Ghost Hunters

Starred review from June 19, 2006
In a compelling tale with resonance for today, Blum evokes a surprising sympathy for her band of tough-minded intellectuals—among them philosophers, psychologists, even two future Nobelists—who, around the turn of the 20th century, pursued the paranormal in an attempt to bridge the gap between faith and science at a time when religion was besieged by the theory of evolution and a new scientific outlook. Foremost in the Society for Psychical Research in America was the brilliant philosopher and psychologist William James, who like the others, risked his reputation in this unorthodox pursuit. Blum unearths the history of their research, their passionate friendships and debates, as well as their private doubts about the meaning of their work. Much of the society's efforts were devoted to exposing charlatans, but even the most dogged of the members, Richard Hodgson, was baffled by Boston's Leonora Piper, a reluctant medium of rare gifts. As Hodgson obsessively studies this medium, the story grows weirder and weirder, but Blum, who was nominated for an L.A. Times
Book Award for Love at Goon Park
, tells it straight, never overdramatizing the strange events. She achieves deep poignancy at moments that in less gifted hands could have seemed most laughable. The result is a moving portrait of a fascinating group of people and a first-rate slice of cultural history.

In a scientific examination of unscientific events, the author documents the search for explanations to mysteries such as moving tables, Ouija boards, slate writing, and haunted houses. Blum exposes some of the trickery and leaves other phenomena unexplained. As far as valuable science, listeners will learn that ether is "a cosmic cream that oozes through space." Narrator George Wilson's deep voice speaks without haste, and he finds no difficult or foreign vocabulary to deal with. He takes the spiritual sessions seriously but creates some fun by using his large repertoire of voices for quotes from the famous and infamous characters who have opinions on this subject. J.A.H. (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine