of terror likely started before moving to Fox Hollow Farm.  In the 1980s bodies of young men were discovered on I-70 and many suspect that Baumeister was the I-70 Killer.  After moving to Fox Hollow Farm, Baumeister trolled Indianapolis gay bars luring his victims back to his home where he would strangle them in the indoor pool.  Baumeister then discarded his victims bodies on the farm.  The true number of Baumeister's victims have never been determined and human bone fragments are still occasionally found on the farm.  Baumeister escaped justice by committing suicide in Canada in 1996.

Despite this dark history, the Graves purchased the property and moved in.  The family were skeptical of the paranormal and expected to live a quite life on the farm.  Their peace was quickly shattered by paranormal activity.  Vicki Graves started to see a young man in a red t-shirt walking into the woods that surrounded the home.  This was not a typically trespasser, as the young man had no legs.  Paranormal activity became more intense after a family friend moved into the in-law apartment.

 

Word of the paranormal activity at the house became public when an episode of Ghost Adventures was filmed at Fox Hollow Farm.  Intrigued by the reports, paranormal investigator Richard Estep visited the house in 2016 and 2018 to see if he could capture any activity.  Richard Estep documents his two investigations in his new book The Horrors of Fox Hollow Farm published by Llewellyn.  The book is co-authored by Robert Graves and provides a fascinating look into life in a stigmatized house.  This is not The Amityville Horror, another infamous murder house where the alleged paranormal activity was so intense that the family had to flee in terror.  Rather, the Graves family continue to own and live on the farm.  After a period of rather intense paranormal activity, the spirits of Fox Hollow have calmed down and the family has learned to coexist with their spectral housemates.

Richard Estep is a thorough and dedicated paranormal investigator and left no stone unturned in his quest for the truth behind the paranormal activity.  The book chronicles Estep's investigation in 2016 and 2018.  Determined to understand the activity at the farm, Estep interviewed witnesses, physics, and even one of Baumeister's intended victims that escaped from the farm with his life.  The investigation uncovered evidence that not all the spirits were human and raised the provocative question if a spirit can achieve redemption.  At times spine-chilling, The Horrors of Fox Hollow Farm is a must read and one of the best paranormal books of 2019.

The Horrors of Fox Hollow Farm is available on Amazon.     

For more on Richard Estep visit his website.        

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Paranormal Classic: Ghost Hunter by Hans Holzer

When I was in high school, my first exposure to the paranormal was through the books of Hans Holzer.  I found a small selection of his books at my high school library and eagerly checked them out, carefully hiding them in my backpack to insure that my grandmother would not find what I was reading.  At the time I was just starting my museum career by volunteering at the Whaley House in Old Town San Diego and Hans Holzer was a legend at the site for the seances he held in the 1960s at the site with the medium Sybil Leek.  Hans Holzer for better or worse helped make the Whaley House famous.  The house was known locally for its legends and lore, but after appearing in Ghosts of the Golden West (1968) the museum was exposed to a national audience and became a must-see tourist attraction.  There was only one problem--the information Sybil Leek relayed in her trance readings could not be  verified by the historical record.  This proved a very important moment in my development as a historian as I began to critically analyze the works of mediums and paranormal investigators against the historic record.  I stopped reading Holzer's works and turned to other writers to satisfy my interest in the topic.  I recently decided to reassess the works of Hans Holzer who passed away in 2009 after it was announced that the Travel Channel will be airing a new series The Holzer Files based on his case files in October 2019.     

Hans Holzer was born in Austria in 1920.  His interest in the paranormal was sparked as a child.  Though at first he did not foresee that he would turn his interest into a successful career.  Holzer studied archaeology and ancient history at the University of Vienna.  His studies were interrupted by the fear of  Nazi Germany's interest in Austria and the Holzer family immigrated to the United States in 1938 escaping the horrors of World War II.  Settling in New York City, Hans Holzer made his living as a free-lance writer which allowed him to travel extensively after World War II.  As a free-lance writer, Holzer started to write on paranormal topics.  He became perhaps one of the first modern professional paranormal investigators, working with a group of trance mediums and psychics.  As a self proclaimed "artistic person," Holzer mingled with artists, writers, and the social elite, many of them interested in the paranormal.  In 1963, Holzer published his first book Ghost Hunter detailing his investigations.

Hans Holzer in the 1960s (Image courtesy of  Wikipedia Media )

Ghost Hunter was a groundbreaking book and introduced ghost hunting to middle-America.  The book is as a crackling good read.  Holzer was a very talented writer and knew how to tell a good story.  Through the pages of Ghost Hunter, Hans Holzer takes his reader through swanky New York apartments and secluded country homes in search of restless spirits.  In suite and tie, Holzer hunted the ghosts of artists, Colonial soldiers, and murdered playboys.  Ghost hunting has never been as cool or sophisticated as it was in Holzer's era.  I can't help feeling that Holzer would be appalled by today's ghost hunters attired in matching team t-shirts, baggy jeans, with pockets bulging with electronic equipment and e-cigarettes.
 
Holzer admits that he was an impatient ghost hunter and did not like to sit in a darkened room trying to contact ghosts, rather he preferred action and enlisted mediums to speak to the ghosts.  And that was one of Holzer's major failings as a ghost hunter.  He relied too much on the word of physics over the historic record.  Throughout Ghost Hunter, Holzer unquestioningly relied on the readings of physic Ethel Johnson-Meyers, bending the historic record to match her readings.  The best example being "The Fifth Avenue Ghost" investigation where Holzer asserted that Confederate General Samuel McGowan was murdered in New York City and that his death was covered up for years by his family before his "official" death was announced in 1897.  The claim strains credibility.

Hans Holzer is also a product of his era and as a result exhibits the prejudices of his timeperiod.  He looked down on everyone that was not part of his social set.  "Fortunately, I have a low opinion of police intelligence," Holzer declared while writing about his search for an illusive location (pg. 105).  People of color are not represented in his cases, the ghosts and clients are all lily-white and belong to the upper class.  In one egregious example, Holzer forces himself into an apartment without being invited by the current occupants because of a story he received from a prior tenant.  "Finally, I decided to send a letter announcing my forthcoming visit three days hence at one thirty in the afternoon, and would they please be in, as I had the permission of their landlord to see them," Holzer wrote (pg. 81).  Needless to say, Holzer was allowed in the apartment.  The current tenants, a working-class Puerto Rican family had never experienced anything paranormal in their apartment.  Holzer's behaviour and his attitude while recounting his exploits in this case are simply cringe worthy. 

While parts of Ghost Hunter are painfully marred by the authors prejudices, the book is an important work in paranormal literature and should be read by every investigator and writer.  Without the work of Holzer and other early pioneers of paranormal research and investigation, ghost hunting would not have become the pop culture phenomena that it is today.  Holzer had a profound impact on my interest in the paranormal and for that I will always be grateful. 

Ghost Hunter: The Groundbreaking Classic of Paranormal Investigation is available for purchase from Amazon             
   

Book Review: Nevermore by Troy Taylor

Full confession, I came to the Poe Party late.  My first exposure to the works of Edgar Allan Poe was in middle school where I had the read ...