10 September 2012

Book Review: A Case for Ghosts by J.G. Montgomery

| poetix
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J.G. Montgomery’s recently published A Case for Ghosts is an engaging book to read. It’s as if the author were sitting with the reader in a pub, in front of an open fire, telling anecdotes about his explorations into the ghostly universe that may possibly shadow the everyday — or everynight — one.

Montgomery seems to have spent a lot of time in search of ghosts. England, the United States, NSW and Tasmania are some of the locations he has explored. And he also investigated Canberra’s cast of ghosts quite thoroughly; he has visited graveyards, churches, hotels, and, of course, the Air Disaster Monument. Indeed, he questions whether Canberra may be a kind of ‘magnet’ for supernatural events, as well as political ones.

The author is quite open-minded in his approach to the subject. He does not preach as to the existence or non-existence of ghosts, but tantalises and entertains. He is sometimes given to self-deprecating humour, as when he recalls sitting in a rock shelter, thinking about the many generations of Aboriginal people who have gone before him:

‘From the semi-darkness you can believe that you have been magically transported back through time to when Europeans had not yet discovered this land. It is a humbling and thought-provoking experience. And yet, does this add to my quest for the supernatural? Does sitting in the semi-darkness of a rock shelter while having your blood sucked dry by mosquitoes open any doors to enlightenment? I believe so.’

That the sighting of ghosts is both widespread geographically, and deep in terms of time, fascinates the author. He presents various explanations for ghostly phenomena, but (perhaps appropriately for the subject matter) refuses to take a fully solid position on whether ghosts are real. This adds to the book’s charm. Sentences often start with the word ‘And’ as if there are new thoughts constantly occurring, and Montgomery must get them onto paper as soon as possible. At the same time, there is much research and thought behind A Case for Ghosts.

As a non-believer in ghosts, I was worried that I would find the book a little arcane for my tastes, but the anecdotal approach and exuberance pulled me through my scepticism. Some may find Montgomery’s ability to leave questions unanswered frustrating. Personally, I found it a refreshing way of writing. It is very much an idiosyncratic exploration, as the author states, rather than an academic work, and there are several snippets of autobiography mixed in. He even designed the cover!

Montgomery is a guide rather than a gatekeeper, and there is much to enjoy in this atlas mapping the haunted world. I was momentarily distracted by a factual error, which I leave to the reader to discover, but the trip is, quite simply too entertaining to let that get in the way.

The book can be ordered from the publisher’s website (scroll down to Montgomery):

http://www.ginninderrapress.com.au/non-fiction.html

There may still be copies haunting Smiths books as well.

***

Reviewed by Poetix

Poetix has been published by Ginninderra Press.

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It’s finished? Excellent, I’m looking forward to the read.

Well done Thumper.

Ozhair said :

Is this Thumper’s book?

Yep 🙂

How can this be? This book was written by some bloke named Montgomery, not Thumper.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd8:53 pm 10 Sep 12

caf said :

Thumper, any word on an ebook edition?

Yeah bro, way to sell more copy’s. I would buy a second kindle edition just for convinience(it’s still u der the bed, sorry man)

Thumper, any word on an ebook edition?

Is this Thumper’s book?

I am in the middle of reading this and am really enjoying it 🙂

Jivrashia said :

poetix said :

There! ‘I’ exorcised the italics.

I thought it was the cursor…

The moderator, and he doesn’t swear.

poetix said :

There! ‘I’ exorcised the italics.

I thought it was the cursor…

There! ‘I’ exorcised the italics.

Comic_and_Gamer_Nerd2:15 pm 10 Sep 12

i bought this and rad i think liek two chapters but got nerded into game of ice and fire and my wife said the book is now under the bed. IL FINISH IT SOON THOUGH! the chapters i read were good.

Jivrashia said :

Test

Poetix, would you kindly edit your post and remove the ITALICISE tag from your title, around the “a case for ghosts”?

It’s causing havoc to every post while your article appears under the “Most Recent Posts” list.
(the effect being that every post appears to be italicised, hence a quote).

Thanks.

I don’t know if I can do this now it’s posted? JB?

Strange that this is haunting everything…

Test

Poetix, would you kindly edit your post and remove the ITALICISE tag from your title, around the “a case for ghosts”?

It’s causing havoc to every post while your article appears under the “Most Recent Posts” list.
(the effect being that every post appears to be italicised, hence a quote).

Thanks.

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