A.C. Bernardi

Another local history FAIL. I have worked in Scranton for over 36 years, made a lot of friends among people who have lived here all their lives, patronized innumerable local businesses, and visited most of the purported haunted locations mentioned in this book (restaurants, office buildings, cultural venues, etc.) for conventional (not paranormal) reasons. If the examples cited in this book are the best the city has to offer, I can understand why, in all that time, I have never heard a single "ghost story" associated with this town. Not one of the tales of haunting recited by Bernardi seems to have any foundation in real events---none of the so-called ghosts are tied to specific violent deaths, none of them have names rooted in history or even in family lore. That does not stop Bernardi from speculating freely about who these spirits might be, or why they are hanging around. I am profoundly skeptical about all paranormal stuff anyway, but it can be fun to read about. Can be. Wasn't. The writing is so bad it makes me want to avoid anything published by The History Press forevermore, even though their mission really appeals to me. This particular effort would have earned a low "C" from my high school English teacher, for ruddy awful sentences, adverbial recklessness and peculiar use of adjectives. If it didn't mean forcing her to read the darn thing, I'd love to hear my daughter's assessment of it from a rhetorical perspective.
Review written in 2012… (mer)

This book is part of a series that is called 'Haunted America' by the History Press. This series of books is heavy on local history, legends and lore. I have read a few of the books from this series, and was so excited to see that there was finally one about my home area since my family has lived in the Scranton area since my great great grandparents moved here over 90 years ago. This specific book has a great balance of historical information, legend and lore.

If you like our Scranton history you will like this book.

If you like Paranormal or Ghost related stories a most read.… (mer)