This book is much more than an authoritative and compelling look at the cultural history of the supernatural over the last century in America-it also explains why we want to believe. The supernatural-psychic phenomena (telepathy, clairvoyance, or ESP), communicating with the dead, and the sighting and tracking of ghosts-has played an integral role in American culture across the last century. In fact, attention and interest in the supernatural has increased, despite our society's reliance upon and enthusiasm for science and technology. Even some top scholars, officials from the military and police, and public figures in places as high as the Oval Office have believed in at least some aspects of the supernatural. Supernatural America: A Cultural History is the first book to examine the cultural history of the supernatural in the United States, documenting how the expansion of science and technology coincided with a rise in supernatural/paranormal beliefs. From the flourishing of "spiritism" in the 1920s to the early 21st century, when the paranormal is bigger than ever, this entertaining and educational book explains the irresistible allure of the supernatural in America. Shares hundreds of real-life stories, and uses hundreds of sources, many of them forgotten Provides a bibliography of authoritative books and articles, both in support of and arguing against beliefs in the supernatural

Few states can rival California in terms of natural beauty and exciting history. But nearly three centuries of violent crime, sickness, greed, and murder have tarnished the Golden State and made it ripe for ghosts and hauntings. From the Spanish priests who founded the first missions in their quest to bring Christianity to the Native people of the region, to the ill-fated Donner Party committing acts of cannibalism in order to survive. This book explores the most famous ghost stories from California's past (dating back to the 18th century) with spine-tingling details that will delight readers.

The eastern side of the Smokies abounds with spooky tales, like the story of a Shadow Woman who appeared to a farmer each morning and evening to beg for a cup of milk. Skinned Tom is another East Tennessee haunt, though his is a sinister tale that warns the unfaithful to steer clear of local lover's lanes for their illicit trysting. From the farmer who finds a Cavern of Skulls to a moonshiner who makes a deal with a water demon; and the Half Shaved ghost seeking vengeance to the first (and only) meeting of the Asheville Ghost Club, the Great Smoky Mountains and its foothills abound with spooky tales. My favorites are in this collection.

2015 Best Book Award from the Communal Studies Association The captivating story of the people of Heaven's Gate, a religious group focused on transcending humanity and the Earth, and seeking salvation in the literal heavens on board a UFO In March 1997, thirty-nine people in Rancho Santa Fe, California, ritually terminated their lives. To outsiders, it was a mass suicide. To insiders, it was a graduation. This act was the culmination of over two decades of spiritual and social development for the members of Heaven's Gate. In this fascinating overview, Benjamin Zeller not only explores the question of why the members of Heaven's Gate committed ritual suicides, but interrogates the origin and evolution of the religion, its appeal, and its practices. By tracking the development of the history, social structure, and worldview of Heaven's Gate, Zeller draws out the ways in which the movement was both a reflection and a microcosm of larger American culture. The group emerged out of engagement with Evangelical Christianity, the New Age movement, science fiction and UFOs, and conspiracy theories, and it evolved in response to the religious quests of baby boomers, new religions of the counterculture, and the narcissistic pessimism of the 1990s. Thus, Heaven's Gate not only reflects the context of its environment, but also reveals how those forces interacted in the form of a single religious body. In the only book-length study of Heaven's Gate, Zeller traces the roots of the movement, examines its beliefs and practices, and tells the captivating story of its people.

A rare collection of messages from members of a family reunited in the afterlife.

Lesley May was living in KwaZulu-Natal when she received and conveyed detailed descriptions of different aspects of the afterlife from her mother and various family members who had passed on.

Embark on a journey of true love, enough love to last forever. On her 16th birthday Kathern Tipo learns a deep dark family secret. However much to Kathern's surprise there are many more secrets to be reviled. Join her on her journey to discover what and who she is. Finding a live that is forbidden, Kathern finds a love that will last not only a lifetime, but an eternity, a love that will change the ways for their family forever.

