Ebooks

Oh My Goth

A fiercely individualist Goth girl wakes up to discover that the whole world has gone Goth and she's actually -- gag -- popular. Jade Leigh is a nonconformist who values individuality above all else. She has a small group of like-minded Goth friends who wear black, dabble in the dark arts, and thrive outside the norm. They're considered the "freaks" of their high school. But when Jade's smart mouth lands her in trouble -- again -- her principal decides to teach her a lesson she'll never forget. Taken to a remote location where she is strapped down and sedated, Jade wakes up in an alternate universe where she rules the school. But her best friends won't talk to her, and the people she used to hate are all Goth. Only Clarik, the mysterious new boy in town, operates outside all the cliques. And only Mercedes, the Barbie clone Jade loathes, believes that Jade's stuck in a virtual reality game -- because she's stuck there, too, now living the life of a "freak." Together, they realize they might never get back to reality...and that even if they do, things might never be the same.

Goth

Goths represent one of the most arresting, distinctive and enduring subcultures of recent times. The dedication of those involved to a lifestyle which, from the outside, may appear dark and sinister, has spawned reactions ranging from admiration to a larm. Until now, no one has conducted a full-scale ethnographic study of this fascinating subcultural group. Based on extensive research by an 'insider', this is the first. Immersing us in the potent mix of identities, practices and values that make up the goth scene, the author takes us behind the faade of the goth mystique. From dress and musical tastes to social habits and the use of the internet, Hodkinson details the inner workings of this intriguing group. Defying postmodern theories that claim media and commerce break down substantive cultural groupings, Hodkinson shows how both have been used by goths to retain, and even strengthen, their group identity. Hodkinson provides a comprehensive reworking of subcultural theory, making a ke y contribution to the disciplines of sociology, cultural studies, youth studies, media studies, and popular music studies. Readable and accessible, this groundbreaking book presents a unique chance to engage with a contemporary, spectacular culture.

Witchcraft, Sorcery, Rumors and Gossip

This book combines the study of witchcraft and sorcery with the study of rumours and gossip, and explains the role of rumour and gossip in the genesis of social and political violence. Examples are drawn from Africa, Europe, India, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, and Indonesia.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wicca and Witchcraft

This guide offers a beginner's look at the history of paganism, Wicca, and witchcraft, from the Druids and Celts to the witches of today who practice an earth-based religion, cast spells, and perform natural magic. The book, written by a practicing witch, reveals details of the witches' Sabbaths, ceremonies, and altars.

Witchcraft Myths in American Culture

A fascinating examination of how Americans think about and write about witches, from the 'real' witches tried and sometimes executed in early New England to modern re-imaginings of witches as pagan priestesses, comic-strip heroines, and feminist icons. The first half of the book is a thorough rereading of the original documents describing witchcraft prosecutions from 1640-1700, and a rethinking of these sources as far less coherent and trustworthy than most historians have considered them to be. The second half of the book examines how these historical narratives have transformed into myths of witchcraft still current in American society, writing, and visual culture. The discussion includes references to everything from Increase Mather and Edgar Allan Poe to Joss Whedon (the writer/director of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'', which includes a Wiccan character) and ''The Blair Witch Project''.

Scary Shorts for Halloween

A 'feel good' and 'do good' book containing true, contemporary ghost stories from across the United Kingdom. It includes a story by Yvette Fielding, presenter of Living TV's 'Most Haunted' High profile media launch at The London Dungeon.

Ghostly Encounters: True Stories of America's Haunted Inns and Hotels

A good night's sleep is not guaranteed...There's nothing like an old-fashioned bed-and-breakfast or inn for beautiful antique decor, delicious hearty meals, the luxury of times past. But the guest houses featured in this unique guide offer much more: phantom servants watching from the upper floors, eerie footsteps echoing in hallways, and ghostly voices calling from the other side. Now Frances Kermeen, the former owner of "the most haunted house in America," takes you on a one-of-a-kind tour of America's most bewitched places to stay. Feel the chills as you visit:Rooms where women should not stay the night alone-unless they want a romantic encounter with a spectral loverThe beautiful Key West inn that's terrorized by a doll with a ghastly chuckleA certain hall in a coastal California hotel where a female apparition calls enticingly to male guests through a door at nightThe Utah hotel where poltergeists torment the maids and frighten young schoolchildren. These and other goulish tales await you in...Ghostly EncountersSKEPTIC, INNKEEPER, BELIEVER...NOW SHE'S YOUR INSIDE GUIDE TOAMERICA'S MOST HAUNTED HOTELS!When Frances Kermeen purchased the old Southern mansion in Louisiana, she was sure it would make the perfect quiet period hotel. But after seeing a candelabra floating up the stairs, hearing voices coming from a stilled gramophone, and learning about an irate foreman who stalks the grounds a century after his death, she soon discovered that The Myrtles was "America's Most Haunted House." And when The Myrtles became front-page news across the country, her business boomed.

