American Hauntings: The True Stories behind Hollywood's Scariest Moviesfrom The Exorcist to The Conjuring [Hardcover]

This work provides an accurate, in-depth examination and scientific evaluation of the most famous hauntings in American history as depicted in popular films and television programs.

Neither a debunking book nor one written for the true believer in the paranormal,American Hauntingsobjectively scrutinizes the historic evidence behind such hugely popular films asThe Exorcist,The Amityville Horror,An American Haunting,The Conjuring, andThe Haunting in Connecticutto ascertain the accuracy of these entertainment depictions of true life hauntings. The authors then compare these popular culture accounts against the alleged real-life encounters and impartially weigh the evidence to assess whether each incident actually took place.

Written by highly credentialed, recognized authorities on the paranormal and social psychology, this book contains meticulously documented, science-based information written for a broad audience, from middle and high school students and those taking introductory courses at a university level to general readers. There is no other work that provides as careful and unbiased an evaluation of the most famous hauntings in American history. The book also examines the reliability of popular television shows such asUnsolved MysteriesandParanormal Witness.

Robert E. Bartholomew, PhD, is a medical sociologist who teaches social sciences at Botany College, Auckland, New Zealand.

Joe Nickell, PhD, is a prominent paranormal investigator and former resident magician at the Houdini Hall of Fame.

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1An American Haunting:Terror and Torment in Tennessee
2The Exorcist:Diary of a Demonic Possession
3Poltergeist: The Inspiration for the Film
4The Conjuring: What Possessed the Perron Family?
5The Amityville Horror: Haunting or Hoax?
6Don Decker: The Man Who Could Make It Railc;