Review by Scott Lefebvre
Recently I found myself unexpectedly
contracted to write a book about paranormal happenings in the Long Island
area. While doing exploratory research
for my book, I was told about two authors to contact to obtain books for
research and review.
It seems, that Mrs. Flanagan Brosky found
her way into the realm of the paranormal by a sideways path. The author relates how she does
presentations culled from her extensive knowledge about the unique and
interesting history of Long Island. She
shares how often the most popular parts of her presentations were those
anecdotes relating to Long Island’s surprisingly rich history of folklore and
paranormal happenings. Often attendees
of her presentations would approach the author afterwards and share their own
stories of paranormal experiences, both those which they had heard of through
folklore and urban legend, and those which they had experienced themselves.
In addition to being a respectably
knowledgeable historian, Mrs. Flanagan Brosky is also an accomplished
photographer. Her book is illustrated
with sixty-four beautifully rendered black and white photos, as well as several
additional photos culled from her research.
The author and photographer has an excellent eye for composition clearly
exhibited in her photography.
Mrs. Flanagan Brosky shares the credit for
this book with paranormal researcher Joe Giaquinto whose acquaintance she made
after one of her presentations for the Huntington Historical Society in 2005. This is not Mrs. Flanagan Brosky’s first
foray into the exploration of Long Island’s haunted history. This book is preceded by her book,
‘Huntington’s Hidden Past’ (Maple Hill Press, 1995).
The book begins with two explanatory
lists. One, a glossary of paranormal
terms titled ‘Ghost Hunter’s Terms and Definitions’, is relatively unnecessary,
especially when contrasted with the second listing addressing the ‘Ten Types of
Ghosts’ culled from Peter Underwood’s ‘Ghosts and How to See Them’ (1993),
which I hadn’t previously known of, but am grateful to have discovered included
herein.
The majority of the book consists of brief
stories about the haunted history of Long Island accompanied by the author’s
photographs obtained during the author’s research of and exploration of the
featured sites. The brief but richly detailed and captivating
chapters make this book readily accessible both to those with brief attention
spans and those that are enthusiasts of reading through anthologies as if they
were novels.
For those unfamiliar with the geography of
the United States, Long Island exists below New York State, running almost the
length of its neighboring state, Connecticut.
Long Island has a long folkloric history of paranormal happenings
harkening back to it’s Native American origins, and this history is exemplified
by the wide array of interesting architecture remaining as a reminder of its
past. This architectural history is
impressively enriched by Long Island’s attractiveness as a resort destination
for the legendarily wealthy of New York, many of whom built palatial vacation
homes, which have been restored and maintained as enduring examples of their
excesses in life, surviving them after their often tragic deaths.
The author selects a satisfyingly
representative sample from Long Island’s supernatural history ranging from
Indian folklore to present day happenings.
Mansions, defunct mental hospitals, windmills, lighthouses, graveyards,
haunted private residences, bed and breakfasts existing in buildings converted
from days past, and a haunted lake are all colorfully covered, including a
prerequisite chapter on Long Island’s most famous paranormal happening, the
“Amityville Horror”, portrayed proliferately in a series of films and
novelizations.
Of particular note, aside from the
aforementioned chapters, are the chapters reflecting the authors’ unique
experiences. One of which about Mr.
Giaquinto’s impressive collection of haunted dolls, and the other concerning a
child’s imaginary friend named Irving, which may not have been imaginary at
all.
In conclusion, this book is both a
valuable reference and a pleasurable read.
Attractively illustrated and durably bound, it is perfect for paranormal
enthusiasts and a must have book for those living on Long Island with even a
passing enthusiasm for the paranormal.
On the internet:
Ghosts of Long Island: www.ghostsoflongisland.com
Joe Giaquinto: www.joegiaquintoparanormalinvestigator.com
The American Association
Electronic Voice Phenomena: http://aaevp.com/
The American Society for
Psychical Research: http://www.aspr.com/
Long Island Oddities: http://www.lioddities.com/
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