Saturday, August 13, 2011

Book Review for Haunted Hospitality: The Ghostly History of the Lowe Hotel

Title: Haunted Hospitality- the Ghostly History of the Lowe Hotel (2007)
Author: Robin Pyatt Bellamy
Purchase Information

This is one of many books that I've picked up over the years at various Mothman Festivals, but unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to meet the author.

This book is packed full of history, beginning with the early colonization of the Pt. Pleasant area, and then going into depth about the history of the Lowe Hotel.  The Lowe Hotel, originally known as the Spencer Hotel, has a long and fascinating history in Pt. Pleasant.  Bellamy provides lots of genealogical information for the families who are connected with the building, but more importantly, LOTS of pictures.

Following the sections on the history and the haunts of the Lowe Hotel, Bellamy speaks briefly on several other Pt. Pleasant area hauntings, many of which are not commonly known, and then goes into a short section on the fallacies of  modern ghost hunting and ghost hunting equipment.  While this information is useful, it does seem to follow a general trend in these types of books--that most "ghost hunters" really don't know what they are doing, lol.  As a long-time investigator, I often find myself taking personal offense at some of the generalizations in this field, and being classified along the same lines as others in the paranormal community.

Overall, the book is enjoyable, but the formatting could use a little work in order for the whole book to flow between sections.  However, anyone who wishes to investigate the Lowe Hotel, in a professional capacity or simply out of curiosity, NEEDS to own this book.  There's lots of great research for fact checking, and photographs of key players in some of the haunts--perfect for helping to identify any possible photographic or visual full-body manifestations!  This book is a welcome addition to my library of paranormal literature and I sincerely recommend picking up a copy.

The author, Robin Bellamy, will once again be a speaker at the 2012 Mothman Festival, so take advantage of the opportunity!

No comments:

Post a Comment