The Encyclopedia of Ghosts & Spirits has a double foreword. The first is by Troy Taylor, founder and president of the American Ghost Society. The second is by Tom Perrott, former chairman of the Ghost Club in London, England. Both men provide wonderful insights into the world of researching, investigating and verifying the paranormal realm. This is a wonderful way to start the book.

The listings are arranged in alphabetical order and usually include a list of suggested readings where applicable. As with all her encyclopedias, Guiley has included many photographs, drawings and charts.

Guiley, one of the leading authors for paranormal, mystical and spiritual works, has been meticulously thorough with her research. She includes the case histories for people and places. If there is a haunted house, you will find the listing here. If a person has returned, their profile is on one of these pages. Read about Abe Lincoln's phantom train that makes his funeral trip on the anniversary of his death. You will be enthralled with the recount of the numerous times he was buried but later moved. His ghost has certainly been active over the years!

It is amazing that this woman has managed to publish 16 books when you look at the research that has gone into this encyclopedia. For example, on pages 250-51, she has included meteors, the Miami Poltergeist, the Milky Way, mine spirits, mirrors, mirror writing, mononoke and the moon.

This oversized book has 430 pages. The size makes it a bit aggravating for using while working at a desk, but I still love it and depend upon it for frequent reference work with my writing. It is the best reference on the market for ghosts and spirits!

If you are interested in a book about ghosts for pleasure reading, you cannot find a better deal than this one. My advice is to stretch out on the couch with the book propped on a pillow in front of you because it will get heavy quite quickly. But you will earn something each time you open this book and the stories about the ghosts around the world will keep your curiosity peaked and your imagination in hyper-thrust! Let me stress that for the cost of the book, it is one of the best values to ever be found.

- Rambles
written by Alicia Karen Elkins
published 26 April 2003