There is a quote on the cover of A Haunted History Of Invisible Women: True Stories Of America’s Ghosts that states “this book should not only be read but taught.” I one hundred percent agree with this assessment. This book capture my attention form the first page. It is historical with a touch of the paranormal. As the authors delve into the history of female centered ghost stories, they find an understand how they came to life.
A strong majority of the ghost stories of haunted houses were built around the views of women during various time periods. For the most all women were to be seen but not heard. If a women dared to cause a scene, she was usually not looked at in the most favorable light. It is usually these women who become part of the folklore and are believed to be the spirits doing the haunting. The authors, Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Jones, break down these women and their stories into seven sections: death and the maiden, witches; mothers and wives; bad girls, jezebels and killer women; mad women, spinsters and widows; and frauds, fakes and mythmaking. Each of these sections is a way in which women have been viewed in American society. I really liked the way it was broken and how specific the focus was to the topic at hand.
I was not personally familiar with several of the ghost stories mentioned through out the book. I guess I’m just not very up to date on my paranormal history. The ones that I was slightly familiar with were those in Salem, MA. I took a trip there with two of best friends and we took a night time ghost tour. It was a unique experience taking a trolley through historical Salem especially in the places where the witch trials had occurred. It wasn’t necessarily spooky but, it was interesting. I would love to go on another similar trip in the future.
A Haunted History Of Invisible Women features some of the most famous ghost stories as well as some that were personal to the authors. They use these ghosts to create their argument about the way society viewed women and their roles over time. These ghosts off women voices which they may not have been able to have when they were alive. hey could also be used for warnings against women regarding certain behaviors. These arguments provide openings for more discussions and there are many resources available in the back of the book for future research. This will also provide opportunity for new readers to have an introduction to feminist and the paranormal. It could be the start of a fun and eerie adventure.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
**I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.**
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