Ghost Stories of the Old South

Jaroslaw Zurowsky is a translator and editor in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Despite their respective titles, these three Ghost House Books are not
collections of spine-tingling tales to be read around a campfire. More
than just ghost stories, the books are well-written travelogues that
describe places to visit. The tales are presented in a very readable
manner, and they’re infused with interesting historical tidbits that
will appeal to readers of all ages.

In Ghost Stories of the Civil War, we read about the hauntings of some
well-known places, such as the most notorious of all of the prison camps
in Andersonville, Georgia, where nearly 13,000 people died, and the old
mansion in New Orleans that was owned by Confederate General Beauregard.


While the emphasis in the Civil War collection is on human-interest
stories and the social context of historical events, in Ghost Stories of
the Old South the focus is on the supernatural in such places as
Savannah, Georgia; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Charleston, South
Carolina.

Ghost Stories of London gives us tales about one of the most haunted
cities in the world. The British Museum, for example, has an Egyptian
mummy that many believe has caused some deaths. The ghost of Catherine
Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, is said to haunt the chapel of
Hampton Court. Highgate Cemetery is home to the spirit of a woman who
murdered her children.

Many accolades can be deservedly piled onto the authors and publisher.
They have created an excellent final product that is at the same time
entertaining and educational. The omission of a bibliography in all
three books is unfortunate. However, this is a minor quibble about these
educational and entertaining books. Each one deserves a place in public
and school libraries.