Books I've Owned Since I was A Kid. Part 7.

[poliphilo]

I spent an awful lot of my early teens in secondhand bookshops. Most of what I bought has gone, and this is a rare survivor. I think it probably came from Hall's Bookshop in Tunbridge Wells (on the edge of the Pantiles). It cost me 6 shillings.

The author, John H. Ingram (1842-1916) describes the book as "a geography of ghostland". My copy is the 3rd edition, published in 1886. It once belonged to W.H. Smith's Lending Library at 186 the Strand.

"Had (the editor) ever entertained any belief whatever in supernatural manifestations"- writes Ingram- "the compilation of this work would have effectively cured him of such mental weakness." - a conclusion I find baffling, because it scared me silly.

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Now that is a book I'd love to read. The conclusion is indeed most baffling as I am supposing the author writes about ghostly phenomena. Does he try to disprove it at all?

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

No, what he does is tell stories- mostly connected to stately homes and such. In his world ghosts only appear to the wealthy and well-connected.

I believe the text is available at Gutenberg or one or other of those online sites.

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I did think of Project Gutenberg and will check there!