Reviewed by Bruce Schaffenberger

Ever wonder what state is the most haunted? Virginia may have more ghosts per capita, but California has the largest number of cases under investigation. How do I know? I took a quick tally in The National Directory of Haunted Places. This unusual guidebook chronicles over 2,500 supernatural sites. Included are hotels, inns, theaters, restaurants, and other businesses, as well as houses, schools, churches, parks, and campgrounds. All are believed to be actual haunted places, where strange and unexplainable events have been reported. However, what makes this book spooky is that these are real places, with addresses, phone numbers, and travel directions.

The author's definition of a haunted place goes against the grain of many parapsychologists, who spend their time separating such phenomena into increasingly narrow categories. For Hauck, a place is haunted if events occur there that are beyond our ability to explain. Whether that place is haunted by ghosts, flying saucers, angels, demons, or some other mysterious presence is only a matter of parameters. Such a definition includes not only haunted buildings but also mystical sites, sacred landmarks, creature sightings, and UFO landings. "As individually unique as these phenomena appear," says the author, "they all have two things in common. Hauntings occur at specific locations, and they are outside our everyday experience."

Not only can you find the nearest haunted inn or restaurant in this book, but you can also discover where the latest UFO encounters are taking place. Or perhaps you're more cautious and just want to know if that house you are thinking of buying has a history of paranormal activity. Look it up in the directory. A few states have passed laws requiring the divulgence of such information, although some homeowners are naturally reluctant to admit their house is possessed by spirits. But no matter what you're looking for, every entry is referenced to a comprehensive bibliography that lists sources for further information.

Haunted Places is the first national compendium of supernatural locations ever published, and there are chapters for all 50 states. But even if you never leave your armchair, this book has a lot to teach about our haunted heritage and the spiritual dimension that lies just below the surface of our daily lives.

From the ghosts of our Founding Fathers to extraterrestrial intelligences, Haunted Places has it all. Ever wonder if ghosts have emotions? Poltergeist cases suggest that some apparitions might be projections of our own emotions. Do ghosts keep their sexual preferences? Indeed they do. Look up the lesbian ghost in Carson City, Nevada, or the middle-aged man who haunts the showers at the YMCA in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Oh, and don't forget the spectral flasher who appears in the lobby of the inn at Sutter Creek, California.