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Whether you’re looking for a paranormal adventure or you’re keen to investigate some spooky incidents in the neighborhood, embarking on a ghost hunt will surely be a spine-chilling experience.
With the easy availability of high-tech equipment, anyone can become a ghost hunter.
A ghost hunt typically involves visiting haunted locations, searching for any evidence of paranormal activity, and even interviewing locals on the history of the site.
The usual tools in a ghost hunter’s kit may include: cameras, EMF meters, a compass, audio recorders, Ouija boards, and dowsing rods.
However, it’s advisable to approach any haunted venue with a healthy degree of skepticism and follow the scientific method in all your investigations, separating fact from fiction.
So do you suspect any poltergeist activity in the attic? Spotted mysterious glowing orbs in the backyard? Or stumbled upon a cold spot in the nearby graveyard?
It may be a sign that the other side is calling to you—and these books contain all you need to know to prepare for your first-ever ghost hunt!
Scientific Paranormal Investigation: How to Solve Unexplained Mysteries
In their eagerness to discover something “spooky”, amateur ghost hunters are prone to mistaking hoaxes for truth.
That’s why it’s so important to learn from veteran paranormal investigators and authors like Benjamin Radford who urges all newbie ghost hunters to adopt a “scientific” approach in their investigations.
His book emphasizes the importance of collecting evidence, questioning and corroborating eye-witness accounts and looking for rational explanations to a mystery before turning to the supernatural.
From solving murder mysteries to speaking with the dead, the book balances spine-chilling anecdotes with plenty of wisdom.
The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits
We tend to use the word “ghost” as a catch-all term to refer to the denizens of the spirit world. But actually, the other side is much more complicated—inhabited not just by the spirits of the dead, but also by various supernatural entities.
Rosemary Ellen Guiley’s in-depth book, The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, is a valuable compendium of all things paranormal, arranged in neat, alphabetical entries like a dictionary.
From diving into folklore and myths around the world to historic hauntings and key figures involved in the occult, Guiley’s book offers a crash course on the subject, helping you to tell apart a ghost from a poltergeist, or a doppelganger from a zombie.
Ghost Hunting for Beginners
This book is aimed at all those who’ve grown up watching ghost-hunting TV shows but have never been on an actual ghost hunt yet.
Newman’s lucidly written book provides a comprehensive overview of spirits and hauntings, followed by real-life cases that the author investigated, alongside valuable tips on assembling a suitable team and analyzing evidence.
If you already have a haunted location you’re planning to visit, this book has everything to get you started.
The Ghost Hunter's Survival Guide
Messing with the spirit world can have unforeseen consequences. Skeptics on their first ghost hunt may end up unintentionally offending a spirit or triggering a curse upon their homes.
That’s why it’s important to learn psychic self-defense tricks and perform spiritual cleansing rituals, as Michelle Belanger details in her informative book, The Ghost Hunter’s Survival Guide.
The book is packed with practical advice, covering everything from dealing with exorcisms and spirit possessions to learning how to set up safety wards around one’s home and protect oneself in the astral realm. It is a must-have for any ghost hunter serious about their profession.
The Occult
For those whose interest in ghost-hunting stems from an academic or historical background, the works of philosopher Colin Wilson are a must-read.
In his seminal book, The Occult: A History, he presents a very detailed survey of magical traditions throughout history and the key figures associated with them, such as Aleister Crowley and Franz Mesmer.
If you’re keen to understand how magic has shaped society and cultures and locate the practice of ghost hunting within a broader historical tradition, this book may provide valuable insight and information.
The Screaming Staircase
Finally, if you’re interested in a fiction book that explores the highs and lows of running your very own paranormal investigative agency, you should check out the Lockwood & Co. series by Jonathan Stroud.
The first book, The Screaming Staircase is set in modern-day London where ghosts often attack mortals at night, and follows a band of ghost-hunting teenagers as they investigate the causes of some recent hauntings.
So, if you’re planning to assemble your very own ghost-hunting team, this book will definitely give you some pointers.
Featured photo: Michael Mouritz / Unsplash