After returning home after 15 years in Alaska the author found her ex-husband back home very ill with AIDS. The story told is of the author's time spent caring for him after the devastating diagnosis of AIDS. It is told through her journal entries relating his struggle, and how their relationship evolved and seemed cast into something planned ahead of time by a higher power. The personal entries weave dreams, premonitions, prayers, and losses, winding them around their memories to shape their very own world and reason for existence in the pages of this book. It is said to be both moving and hard to lay down.

Do places where violent deaths occur somehow absorb the horror, only to conjure up images that haunt the living for generations to come? Many people believe that this can indeed happen; above all, in the context of that manmade phenomenon that reaps so great a toll in so short a time: War. Haunted U.S. Battlefields takes us on a spine-tingling tour of America's most legendary spectral scenes of human struggle-from the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, from the Indian Wars to World War II and beyond. As America's bloodiest conflict, the Civil War has yielded the greatest number of ghostly sightings. Hence, most of the twenty-five battlefield legends this book relates are from this era-whether the myriad strange spectral happenings associated with Gettysburg, or this war's lesser known but equally tragic events. Summing up the eerie essence of wartime scenes across America-many of which today host popular ghost tours-Haunted U.S. Battlefields is a must for students of the paranormal, Civil War buffs, and all others interested in a spine-chilling realm of military history that the history books don't dare tell.

There is a mystical quality to the land and sky in New Mexico. Places with long histories, such as New Mexico, breed superstition, carrying the memories, stories, and beliefs of those who have passed before. The state is such a notoriously superstitious place that real estate agencies post notices about whether a house is "truly" haunted, with pseudo-legal discussions about the need to disclose this information publicly. There is a haunted State Monument in Lincoln County, and a lovelorn ghost wanders through one of the state's national parks. There are ghosts who are friendly and fearsome. Stories that have become fables, and others that are fully believed. Haunted New Mexico will occasionally ask you to suspend belief, showing those cracks between what is real and imagined.

What is a soul? What makes one soul different from another? What happens to the soul when a person dies? Lifesigns follows the journey of Dr. Elizabeth McClellan as she searches for answers to these ancient questions. Grounded in science, Elizabeth had never believed in paranormal activity. That conviction changes when shadows of past lives break into her present life. Everywhere she turns, signs suddenly appear and every answer she uncovers only produces more questions. This labyrinth of cryptic messages takes Elizabeth to Louisville Kentucky and across the ocean to England as she chases the specters that invade even her sleep. By the end of Lifesigns, you, too, will view the world around you in a different way. Your novel Lifesigns is a fascinating story. It encompasses both the present and a fine understanding of past history. Your attention to detail regarding customs and lifestyles of the Victorian era is appreciated. How you thread the two together is interesting and entertaining. This was a book I was always trying to second guess, but couldn't. The ending definitely warrants a sequel. Thanks for the enjoyable read, Phillip E. Fresno, Ca. Lifesigns has made me take a closer look at my own life's journey...at myself and those people and events that have made me who I am. This book certainly makes me considert "deja vu" moments in a completely different light. And as for those times when I look at someone and ask "have we met before..".hmmm...I wonder? Sue F. Cambria, Ca. Forget about your plans for the day & prepare to get lost in Lifesigns. This was a book I could not put down until I was done. The attention to detail makes you feel like you are taking the journey with Elizabeth. The end leaves you wanting to continue the journey. A must read Heather K. Gilroy, Ca. Lifesigns wove a thread of events that held my interest as I followed the characters through contemporary and past life experiences. It was a good reminder to pay attention to the subtle underlying events that present themselves in the form of intuition, dreams and the illusive form of inner knowing. Kristie M. Cave Junction, Or. I loved the relationships in Lifesigns, especially between the main character and her best friend. I could relate to them because they were the way real families are. It's a 'feel good' book and the marvelous descriptions gave me picture after picture of Elizabeth's travels through time and place. I can't wait to share it with my friends. Anne B. Houston, Tx.