About.com-- As evidenced by the wealth of supernatural and paranormal shows on TV and in films, we like our ghosts and hauntings here in the U.S.A. In their book The Haunting of America: From the Salem Witch Trials to Harry Houdini, authors William J. Birnes and Joel Martin provide a historical context for our obsession with spookiness and the paranormal. They begin at our Puritanical roots in Colonial America, when the Devil was everywhere (isn't He still?) and witches were for burning. And while interest in the occult somewhat declined during the age of rational thinking in the 18th century, we saw a soaring resurgence with the rise of Spiritualism in the mid-1800s and into the early 20th century, when we encounter the names The Fox Sisters, D.D. Home, the Bell Witch and others. Then we have the popularity of the trance mediums and séances, which intrigued many, including presidents and notable figures such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini -- the former a believer and the latter a debunker. The Haunting of America is a well-researched history that will provide those with an interest in ghost hunting and the occult with some background and context for our current fascination.Available at Amazon.com
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