I have watched some of the "Weird US" shows on TV and I rather enjoyed them so when I saw this book I figured that I would enjoy it also. I have to admit though that I was a bit perplexed by the title because I couldn't figure out how any haunting could be anything but weird. I was correct though about enjoying this book!

What this book is is a collection of true stories about ghostly events that have happened in a far-reaching variety of places. These stories are written by various authors some of whom are well known for their research and writings on this subject and some of whom are maybe less experienced in this field but who nonetheless do a very credible job in this collection. Some of my favorite authors of true ghost story books like Alan Brown and Jeff Belanger are featured in this book, as is one author whose works have never impressed me but even he does a respectable job here. Overall I was just very pleased with this book.

The stories are a bit on the short side but the authors generally are able to cram a lot of information into those short stories. Most all of the stories contain information about how to find the location in question or the reader is informed that that particular site is private property and that ghost hunters are not welcome there. Best of all though almost every story in this book contains interviews with first hand eyewitnesses to the haunt being described. There is also an attempt made to decipher what may have caused the haunting in most of these stories and the reader is made aware of the history of most of the locations but without the history overwhelming the haunting, as is all too often the case in these types of books. I also found no glaring historical errors in these stories and that mistake, caused by lax research is all too prevalent in this genre.

I was also happy to see that this book was not simply a compilation of old worn out stories that had been done to death (pardon the pun) by other authors. I hardly ran into any familiar stories and considering my large collection of this type of book that is quite an accomplishment and I assume that I should give Joanne Austin, the editor, credit for that. These stories were very well chosen. I just wish that the stories had been a little longer and had contained just a tad more detail even if it meant leaving out a few stories. Those stories would have made an excellent starting place for the volume two that I hope to see published shortly.

OK first of all let me say for the record what we all know to be true. There are no such things as Ghosts. Every single solitary unbiased examination has proven this to be the case. That being said we all love a good ghost story being told and this book has a number of really fun and enjoyable ones to tell around the campfire on a dark night. Weird Hauntings has a number of fun and enjoyable stories, none of which I would take too seriously.

The authors do a good job of making these stories seem real because in many cases there is enough information given to make the story seem juicy but of course just enough so it can never be verified. All of these stories are full of crimes and lives cut short but at some point in the past that can never be proven. So none of them are at all credible but you are not reading this because you believe it is a text book. You're reading them in a dark room to scare yourself! For that alone it's worth reading!

I enjoyed reading this book very much. The book has great artwork. Just a great book all around!

I enjoyed reading this book very much. The book has great artwork. Just a great book all around!

I found this book to be quite disappointing. It begins well with a very readable and page-turning first chapter but from there on things just go downhill and never really recover. Every now and then an interesting and believable scary story pops up but mostly it seems just like what you could expect to encounter if you took a class entitled Creative Ghost Story Writing For Beginners 101. It seems that an awful lot of the tales stem more from the imagination of the narrator than from some otherworldly realm. And not a few times I cringed in embarassment when a paranormal suggestion or explanation was offered for events that were so obviously nothing of the sort. If you like your ghost tales served up with credibility and objective research and investigation then this book is definitely not for you. Spared from a single star rating only by the heroics of Chapter One.

Weird Hauntings by Joanne Austin is quite good for a book of ghost tale compilations. This is from the same team that does the entire "Weird" series of books (Weird U.S., Weird Arizona, etc.), and reminds me of the best of the books that I would find at my local library as a child with a voracious appetite for the macabre. Off the bat, the introduction by Ryan Doan in which he relates the fact that his father used to hide under his bed as a child starts off the bizarre proceedings on a wonderfully weird note.

In particular, another value in the book is that it details investigations or stories from individuals that have not been repeated ad infinitum in other books on the subject. There is also mention of a few famous areas such as Alcatraz or Gettysburg to keep one interested as well.

