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Books > Mind, Body & Spirit > Unexplained phenomena / the paranormal > General
There is something about a shapeshifter--a person who can transform
into an animal--that captures our imagination; that causes us to
want to howl at the moon, or flit through the night like a bat.
Werewolves, vampires, demons, and other weird creatures appeal to
our animal nature, our "dark side," our desire to break free of the
bonds of society and proper behavior. Real or imaginary,
shapeshifters lurk deep in our psyches and remain formidable
cultural icons. The myths, magic, and meaning surrounding
shapeshifters are brought vividly to life in John B. Kachuba's
compelling and original cultural history. Rituals in early cultures
worldwide seemingly allowed shamans, sorcerers, witches, and
wizards to transform at will into animals and back again. Today,
there are millions of people who believe that shapeshifters walk
among us and may even be world leaders. Featuring a fantastic and
ghoulish array of examples from history, literature, film, TV, and
computer games, Shapeshifters explores our secret desire to become
something other than human.
In this detailed book, Dr Peter McCue reflects on the enormous
range of paranormal phenomena to have been reported along Britain's
roads, and examines the theory that certain areas seem to be
hotspots for such occurrences, such as the A75 and B721 roads in
southern Scotland, and the Blue Bell Hill area in Kent. He delves
into the sightings of apparitional vehicles; encounters with
'colliding apparitions'; 'phantom hitch-hikers'; out-of-place big
cats; phantom black dogs; UFOs; 'missing time' (strange memory
gaps); vehicle interferences (such as mysterious breakdowns); and
incidents in which drivers and passengers seem to have been
translocated in space or time. This thorough book debates the
evidence and theories in a critical but open-minded way, and is a
welcome addition to the genre.
The ghostly woman of Summit Cut Bridge, a black hound that guards
the Gates of Hell and the whispering dead entombed beneath the
Black Crossthese are the spirits of southwestern Pennsylvania. Join
local author Thomas White as he recounts such chilling stories as
that of Revolutionary War witch Moll Derry and the phantom bride of
White Rocks and the hair-raising tale of the angry specter of a
steel millworker burned alive in a ladle of molten iron. Ascend the
secret stairs of the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh and wander
the dim stretch of Shades of Death Road in Washington County to
encounter the otherworldly denizens of the Keystone State.
Fear Dat New Orleans explores the eccentric and often macabre dark
corners of America's most unique city. In addition to detailed
histories of bizarre burials, ghastly murders, and the greatest
concentration of haunted places in America, Fear Dat features a
"bone watcher's guide" with useful directions of who's buried
where, from Marie Laveau to Ruthie the Duck Girl. You'll also find
where to buy the most authentic gris-gris or to get the best
psychic reading. The Huffington Post tagged Michael Murphy's first
book Eat Dat, about the city's food culture, the #1 "essential"
book to read before coming to New Orleans. New Orleans Living
called it "both reverent and irreverent, he manages to bring a
sense of humor to serious eating-and that's what New Orleans is all
about." In Fear Dat, Murphy brings similar insights and irreverence
to New Orleans voodoo, vampires, graveyards, and ghosts.
In THE MYSTERIUM David Bramwell and Jo Keeling (authors of THE
ODDITORIUM), present a user guide to the strange and unexplained
corners of modern life. THE MYSTERIUM catalogues a host of bizarre,
funny and intriguing stories for a post-Nessie generation still
fascinated by the unknowable. Drawing on contemporary folklore,
unsolved mysteries, and unsettling phenomena from the dark corners
of the internet, this book celebrates the joy of asking questions
and the thrill of finding answers which stop you dead in your
tracks. Featuring a group of men who scared themselves to death,
Space's version of the Bermuda Triangle, a cat who can sniff out
the dying and the tale of Slender Man, the monster who stepped out
of Photoshop and into our nightmares, this fascinating book is a
catalogue of the extraordinary, the strange, the mysterious and the
downright creepy.
Come explore the shadow world of supernatural Texas with William
Edward Syers, one of the Southwest's premier storytellers, whose
collection of the Lone Star State's fifty most intriguing tales
consumed two full years of on-the-ground research. Originally
published as Ghost Stories of Texas, this out-of-print regional
classic has been completely revised and updated for a new
generation of readers. Come encounter the "The Headless Horseman,"
"The Phantom on the Mountain," and "The Hounds of Orozimbo."
Explore "Terror's Lake," the haunted "McDow Hole," and "Ghosty
Branch." Venture within "The Gate" or "The Crypts of Old Waverly"
or, for that matter, any of the other chilling tales. Supernatural
Texas was the first statewide exploration of dimensions beyond
normal comprehension. Its content ranges from centuries-old legends
to the here-and-now. You'll encounter specters whose motivations
vary as widely as those of everyday folk--to save or warn, to
disclose, to prove or disprove something long past, to do penance.
And, of course, to seek vengeance! These last are the things to
avoid ...except, of course, within the covers of this book. Perhaps
you can shrug them off. Perhaps you can discount all fifty awaiting
you here. Perhaps. But you won't forget them.
"In the pursuit of an understanding of Mary that is undertaken in
this book, it is clear that we are dealing with events beyond the
reach of our normal faculties. Without effort on our part and help
of some kind, Mary remains one more unsolvable mystery. In the
activity of our striving to be open and reverent in our devoted
pursuit of knowledge of these mysteries, we begin to tread the path
of the Marian Way of Heart Knowledge." -- from the Foreword The
Marian Way of Heart Knowledge guides the reader into and through
the mystery of Mary as she appears in the New Testament, especially
her composure and openness to life --- both its gifts and its
sorrows. Reilly argues that these holy mysteries are not allegory,
poetry, or simple fantasy. Rather, they are facts that can be known
and experienced by everyone. This book also draws upon the wisdom
of Rudolf Steiner as shared in The Philosophy of Freedom, arguing
that it is possible for knowledge itself to become organically
alive. This is an inspiring book which reveals how devotion and
thinking with the heart -- the Marian way of heart knowing -- can
guide us on our path toward true freedom.
A Pulitzer Prize?winning author tells the amazing story of William
James's quest for empirical evidence of the spirit world
What if a world -renowned philosopher and professor of psychiatry
at Harvard suddenly announced he believed in ghosts? At the close
of the nineteenth century, the illustrious William James led a
determined scientific investigation into ?unexplainable? incidences
of clairvoyance and ghostly visitations. James and a small group of
eminent scientists staked their reputations, their careers, even
their sanity on one of the most extraordinary quests ever
undertaken: to empirically prove the existence of ghosts, spirits,
and psychic phenomena. What they pursued? and what they
found?raises questions as fascinating today as they were then.
A practical guide on the fairy realm. Fairies abound in the realms
of myth and folklore. They have enchanted humans for centuries but
are these mischievous, ethereal creatures more than just myth?
Ralph Harvey is one of England's foremost modern-day witches. In
this accessible guide he intersperses his own intriguing fairy
encounters (among them, a mysterious musical interlude in an Irish
valley) with succinct yet interesting introductions to fairy lore.
You will learn why roses have special meaning to fairies and why
"elf bolts" are significant. Harvey shares a fascination
exploration into how fairies influenced everyone from Henry III to
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. You will even learn the best ways to seek
out fairies (hint: aligning your chakras will help) and how to
express gratitude for fairy favours and magical guidance.
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Haunted Lafayette
Dorothy Salvo, W.C. Madden
Paperback
R544
R442
Discovery Miles 4 420
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