Haunted Heritage : A Definitive Collection of North American Ghost Stories

Rating:
Summary: Solid, detailed collection of stories
Review: I hesitated before buying this book because I tend to prefer ghost story collections that are more "investigative" than "folklore-ish." However, I'm glad I picked up this book. Michael Norman and the late Beth Scott did a great job of getting to the heart of each story, searching for the details that keep the reader from feeling like he or she is holding a collection of urban legends. As a result, even stories I've encountered before were interesting because of the new information presented in this book. I only grew a little bored in the "ghost lights" section, mainly because there were so many stories that are so similar to each other. I have no qualms recommending this book, and I plan to seek out the other books in this series now, as well.

Rating:
Summary: BOO!
Review: The latest in the Haunted America series was the first offering I had the pleasure to read. It will not be the last. This is a collection of "True Accounts" of hauntings and other suernatural occurances.
Having stated what this nonfictio work is "about", let me hastily add it is much more than the sum of its parts. That is "Haunted Heritage" is a collection of ghost stories, that is much more than a collection of ghost stories.
Each spooky anecdote provides some background of a biographical and/or historical nature providing readers with a context for the ghostly tales contained therein. This aspect is what makes the volume worthwhile reading, I am sure everyone knows many ghost stories told around campfires etc, but it is who the ghosts were when they were alive that adds immediacy and intimicy to this book.
One of my favourite chapters ( and I use that term loosely as they are more geographical/topical dividers than traditional chapters.) States how the art of the oral tradition of storytelling is a dying art, a pretty obvious tradition, yet reading it stated so baldly in this type of work really brought the point home.
The other bonus is that while these tales cover a large timescale from 1600s to present, and everything from the mysterious to the outrageous the authors' report without editorilizing the stories this repeats.
On one personal note I am not sure if trying to finish it to review for halloween, or a subtle change in author's tone is responsible but about three quarters of the way through I was genuinely spooked by what I read.
Please leave lights on when devouring this latest offering in series.