Skeptic's Guide to the Paranormal

‘Lynne Kelly's Skeptic's Guide to the Paranormal is a lovely book. It covers a wide range of paranormal ''mythconceptions'' in an entertaining and comprehensive way. The fascinating topics include the Bermuda Triangle, UFOs, Astrology, Nostradamus and Spoon Bending. The Universe around us is magnificent enough to fill us with awe and wonder - and this book shows us that we don't have to rely on second-rate re-hashed myths.'Karl Kruszelnicki, Julius Sumner Miller Fellow, University of Sydney‘We find ourselves in a society which erroneously believes it has undergone an Enlightenment, but has only experienced a certain degree of Brightening. Lynne Kelly's informative book should never have been needed, but obviously is. Telling people what they already know - that there is no Tooth Fairy, magic is a subject for children's story books and immortality, ESP and astral projection belong in fantasy stories - is made a more acceptable and communicable message via this book. Kudos and applause to the author. Let's have more , 'James Randi, President, James Randi Educational Foundation, www.randi.orgCan a human being really burst spontaneously into flames? Just how deadly is the Bermuda Triangle? And what's the real story behind all those alien abductions?The answers to these and many more questions are within these covers. Guaranteed to liven up any dinner party, The Skeptic's Guide to the Paranormal offers explanations for many phenomena which appear to defy known science. Speaking directly to the reader, and always with respect for those who believe, Lynne Kelly presents the facts about the paranormal. Did you know that you too can bend spoons and read minds? This book will show you how.Lynne Kelly has been teaching science and mathematics for over 30 years. She holds degrees in education and engineering and delights in debunking claims of the paranormal. She also delights in all things arachnid and is famous for her spider jewellery.

Ghost Hunters And Psychic Detectives

STORIES OF GHOSTS, WEREWOLVES, VAMPIRES & DETECTION Here are nine fascinating, shuddery tales about those most overlooked of sleuths – the ghost hunters and psychic detectives who spiced up the pages of turn-of-the century magazines. Equipped with a deep knowledge of things occult – often with a pinch of paranormal power themselves – these bloodhounds of the borderland pick up where more mundane detectives like the immortal Sherlock Holmes or Miss Jane Marple leave off. When the likes of Mason Bell, Dr. Munsing, Quinn's Jules DeGrandon, Moris Klaw, Flaxman Low, or Carnacki are on the trail, you can be sure the explanation for eerie and ectoplasmic doings will never involve some mundane trick like painting a hound's jaws with phosphorous. The ghost down the hall or the werewolf at the window, the awful demon seeking vengeance from another dimension, will all turn out to be very real indeed. This anthology brings together nine rare and vintage tales of ghost hunters and psychic sleuths. In it you will meet such legendary, and nearly forgotten fictive practitioners as Gordon Acreage's Dr. Munsing in "The Exorcist"; Seabury Quinn's Jules DeGrandon in "Body and Soul"; Sax Rohmer's Moris Klaw in "The Headless Mummies"; E. and H. Heron's Flaxman Low in "The Grey House"; T. Meade and Robert Eustace's Bell, Master of Mystery in "The Warder of the Door"; Conrad Richter's Mason Bell in "The Toad Man"; William Hope Hodgson's Carnacki, Ghost Finder, in "The Whistling Room"; Victor Rousseau's Ivan Brodsky, Surgeon of Souls, in "The Tenth Commandment"; and Algernon Blackwood's John Silence in "A Victim of Higher Space." Don't be surprised if reading their cases proves addictive, and you find yourself finishing the book, yearning for more. Cover art: Leo Summers circa 1957

The Cases that Haunt Us

America's foremost expert on criminal profiling provides his uniquely gripping analysis of seven of the most notorious murder cases in the history of crime - from the Whitechapel murders to JonBenet Ramsey - often contradicting conventional wisdom and legal decisions. Jack the Ripper. Lizzie Borden. The Zodiac Killer. Certain homicide cases maintain an undeniable, almost mystical hold on the public imagination. They touch a nerve deep within us because of the personalities involved, their senseless depravity, the nagging doubts about whether justice was done, or because, in some instances, no suspect has ever been identified or caught. In The Cases That Haunt Us, twenty-five-year-FBI-veteran John Douglas, profiling pioneer and master of modern criminal investigative analysis, and author and film maker Mark Olshaker, the team behind the bestselling Mindhunter series, explore the tantalizing mysteries that both their legions of fans and law enforcement professionals ask about most. Among the questions they tackle: Was Jack the Ripper actually the Duke of Clarence, eldest grandson of Queen Victoria, or perhaps a practicing medical doctor? And did highly placed individuals within Scotland Yard have a good idea of the Ripper's identity, which they never revealed? Douglas and Olshaker create a detailed profile of the killer, and reveal their chief suspect. Was Lizzie Borden truly innocent of the murder of her father and stepmother as the Fall River, Massachusetts, jury decided, or was she the one who took the ax and delivered those infamous "whacks"? Through a minute-by-minute behavioral analysis of the crime, the authors come to a convincing conclusion. Did Bruno Richard Hauptmann single-handedly kidnap the baby son of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, the most famous couple in the world, or was he an innocent man caught up and ultimately executed in a relentless rush to judgment in the "crime of the century"? What kind of person could kill six-year-old JonBenet Ramsey on Christmas night in her own home? Douglas was called in on the case shortly after the horrifying murder, and his conclusions are hard-hitting and controversial. Why, in the face of the majority of public, media, and law enforcement opinion, including former FBI colleagues, does Douglas believe that John and Patricia Ramsey did not murder their daughter? And what is the forensic and behavioral evidence he brings to bear to make his claim? Taking a fresh and penetrating look at each case, the authors reexamine and reinterpret accepted facts and victimology using modern profiling and the techniques of criminal analysis developed by Douglas within the FBI. This book deconstructs the evidence and widely held beliefs surrounding each case and rebuilds them - with fascinating and haunting results.