Play Audiobook Sample
Holy Ghosts: Or How a (Not-so) Good Catholic Boy Became a Believer in Things that Go Bump in the Night Audiobook
Play Audiobook Sample
(3.07) - 210 listener ratings
Quick Stats About this Audiobook
Total Audiobook Chapters:
Longest Chapter Length:
Shortest Chapter Length:
Average Chapter Length:
Audiobooks by this Author:
Publisher Description
IN THIS EXTRAORDINARY TRUE STORY, the haunting of a Long Island household forces a respected writer and editor to reevaluate the mysteries of life and death as he struggles with the frightening truths of his childhood home and his town’s past. Growing up in Rockville Centre, Long Island, Gary Jansen never believed in ghosts. His mother—a devoutly Catholic woman with a keen sense for the uncanny—claimed that their family house was haunted. But Jansen never found anything inexplicable in how their doorbell would sometimes ring of its own accord; or in the mysterious sounds of footsteps or breaking glass that occasionally would fill their home; or even in his mother’s sometimes unnervingly accurate visions of future events and tragedies. Though he once experienced a supernatural encounter in a Prague church as a young man, Jansen grew up into a rationalist, as well as a noted writer and editor. In 2001, Jansen moved back into the very same house where he had once grown up, to raise a family with his wife. In 2007, he encountered a frightening, full blown haunting in his home. This became the first step of a phenomenon that lasted a full year and eventually included unveiling the identities of the spirits who occupied his house, reliving a tragic murder in his hometown, encountering mind-boggling coincidences between local history and episodes in his household; and finally—with the help of Mary Ann Winkowski, the real-life inspiration for TV’s Ghost Whisperer—ridding his house of these uninvited visitors. Holy Ghosts is not only a gripping true-life ghost story, but a wry and touching memoir, as well as a meditation on the relationship between religion and the paranormal, which are often considered at odds, but which the author shows are intimately linked.
Download and start listening now!
"HEY...scary book, i read this alone in my home, and it scared me..there are some really scary moments in the book, and they really happened..You may want to read this during the day, be wary...i like the fast pace, and it kept me riveted, especially toward the end...hear my interview, to be posted on OCTOBER 11,2010 sometime after 7pm...it will be fascinating"
— David (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
-
“Holy Ghosts took me into a completely convincing but very different version of reality from the one we live in. It serves as a forceful and fascinating reminder that we do not see the world that is, but only the part we have chosen to see. There are dangers and wonders in the dark, and Holy Ghosts affirms that they are very real.”
— Whitley Strieber, New York Times bestselling author of Communion -
“I have always believed in ghosts, paranormal phenomena, and miracles. But I’ve never read a book that tells of chills and ghosts in the house from a Catholic perspective. I read the book in a sitting. There are more than a few spine-tingling scares here, offered in such a benign, even life-affirming way, that we end up enlightened, entertained, and charmed.”
— Beverly Donofrio, author of Looking for Mary -
“Gary Jansen will both creep you out and educate you on the nature of ‘earthbound spirits.’ His tale of the spirits haunting his family home, and of helping them cross over to the next world, is a thrilling treat that I couldn’t put down. Jansen tells the best kind of ghost story-the true kind!”
— Julia Scheeres, author of Jesus Land -
“Gary Jansen’s Holy Ghosts is a haunting memoir of both the paranormal and the heartbreakingly down-to-earth. By turns scholarly, comic, and creepy, Jansen shows us the ghosts in his house as well as his heart. Spellbinding and wise, this trip to the supernatural eventually returns us home, providing a deeper understanding of our faith, our fears, and the people we love.”
— Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She’s Not There
Holy Ghosts Listener Reviews
-
" Very well written and interesting, but the argument for an actual haunting is pretty week. A good book though. "
— Lauren, 2/14/2014 -
" I loved this book so much that I had to go and buy it! I originally got it from the local library. I would definitely read it again. Hope to see more "good stuff" from this author! :) "
— Kim, 2/10/2014 -
" Very good. Has restored my faith. "
— Amy, 1/24/2014 -
" I too grew up in a haunted house. (although I'm usually skeptical about other people's stories). He makes it believable. "
— Nita, 1/17/2014 -
" What a piece of junk "
— Reggie, 1/15/2014 -
" Really liked the last few chapters. Overall the book felt a little disjointed. Don't know how much I believe the book, but there is a lot in this world we don't understand and prefer to ignore. So anything is possible and probable. Just wish the book was half as long. "
— Ruth, 12/29/2013 -
" I really loved this book! I am fascinated by the paranormal and had goosebumps while reading this! I had a hard time sleeping , creepy! "
— Sylvie, 12/11/2013 -
" An interesting account of the Author's experience with his own haunted house. I read the entire book in a few hours. The book was not Frightening as some story's are and I really like his writing style. "
— Lisa, 12/1/2013 -
" Interesting, sometimes creepy account of Jansen's struggle to understand the paranormal phenomena in his home. It was not too over-the-top (don't expect the Amityville Horror), and there was a little too much theology for my taste. A decent read if you're into the paranormal. "
— Sara, 11/30/2013 -
" Great book, not too scary....but contains some strange coincedences!! "
— Rachel, 11/23/2013 -
" Excellent. Fascinating book and while it was really creepy somtimes, the author's sense of humor really got me. I loved his conversations with the real life Ghost Whisperer and if you get a chance, watch him give a tour of his home on the Archer Books website. "
— Kelly, 5/9/2013 -
" There are some hair-raising moments in this one, but I felt like the writing was lacking in parts (Show, don't tell, buddy!). Still, a very interesting story if you're interested in hauntings. "
— Katie, 3/4/2013 -
" My kids have been interested in the subjects of ghosts and the supernatural lately, so this book caught my eye. I liked it, though I could have done without the swearing and other colorful language. Because of that, I can't recommend it to my kids. Darn. Good true story, though. "
— Proud2b4family, 12/25/2012 -
" Loved this book! Inspiring & humorous. "
— ~terri, 8/27/2012 -
" This book was not exactly what I expected. It was interesting. I didn't expect so much philosophy about the catholic religion in relation to ghosts. "
— Cindy, 2/12/2012 -
" Beautifully written. More eerie than frightening, but it had a very uplifting message. I've never read a ghost story like this before. Kudos! "
— Greg, 9/15/2011 -
" Very well written and interesting, but the argument for an actual haunting is pretty week. A good book though. "
— Lauren, 3/1/2011
About Gary Jansen
Gary Jansen has worked in publishing for fifteen years and served as the editor-in-chief of the Quality Paperback Book Club. He is currently the editor of Doubleday Religion and is the author of The Rosary: A Journey to the Beloved and Exercising Your Soul.