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Will Storr vs. The Supernatural: One Man's Search for the Truth About Ghosts Paperback – September 5, 2006

by Will Storr (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 292 ratings
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Will Storr has done some seriously bizarre and otherworldly things over the course of his career as a journalist. But even spending an entire day with Ozzy Osbourne wasn't as frightening as when he agreed to follow Philadelphia "demonologist" Lou Gentile on his appointed rounds. Will Storr never believed in ghosts—but his healthy skepticism couldn't explain the strange lights and sounds he witnessed, and the weird behavior of the occupants of several allegedly haunted houses.

What resulted is a confirmed cynic's (and proud of it!) dedicated search for answers in a shadowy world of séances, mediums, devil worshippers—even the Vatican's chief exorcist. So get ready to confront the genuinely creepy along with the hilariously ridiculous in Will Storr vs. the Supernatural!

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  1. Print length
    336 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    September 5, 2006
  5. Dimensions
    5.31 x 0.76 x 8 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0061132195
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0061132193
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Accompanying a self-described demonologist in Philadelphia for a magazine story, London journalist and self-described skeptic Storr quickly came face to face with evidence he couldn't dismiss-a close encounter with a poltergeist ("something had touched me, hard enough to launch me to my feet") and a divination aficionado who may very well have been possessed. In the account that follows, Storr takes readers into some of the more disturbing and disturbed corners of modern ghost-hunting, whipping up a chilling, funny, thought-provoking page-turner. With great care and greater humor, Storr accompanies paranormal investigators famous and obscure, ghost hunting clubs and perplexed homeowners, taking time to research famous cases and discuss his findings with the experts, as well as the witnesses and victims of hauntings. The evidence he finds-from orbs of light that dance on-camera to spectral voices recorded on tape to seemingly possessed individuals-proves only slightly more fascinating than the folks who pursue it, a grand collection of kooks, swindlers, skeptics and true believers. Storr grapples mightily with the unknown, and though his consideration of the slippery nature of reality and the mystery of death is fascinating, it never overwhelms the narrative; indeed, Storr wisely gives the best lines to his subjects, recording them faithfully at their most profound (quoth one famous, long-practicing investigator, "I'm not sure what reality is anymore") as well as their most nonsensical (a haunted house-sitter spends his time performing "experiments where I pretend I'm slapping someone," in the hopes he'll one day do the haunting). Covering an impressive range of modern ghostly phenomenon-including a hilarious visit to the popular British TV show Most Haunted-this is a fun, fascinating and at times frightening read for anyone with an interest in the supernatural.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Funny, exciting, and strangely haunting.” — Jon Ronson, author of THEM

“A ripping yarn that genuinely leaves you questioning how you view the world.” — The Guardian

“Terrifying.” — InStyle UK

“Storr’s intriguing stories will have you spellbound.” — Daily Record UK

“Too funny to read in public, too scary to read on your own.” — Danny Wallace, author of YES MAN

“Part Scooby-Doo, part The Exorcist, this is book a very amusing way to scare yourself stupid.” — The Independent on Sunday

“Somehow Storr manages to be very funny one minute and seriously scary the next.” — Bookseller (London)

“Storr’s adventures will truly surprise even the most hard-nosed agnostics...Read this one in a well-lit room.” — Townsville Bulletin (Australia)

“Perfectly reasonable, ordinary citizens have what can only be described as eye-popping supernatural experiences.” — Chicago Sun-Times

“...lively and sharply observed, creating an exhilarating mix of sly humor and shudders.” — St. Petersburg Times

“No writer has a better way with the supernatural than Will Storr.” — Deborah Blum, author of Ghost Hunters: William James and the Scientific Search for Life After Death

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (September 5, 2006)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0061132195
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0061132193
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12.8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.31 x 0.76 x 8 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 292 ratings

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Will Storr

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
292 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

OceanBornMary
5.0 out of 5 stars Real? Or fake? You decide!
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2019
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This is a really honest look at one man's journey into the world of psychic phenomena, spirits and ghost hunting! Will's journey to find evidence of the afterlife is by turns, biting, funny and irreverent, in trying to come to turns with his own ambivalence about the subject and the sometimes puzzling commitment of other people. A subject covered with honesty and compassion. Well worth the read no matter where you stand on the issue.
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Marty G. Price
4.0 out of 5 stars Honest book, fun reading
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2007
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The book's one disappointment was that Storr avoided spelling out his own conclusions from his investigations, leaving the readers wondering just what influence his experiences had on his initial scepticism.

