Review: Rosemary's Ghost Stories Great Reading On Several Levels
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 6, 2012
I just finished Rosemary Breen's book of ghost stories and I must confess that it was quite a pleasant read. I might even say nostalgic.The reason I found nostalgia was that in the early 70's I had my own ghost story of sorts. We were part of a weekly Christian study group, and being the 70's, part of our explorations had to do with life after death. I never met any ghosts, but to this day I remember the guy who showed up on our pet Ouija board, James. B. Unger, a dead gunner who passed on the Arizona at the very start of WWII. He was a nice enough ghost, but that whole thing convinced me that there was an unseen world out there. I have taken it for granted ever since. It's just one of those things.My studies also convinced me that to get too deeply involved in the paranormal isn't healthy. Thus, I found Breen's book to be light reading, compared to some of the darker stuff out there that should be left strictly alone.In the meantime, Breen's book is a large collection of personal ghost stories by a great many different authors. Decidedly unscary, the tales are laid out matter of factly, much as my experience was. That is what convinces me of the sincerity of the authors. As for the scientific validity of the claims, who knows? At least I think they were telling the truth as they saw it.The stories serve not only to remind us that there is "more" out there, but also as a continuing history of personal ghost encounters. You can find similar stories as far back as your computer researches will take you.However, the way Breen laid out the book, you could also use the stories as fodder to write your own fiction stories, or gain nifty tales to tell around the campfire to scare the children (IF you spin them up a bit.) Nobody gets bitten by a ghost in this book!All the stories are fairly brief, digestible, and above all inspire the reader to believe that they aren't simply fancy.We also learn, (gasp) that ghosts don't only appear in America. The book has ghost experiences from all over, but mostly America and Europe. Americans will get a special kick out of learning about the foreign ghosts.And interestingly, we find that not all ghosts inhabit homes, though these make up the bulk. Some ghosts Breen presents don't seem to be connected. One even lives in a nice clearing. Which is well, because I have always wondered where ghosts go when the house burns down or rots away!If you're into ghost stories...real ghost stories... you will LOVE this book. In its way it is an important piece of the ghost history of America and elsewhere too. Ghosts, it seems know no borders! Add it to your collection.Norm