Well done: 5 out of 5 skulls

I enjoyed reading this book, very interesting as it leads you to different places and each author has his/her own story to tell. The table of contents was organized from haunted houses, historic haunts, terrifying travels, the otherworldly outdoors and so forth. It was a well-researched book with detailed events. Some of the photos of places and people were such a good addition that made the book more interesting to read. Although I'd like to add that some of these photos were edited to make them look more scary. One of the exceptions is the main photo for pages 214-215 (Eerie Eateries, Spooky Salons), it was a bit cheesy and tacky. The Graphic Artist/s could have done a better job than that and made the images look more realistic and believable. I am a Graphic Designer and I saw the flaw in this book. I gave the review 3 stars because with all these edited photographs, the authors could have used the space for more text and information. I will give the authors credit for the great content of the book. Overall, the book is more interesting than scary.

This was a very interesting book. My only regret is I will never get to go to most of these places to experience these things for myself. Great reading for ghosty people.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone interested in the paranormal. Perfect for Halloween!

Rose Pressey
Author of "My Haunted Family"

This is probably the BEST first person account book EVER! I love the tough, superior quality of the book pages and binding and photographs- thick and glossy pages, heavy and solid book. But that is secondhand to the spooky true stories told by various people ! Stories are a little short, but the fast pace and MANY stories in this book make up for that. I am an avid collector of both Horror anthologies AND "Haunting" anthologies, and it takes a bit to keep me interested. These are not the same tried and true "Famous" ghost stories retold in soooo many of my Haunting books . BUY THIS- you won't be dissapointed!!!

I finished reading this book a few days ago. You know a book is good when the reader is actually sad about finishing it. This is a compilation by many authors, done in a style similar to Weird NJ magazine. It's really great. Some of the addresses of the haunted sites are given, sometimes with a caveat that the particular location is a private home and the (living) residents don't want to be disturbed. I enjoyed the Hawaiian ghost story about the cemetery lei the best. No one should be bored reading this. Weird Hauntings is great fun and I would highly recommend it.

This book was very good! I am an avid reader of Ghosts and Hauntings and find many books on the subject just dont keep my interest due to them being boring or all the stories seem to be the same but using diffrent names. Weird Hauntings was a very good book and I would recommend it to anyone interseted in the paramormal!

In this book, the authors of Weird U.S. have compiled with the help of Joanne Austin a collection of ghostly tales having to do with haunted houses, spooky roads, historic buildings, graveyards, hostels, restaurants, saloons, schools, institutions etc. Not only are the stories well-written, but there are actual photographs, and also pictures added for creepy effect throughout the book. It makes not only for an interesting read for anyone interested in supernatual phenomena, but serves to enlighten us as to some of the creepy places in the US!

These were interesting stories throughout the US. Good book for those who want to read a short, and creepy story late at night.

America's most haunted places are featured in a fine survey which includes both spots well-known and open to the public and private residences alike. Each story is a firsthand tale that reviews sites ranging from haunted houses and graveyard to scary theatres, saloons and more. Besides the attention to descriptive detail, color photos and sidebars of information throughout differentiate WEIRD HAUNTINGS: TRUE TALES OF GHOSTLY PLACES from competing titles and make it particularly interesting for general-interest holdings; especially those seeking catchy covers and contents suitable for eye-catching display.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

If Halloween is one of your favorite 'holidays' and you like being spooked and scared, then this book would be a great find for you. It's a compilation of eerie stories, just enough to give you goosebumps. Remember to keep the lights on!

And that's the truth. When I bought this book at Barnes and Noble last Friday (along with Conan: The Ultimate Guide to the World's Most Savage Barbarian), I got spooked when I first read it by myself. There is a wealth of information regarding the ghosts that haunt us from beyond, plus a vampire legend and serial killer legends. This is a great book, and it now sits on my closet shelf, along with all my other frequently-read books. I recommend it for anyone who has an interests in hauntings or spirits of the dead.