Otherwise, Storr did a great job. He reported the fakery, self-deception, and general nonsense offered by many paranormal 'investigators,' the nonsense that has convinced some that all supernatural investigations are bunk. He also reported those real questions unbiased investigators have found. Like most of the honest investigators I've read, he found evidence of 'something' or inexplicable things, and found the evidence insufficient to support grand conclusions.

I enjoyed his account of his foray into the inexplicable. I found myself liking the people he liked and thought sincere, and getting a bad taste in my mouth from the obvious fakes. Overall, a good piece of light reading.
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Katie Bennett
5.0 out of 5 stars Scary...and calming. Reading everything by this author I can get my hands on.
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2021
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A fun exploration into True Believers. I love how Will Storr doesn't take sides. Well, perhaps he does. But he always comes up to the "edge" of the other side. We only know so much about this world!
I enjoy how this author's mind works.
3 people found this helpful
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NHBunion
5.0 out of 5 stars A Skeptic's Trip To Woo Woo Land
Reviewed in the United States on October 21, 2014
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I am so glad I bought this book. The preface grabbed me nearly by the throat, author Will Storr's amazing experiences searching for the paranormal begin with a bang. Will is a vacillating skeptic, but his exposure to hauntings via paranormal research groups challenges him at every turn. Well written, hard to set down for long.

Loaded with fascinating references to other researchers' findings, the book will not disappoint an open-minded reader. The info about EVPs alone is not to be missed. This one's a keeper.
3 people found this helpful
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Laura85
5.0 out of 5 stars Best Ghost Book Out There
Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2015
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This book is great fun on all levels. Will Storr knows how to tell a story and he injects a lot of humor too. He's a 'proper' journalist and following him as he investigates ghost stories is an education. He's fair and balanced which is why the stories that turn out to have no explanation or appear to be 'true' are all the spookier. Don't read this one on your own or late at night!
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The Magnificant Brain
4.0 out of 5 stars Pleasantly non-committal read
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2009
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Will Storr's a good writer, indeed, but he rambles throughout and stumbles past important points on his way to a vague conclusion to his work. The book's an entertaining read, but lacks teeth for those passionately seeking for him to delve into the real "bones" of supernatural investigation. No shortage of what I'd call filler chapters chosen for their entertainment value and fluffed up enough for one to continue turning pages. Storr's point is to entertain, not provoke too much thought, although he succeeds in entertaining in great bounds. A good read for those for those interested enough to wade past the "interesting" characters into the realm of his real investigations.
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Matt Stephens
3.0 out of 5 stars Liked most of it..
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2020
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Starts out pretty captivating. Stalls out a bit here and there. Will's ability to assemble sentences and phrases is impressive and amusing. Some of the writing it is a bit convoluted. Chapters pick up momentum and quickly fizzle.
The ending struck me as though Will was late for a lunch meeting. In the end I couldn't tell where Will stood on the subject of the supernatural. It almost seemed like he was bored with the whole thing.
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Tim Leard
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome, fun and exciting!
Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2019
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Storr is a great writer who keeps his readers engaged and thoroughly investigates each story. Loved this one and highly recommended!
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Steve B
5.0 out of 5 stars SERIOUS BOOK
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 8, 2024
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Don't be fooled by the jokey title, this is a very serious book. As a journalist, Storr can't resist the human interest side to some of the odder personalities who obsess about this subject but he clearly has a genuine interest in what motivates and drives them. In journalistic terms he has actually achieved some real scoops in his interviews with very significant figures in the world of the paranormal. There are "scary stories" here, but also some very profound insights into why some people are attracted to the idea of the supernatural- and why some are repelled by it. While Storr is convinced that at least some phenomena are real, he reaches no firm conclusion as to what they mean. As Maurice Grosse told him, only charlatans (on both sides of the question) have answers.
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Julian Ferre
5.0 out of 5 stars Très distrayant
Reviewed in France on May 14, 2021
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Les aventures d'un journaliste à la rencontre du surnaturel : très amusant, avec un excellent premier chapitre et quelques grands moments (mention spéciale au folkloriste paranoïaque persuadé que tous les gens d'un petit village perdu au milieu des bois appartiennent en fait à une secte sataniste maléfique, et qui interprète leurs moindres commentaires comme des menaces déguisées à son encontre - parce qu'évidemment, ils savent qu'il "sait").

