This brief survey covers hunting ghosts, communicating with the dead, foretelling the future, practicing witchcraft, and searching for cryptids.
The introduction describes the continued popularity of the supernatural in media, as evidenced by
the number of vampire-focused books, films, and TV shows— as well as tourists visiting Transylvania. Focusing almost exclusively on the Western world, the book looks into ancient myths, fantasies, and practices. Mentalist Jaymes White, who leads séances, references the emotional evocation or validation participants experience. The book describes the entertainment value of belonging to a university’s paranormal society. At the end of each chapter, Marcovitz allows experts brief attempts at debunking, but this book is not for the skeptical. For example, Duke University anthropology professor Anne-Maria Makhulu is quoted: “We live in a bewildering world where we don’t have a lot of control. And we can imagine doing things through magic that we can’t do as ordinary human beings.” However, this insight follows nine pages that include quotes from practicing witches, including one YouTube personality, about the efficacy of their practices. This book is also not for the vulnerable: The author mentions only in passing the steep fees charged by mediums and ignores the scamming opportunities posed by phone-based psychics; instead, a text box touts the advantages of phone consultations with mediums and quotes a passage from a website selling keepsake jewelry. The source notes overall reflect this lack of academic rigor.
A largely uncritical survey of some common beliefs. (picture credits, further reading, index) ( Nonfiction. 12­18)