Advice on buying Occult, Paranormal Books and Literature
Not all, but most modern books on the market on the paranormal and Occult are for novices, and those new to the paranormal, which is fine if your new to it all, but many of these books are repetitive and only offer limited knowledge, and sometimes outright unprofessional and uneducated content. So I have compiled a selection of books that I my self have read and can vouch for their credibility, authenticity and sound professional researched information that lies within their pages. I will also offer my opinion on what kind of books to buy and what kind to avoid.
I would suggest buying books that were written before the mid 1990s, as they tend to be more well researched before the paranormal became fashionable and more popular. Today many authors write sloppy and poorly researched books just to make an easy profit from the recent rise in occult interest because of Hollywood and "Paranormal investigation" TV shows. Do not buy books that have words in the title or introduction or description such as "The Truth about....." "How to...." " The facts about...." Well you get the picture, no one really knows the exact truth about the paranormal or occult as there are so many differing opinions and beliefs when it comes to the occult and supernatural or paranormal, there are only opinions and beliefs, and documented cases that seem to contradict the next case.
This doesn’t guarantee the book be poor, but avoid books that seem to have religious overtones or influence in their content, or seem to be written with a dogma that might make its information biased, or one-sided, as dogma limits knowledge. Look briefly to see if the author is open-minded and not trying to preach a specific agenda, such as a religious ideology or fundamental personal belief, be it political or spiritual, if they seem to be demonising anyone belief system avoid at all costs.
All good paranormal books should not be about convincing people of anything, just simply sharing the information and knowledge with their reader, and letting them make of it what they will. If the author has an agenda then its more likely than not that their information will be one-sided and biased.
It doesn’t guarantee the book to be a good source, but people with academic qualifications on subjects like History, Psychology, Parapsychology are normally a good author to consider.
Shop in Charity stores.
Not only are the books much cheaper than buying them from regular stores or online, you also give to charity and help the less fortunate. So its a win win situation. Also by buying books from charity shops you don’t feed the big cooperate company monsters, so you can stick two fingers up to the machine too, which I personally find is always a huge pleasure and bonus.
There might not be a big selection of paranormal books when it comes to charity shops, but your be surprised what you can find if you look. And plus most of the books on the paranormal you find in charity shops are older books, and as I have already stated I tend to believe books pre-1995 are much better sources of information on the paranormal and occult than the more modern ones that have been mass-manufactured and written half assed and with more simple commercial content. Older books seem to have much more professional and knowledgeable content in them, and have had more research and effort applied to them.
Shop smart - Shop Charity smart.
Suggested Occult and Paranormal reading.
Ghosts and Hauntings - Dennis Bardens 1965
Chambers Compact Referance - The Occult Andre Nataf 1988
A History of Magic, Witchcraft & Occultism - W.B. Crow 1968
Beyond The occult - 20 Years research into the Paranormal - Colin Wilson 1988
Or anything by Colin Wilson
Poltergeists And The Paranormal - Reuben Stone 1993
The world of the unexplained - janet and Colin Bord 1998
A relatively new book, but a good book for beginners. Any book by Colin and Janet Bord are good for the beginner.
Books on specific Haunted or Mystical locations around the UK
Welsh Ghosts and Phantoms - A collection of Ghost stories from Wales - Jane Pugh 1979
Ghosts of the North Country - Henry Tegner 1991
Atlas Of Magical Britain - Janet and Colin Bord 1990
A great source of 100s of haunted and magical places around the UK
Haunted Hampshire - Anthony Brode 1981
The Haunted South - Joan Forman 1978
Westcountry Hauntings - Peter Underwood 1986
Railway Ghosts - Jarrold 1985
Other authors I strongly suggest are the following.
Rev. Lionel Fanthorpe
Peter Underwood
Harry Price
Maurice Grosse
Prof. Archie Roy
Paranormal Video/DVD recommendations
Ghost Hunters Box set, also shown on different channels on Satellite/Sky
Whistle and I'LL Come To You by Jonathan Miller 1968 - A brilliant creepy black and white fictional ghost story about the scientific stupidity of arrogant scepticism.