Dans le cadre de son enquête, Will Storr visite des maisons hantées, assiste au tournage (plus ou moins trafiqué) d'une émission de chasse aux fantômes, rencontre des passionnés du paranormal, un exorciste amateur, et finit même par vivre ses propres "expériences", obtenant le privilège de devenir le recordman de la personne ayant pu rester le plus longtemps isolé dans le noir dans la pièce la plus hantée d'un manoir non nommé (15 minutes).

Un bouquin sans prétentions qui se lit d'une traite avec plaisir (sauf évidemment pour ceux que les histoires de fantômes rebutent).
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Ash C.
5.0 out of 5 stars Very happy.
Reviewed in Canada on November 20, 2018
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Great book, great condition.
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Who Knows The Truth?
5.0 out of 5 stars A most engrossing read.
Reviewed in Australia on September 25, 2018
Verified Purchase
This is a brilliantly written book that takes an objective and thoughtful approach to a fascinating subject. Probably not one for the sinicle skeptic but definitely one for those with an open mind and a desire to understand the realm of the unknown.
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Dodo
3.0 out of 5 stars Leider etwas langatmig und wiederholend, zudem am Ende eine wenig überzeugende Stellungnahme
Reviewed in Germany on May 4, 2018
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Die Idee zu dem Buch klingt für Leser, die an esoterischen Phänomenen und an TV-Serien wie "Supernatural" interessiert sind, sehr ansprechend: Will Storr entschied sich, Geisterjäger, Exorzisten, Wahrsager, Geisterstimmenhörer und Leute, die sagen, dass es bei ihnen spuke, aufzusuchen und sich selbst ein Bild von ihren Erlebnissen zu machen. Zudem sprach er aber auch mit Skeptikern und Psychologen.
Die Erlebnisberichte sind dabei manchmal zu ausführlich geraten, zumindest wartete ich als Leser, wann es denn endlich mal "zur Sache" geht. Es ist nicht so spannend für mich, wie alle Leute aus einem Team aussahen oder wie die Küche von jemanden eingerichtet ist usw. Hier hätte man ruhig einiges kürzen können.
Am Ende verstrickt sich Storr dann in eine in sich widersprüchliche Stellungnahme zum Thema Geister.
Wen es interessiert:

S*P*O*I*L*E*R
Storr hört bei einem Aufenthalt in einem Spukzimmer, wie er meint, im Dunkeln ein Atmen, das aufhört, als er laut fragt, ob da jemand sei. Daraufhin rennt er in Panik aus dem Raum und glaubt nun, dass es Geister gäbe, die - und hier wird es unlogisch - die Seelen Toter sind.
Warum unlogisch? Was atmet, das lebt. Was nicht mehr atmet, ist tot. Ergo: Tote atmen nicht. Freie Seelen ebenfalls nicht, da sie keinen Körper im Sauerstoff versorgen müssen. Vermutlich hat sich Storr vor Angst in dem Raum etwas eingebildet oder hat - nicht lachen, so etwas habe ich selbst schon mit Leuten erlebt - sein eigenes ängstliches Schnaufen, das im sonst stillen Raum laut wirkte, für fremdes Atmen gehalten.
Jedenfalls sei damit für ihn geklärt, dass es ein Jenseits gibt, in dem Tote Geister sind.
Wäre das so, dann wären wir von Geistern völlig umringt. Allein in unserer Nachbarschaft müssten hunderte herumspuken, vielleicht sogar tausende.
Früher im Buch hatte Storr dagegen noch plausibel argumentiert, dass Geister nicht pauschal die Seelen Toter sein können, denn woher kamen die Seelen? Es gab nicht immer Menschen auf der Erde (und es wird irgendwann die ganze Erde nicht mehr geben).
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