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Post by Swampirella on Nov 10, 2020 14:59:12 GMT
Joan Forman - Haunted East Anglia (Fontana, 1977: originally Robert Hale, 1974). Haunted East Anglia Cover photograph by Alan Kemp Blurb: HAUNTED EAST ANGLIA is more than a collection of ghost stories - though the Tolling Bell, the Walking Boots, the Rattling Thing in the Coalhouse and the Handsome Earl of Sandwich, among others, are ghosts enough for anyone. It's a fascinating blend of history, fable and myth, of country lore and scenes, of magic and witchcraft.
"From Norfolk to Northampton, Essex to Lincolnshire and Suffolk, from Mary Queen of Scots to Boadicea, an astonishing, never-ending trail of ghostly antics fills the pages." EVENING NEWS
"A fascinating book which should appeal to all lovers of East Anglia: SUFFOLK FAIRChas Sampson - Ghosts of the Broads (Jarrold, 1973). Author's introduction
Wroxham Road Oulton Road Thurne Mouth Burgh Castle Salhouse Broad Breydon Water Barton Broad Potter Heighham South Walsham Broad Horning Brundall Acle Burgh St. Peter Somerleyton Reedham Belaugh Horsey Mere Ormesby Road Ludham Beccles Stokesby Hickling Broad Stalham St. Benet's Abbey Ranworth
Bibliography***** While we're on the topic of Jarrold's books and their lurid covers, many people love this compilation from 1973, even though the contents are actually pure fiction. However, since it's been marketed as true ghost stories, I'm posting it here. After getting rid of my original copy, probably bought on a visit to the Broads area, I don't regret buying a replacement a few months ago, despite being mostly written in Norfolk dialect. If Richard Dalby's Library has a copy (for sale) it must be worthwhile.
Your Ghosts of the Broads has far the better cover. I think this edition (above), blurbless and bereft of acknowledgements, is the Jarrold original before the London Dungeon cover overhaul. Had no idea it was a short fiction anthology - am more likely to sample a few stories now. A third from the same neck of the woods, Peter Haining's The Supernatural Coast (1992). Should imagine there are many more. I love that Forman book, & can only agree that my copy of GotB has the better cover. Was hoping I'd get that one & not yours when I ordered it. I should have bought The Supernatural Coast when there was a reasonably priced copy available; now they're all way too high priced.
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 10, 2020 15:05:33 GMT
To the ear of an American of "a certain age," Ghosts of the Broads sounds as if it should be filled with anecdotes of spectral manifestations of Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Belle Poitrine, and other celebrated ladies of a bygone era. It would seem from the table of contents that "the Broads" refers to a district or region. Swampi what fabou finds on your trip--as a youngster, I was constantly nagging my parents to drop me off at a bookshop whenever we went on vacation. Most of the time, they didn't mind. They were very nice people to grow up with. H. Ha, I agree with you about "broads", although I never much liked the word's usage. Here's something from wikipedia that explains the Broads. I had a cousin who lived near them in Norwich so was taken there once as a child otherwise it would have been a decade or two (of reading books related to the UK) before I'd have heard of them.
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"The Broads (known for marketing purposes as The Broads National Park) is a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The lakes, known as broads, were formed by the flooding of peat workings. The Broads, and some surrounding land, were constituted as a special area with a level of protection similar to a national park by the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act 1988. The Broads Authority, a special statutory authority responsible for managing the area, became operational in 1989.[2]
The area is 303 square kilometres (117 sq mi), most of which is in Norfolk, with over 200 kilometres (120 mi) of navigable waterways. There are seven rivers and 63 broads, mostly less than 4 metres (13 ft) deep. Thirteen broads are generally open to navigation, with a further three having navigable channels. Some broads have navigation restrictions imposed on them in autumn and winter, although the legality of the restrictions is questionable.[3]
Although the terms Norfolk Broads and Suffolk Broads are used to identify specific areas within the two counties respectively, the whole area is frequently referred to as the "Norfolk Broads". "
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Your parents sound like wonderful people, Steve! I'm glad they let you indulge your love of books! Mine also had to put up with my bookstore/library browsing, on vacation and at home.
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Post by helrunar on Nov 10, 2020 15:14:09 GMT
Swampi dear, many thanks for that helpful explanation about the name, the Broads. I'd wondered if it was a neighborhood of London where all the streets had names like Broadstairs or Broadchurch.
I remember feeling a certain degree of relief when, reading a blurb for the latest book by Edward Eager I was about to read (perhaps it was Seven Day Magic, a really lovely tale), I came across the phrase "bookish children." "Oh, thank God," I breathed prayerfully to myself, "I'm not alone."
I look forward to further exploring the books you and others have posted about on this thread. The past couple of weeks have been rather uncomfortably busy.
cheers,Steve
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 10, 2020 15:38:15 GMT
For what it's worth, these are my absolute top favorites out of my collection, as well as "Haunted East Anglia" already featured by Dem. After having it for several years & rereading it almost annually, I found out that Railway Ghosts & Phantoms is also partly or mostly made up, but I don't care. Maybe most of "The Ghost of Flight 401" is an urban legend for all I know.
I probably won't be able to resist posting some of my lesser favorites also, some other time, hope I don't "crash" the Vault.
My copy of "The Mask of Time" does not have this "cool" cover, unfortunately.
Fuller's "The Airmen Who Would Not Die" is also very good; both with lots of background details.
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Post by Shrink Proof on Nov 10, 2020 20:06:36 GMT
Herbert's "Railway Ghosts & Phantoms" was apparently put together by Mr Herbert after he got agreement on the deal from the publishers. Unfortunately for him, his trawl of railway employees and passengers didn't produce anything like enough material, so he made up the deficit by simply inventing a lot of the tales himself.
