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Ghost Hunters
by Deborah Blum
Those of you who want to know about the early development of psychic research should not miss this book! Author Deborah Blum is a professor of science journalism at the University of Wisconsin. She is not noted for writing about psychic topics but does a very good job here.
The author discusses the development of the British and American Society for Psychical Research in the mid to late 19th century. During that time, science was making huge advances in all forms of science through the use of the scientific method of investigation. Several well-known psychologists like William James and many other scientists came together to conduct a legitimate study psychic phenomenon, hauntings and mediumship due to the public fascination with these types of subjects.
They were looking for a scientific explanation for these occurrences and to debunk the fraudulent practitioners out there...and there were many! Needless to say, the scientific community did not support these researchers, and as a result many suffered professional rejection and ostracism for their efforts. It's really not unlike the scientific community of today. If something cannot be duplicated by science, it is rejected outright as a fraud or hoax.
There were many types of personalities involved in the psychic field during the 50-60 year span of the book and not all of them got along with the scientific community or each other. The author brings us along with the researches like William James, Henry Sidgwick, Fredric Meyers and many others. You'll also meet many of the popular mediums of the day like Daniel Dunglas Hume, Leonora Piper and Madame Blavatsky.
This is not a how-to book but a well written and very readable history of the early efforts of sincere psychic investigation. You'll find it in paperback at book stores or online.
Reviewed by Dave Owens
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