Poltergeist!: A Study in Destructive Haunting

by Colin Wilson

Book Overview

Crashing noises and disembodied voices, coming from nowhere and everywhere at once. Invisible tormentors slapping and pinching and pulling hair. Fires starting spontaneously, pools of water... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 039912716X
• ISBN13: 9780399127168
• Release Date: January 1985
• Publisher: Putnam Publishing Group
• Length: 382 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Staple In My Library

Don't let the cover art or the title mislead. This is a serious book on the study of poltergeist and the supernatural. Anyone familar with Colin Wilson will know what to expect, but for those that are not, be ready. Wilson writes in a stream of consciousness style, digressing frequently, but always into something fascinating and always leading back to the original point. This book, like his others, gives you the facts and histories behind many cases and theories of the paranormal. From The Bell Witch to Theosophy to demonic possession to poltergeist, Wilson touches on many subjects, and wraps it all up in the end with a mind blowing conclusion. You will learn more about the paranormal in this book than many paranormal researchers have learned in decades. Considering the original publication date, Wilson's ideas and theories are ahead of his time, many having recently come as close to being proven as fact as possible in this genre. If you love this book I highly recommend "Mysteries" or "The Occult" as your next reading. This book is especially great for anyone who thinks they have an extensive knowledge of the paranormal...guess again and read this book.

Wilson's best

Colin Wilson's unbiased investigations of paranormal phenomena spanned several decades. Every one is worth the reading for the person who's interested in actually learning about these mysteries, as opposed to merely finding crutches to support pre-concieved biases and beliefs.I've read all of Wilson's works on these matters and I believe Poltergeist to be the best, most thorough of the lot.

Very fascinating!

This book is very interesting! It describes and defines a poltergeist, and what they do. And it gives many differnt case studies about people associated with a poltergeist. It seems that certin people have effects on poltergeiste, as in anything they touch will be the objects that will be thrown across the room, or if a certin person is in the room, that will trigger an attack. It is all very interesting, and I would highly recomend it to anyone! Colin Wilson is one of the best authors on this type of subject ie. the occult, and strange behaviors/ghosts ect. I love every one of his books that I have read, and will continue to read them! If you have any interest in ghosts I would highly recommend you spend your money on this book, and not an "immitation"! ;)

An Important Book

Colin Wilson has penned what may come to be regarded as THE book on the subject of poltergeist phenomenae. What impressed this reader most was the exhaustive research and documentation conducted by Mr. Wilson on history's more famous poltergeist cases. Though his conclusions are speculative, Mr. Wilson never loses his objectivity or credibility in this work, and the entire subject matter is given a boost as result. Though not for the uninitiated, "Poltergeist" still manages to send a few shivers up the spine, despite being a scientific work. This book is a MUST for any student of the paranormal.

A well written and interesting approach to the subject

"Poltergeist: A Study in Destructive Haunting" addresses many issues concerning and related to poltergeist, treating the subject in a very serious - and non-sensationalistic - manner. The author uses a number of sources documenting poltergeist phenomena, addresses other author's (parapsychologists, ghost-hunters, and other interested parties) interpretations (i.e. speculations) of these events, and works to establish his own unified theory of poltergeist phenomena.Those interested in poltergeists might also enjoy books written by Harry Price (author of "The Most Haunted House in England", and "Poltergeist: Tales of the Supernatural).