Even the locomotive on the cover isn't a real ghost either - it's still operating to this day on the Isle of Man Railway.
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 10, 2020 20:29:36 GMT
Herbert's "Railway Ghosts & Phantoms" was apparently put together by Mr Herbert after he got agreement on the deal from the publishers. Unfortunately for him, his trawl of railway employees and passengers didn't produce anything like enough material, so he made up the deficit by simply inventing a lot of the tales himself. Even the locomotive on the cover isn't a real ghost either - it's still operating to this day on the Isle of Man Railway. That's exactly what I'd read about the book myself. But not the part about the locomotive not being a real ghost - my last smidgen of naivete has been crushed
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 10, 2020 22:08:31 GMT
These two are also superb.
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Post by dem bones on Nov 10, 2020 22:13:57 GMT
I love that Forman book, & can only agree that my copy of GotB has the better cover. Was hoping I'd get that one & not yours when I ordered it. I should have bought The Supernatural Coast when there was a reasonably priced copy available; now they're all way too high priced. Hadn't realised until now that Dr. Chas. Sampson's Ghosts of the Broads was originally published by The Yachtsman's Pub. Co. way back in 1931. Richard Sutton was so taken with it that, at some point during the early 1970's, he bought the copyright and convinced Jarrold to reissue. This new edition (the ones we have) adds illustrations, namely photographs supplied, and, presumably, the work of, Judy Brooks and Peter Lange. I like them - they have a camp fancy dress appeal and add drama.
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Post by helrunar on Nov 10, 2020 23:30:20 GMT
I'm quite intrigued by the Hawai'ian ghost stories, Miss Scarlett. Particularly if the books make reference to indigenous Hawai'ian folklore. That's quite fascinating,
cheers, Steve
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 10, 2020 23:42:34 GMT
I'm quite intrigued by the Hawai'ian ghost stories, Miss Scarlett. Particularly if the books make reference to indigenous Hawai'ian folklore. That's quite fascinating, cheers, Steve The Obake Files does have some of what I'd term indigenous folklore, Steve, with chapters such as "Visions of (Madame) Pele", "Manifestations of Manehune" (I forget who/what that is) "Ancient family spirits", etc. Several online stores have some quite affordable copies for under $10. The Archive has the confusingly similarly titled (also good but half the length) "Obake: Ghost Stories in Hawaii" available to borrow. Cheers back!
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Post by helrunar on Nov 11, 2020 2:27:01 GMT
Thanks for the info! The menehune (that is the usual spelling) are characterized as nature spirits similar to the Sidhe, Good Folk, Alfar or Faeries of various streams of folklore in Ireland, Albion, Europe, etc.
I will look for the books!
Steve
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 11, 2020 2:31:17 GMT
Thanks for the info! The menehune (that is the usual spelling) are characterized as nature spirits similar to the Sidhe, Good Folk, Alfar or Faeries of various streams of folklore in Ireland, Albion, Europe, etc. I will look for the books! Steve You're welcome; thanks for correcting my typo, it is "menehune".
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 11, 2020 12:04:50 GMT
With respect, I thought this would be appropriate for today. A gazetteer organized by era from Roman times to WWII.
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Post by dem bones on Nov 11, 2020 16:33:27 GMT
Dr. Melvyn Willin - Ghosts Caught on Film: Photographs Of The Paranormal (David & Charles, 2007) Blurb Did Abraham Lincoln return to appear in a portrait with his widow? Can a human soul be seen leaving the body? Was a poltergeist caught swinging chandeliers? Does a skeletal robed figure walk the grounds of Hampton Court?
This fascinating collection of pictures, drawn from the archives of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) and other collections, takes you on a quest to find answers to these questions. Stylishly presented album spanning a century of phantasmic photography. Featured unquiet ones include the phantom peer in the library, the forgotten prisoner of Newgate, the spectre at the organ, the ghost bus of somewhere or other, local celebrity the watcher from a balcony in St. Botolph's church, the posing spirits (will respond to instruction, the Madonna of the fountain, the Virgin in the trees, and various disembodied wandering hands. Author makes no huge attempt at sifting genuine phenomena from a hundred years of camera malfunction, double-exposure, optical illusion, trick of the light, Polaroid black sorcery, cutting out fairy pictures and propping them in a glen, & Co. It is left to the reader to decide which, if any, are fake, and which are real. "A gnarled hand at her throat." Did an embittered spectral old timer attempt to throttle twelve-year old Kelley Jackson on a visit to Mountfitchet Castle? *****************************
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Post by Swampirella on Nov 11, 2020 16:49:18 GMT
Dr. Melvyn Willin - Ghosts Caught on Film: Photographs Of The Paranormal (David & Charles, 2007) Blurb Did Abraham Lincoln return to appear in a portrait with his widow? Can a human soul be seen leaving the body? Was a poltergeist caught swinging chandeliers? Does a skeletal robed figure walk the grounds of Hampton Court?
This fascinating collection of pictures, drawn from the archives of the Society for Psychical Research (SPR) and other collections, takes you on a quest to find answers to these questions.
Excellent choice, Dem! Entertaining even if readers think they're all fake. So far "Skeletor", the "ghost" of Hampton Court caught on video in 2016 & on the cover of Vol. 1, hasn't been disproven, but "he" looks too good to be true to me.
Needless to say, I have it and Vol. 3
EDIT: Thanks for reminding me of these; I've had an enjoyable afternoon browsing through them both.
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