Spiritual reading
Neale Donald Walsch - Conversations with God Trilogy
James Van Praagh: His three best books are... Taking to Heaven. Reaching to Heaven. Heaven and Earth.
Barry Stevens (Faeden)
I would suggest buying books that were written before the mid 1990s, as they tend to be more well researched before the paranormal became fashionable and more popular. Today many authors write sloppy and poorly researched books just to make an easy profit from the recent rise in occult interest because of Hollywood and "Paranormal investigation" TV shows. Do not buy books that have words in the title or introduction or description such as "The Truth about....." "How to...." " The facts about...." Well you get the picture, no one really knows the exact truth about the paranormal or occult as there are so many differing opinions and beliefs when it comes to the occult and supernatural or paranormal, there are only opinions and beliefs, and documented cases that seem to contradict the next case.
This doesn’t guarantee the book be poor, but avoid books that seem to have religious overtones or influence in their content, or seem to be written with a dogma that might make its information biased, or one-sided, as dogma limits knowledge. Look briefly to see if the author is open-minded and not trying to preach a specific agenda, such as a religious ideology or fundamental personal belief, be it political or spiritual, if they seem to be demonising anyone belief system avoid at all costs.
All good paranormal books should not be about convincing people of anything, just simply sharing the information and knowledge with their reader, and letting them make of it what they will. If the author has an agenda then its more likely than not that their information will be one-sided and biased.
It doesn’t guarantee the book to be a good source, but people with academic qualifications on subjects like History, Psychology, Parapsychology are normally a good author to consider.
Shop in Charity stores.
Not only are the books much cheaper than buying them from regular stores or online, you also give to charity and help the less fortunate. So its a win win situation. Also by buying books from charity shops you don’t feed the big cooperate company monsters, so you can stick two fingers up to the machine too, which I personally find is always a huge pleasure and bonus.
There might not be a big selection of paranormal books when it comes to charity shops, but your be surprised what you can find if you look. And plus most of the books on the paranormal you find in charity shops are older books, and as I have already stated I tend to believe books pre-1995 are much better sources of information on the paranormal and occult than the more modern ones that have been mass-manufactured and written half assed and with more simple commercial content. Older books seem to have much more professional and knowledgeable content in them, and have had more research and effort applied to them.
Shop smart - Shop Charity smart.
Suggested Occult and Paranormal reading.
Ghosts and Hauntings - Dennis Bardens 1965
Chambers Compact Referance - The Occult Andre Nataf 1988
A History of Magic, Witchcraft & Occultism - W.B. Crow 1968
Beyond The occult - 20 Years research into the Paranormal - Colin Wilson 1988
Or anything by Colin Wilson
Poltergeists And The Paranormal - Reuben Stone 1993
The world of the unexplained - janet and Colin Bord 1998
A relatively new book, but a good book for beginners. Any book by Colin and Janet Bord are good for the beginner.
Books on specific Haunted or Mystical locations around the UK
Welsh Ghosts and Phantoms - A collection of Ghost stories from Wales - Jane Pugh 1979
Ghosts of the North Country - Henry Tegner 1991
Atlas Of Magical Britain - Janet and Colin Bord 1990
A great source of 100s of haunted and magical places around the UK
Haunted Hampshire - Anthony Brode 1981
The Haunted South - Joan Forman 1978
Westcountry Hauntings - Peter Underwood 1986
Railway Ghosts - Jarrold 1985
Other authors I strongly suggest are the following.
Rev. Lionel Fanthorpe
Peter Underwood
Harry Price
Maurice Grosse
Prof. Archie Roy
Paranormal Video/DVD recommendations
Ghost Hunters Box set, also shown on different channels on Satellite/Sky
Whistle and I'LL Come To You by Jonathan Miller 1968 - A brilliant creepy black and white fictional ghost story about the scientific stupidity of arrogant scepticism.
Spiritual reading
Neale Donald Walsch - Conversations with God Trilogy
James Van Praagh: His three best books are... Taking to Heaven. Reaching to Heaven. Heaven and Earth.
Barry Stevens (Faeden)
