One of NPR's Great Reads of 2016“A lively assemblage and smart analysis of dozens of haunting stories… absorbing…[and] intellectually intriguing.â€â€”The New York Times Book ReviewAn intellectual feast for fans of offbeat history; Ghostland takes readers on a road trip through some of the country's most infamously haunted places—and deep into the dark side of our history.Colin Dickey is on the trail of America's ghosts. Crammed into old houses and hotels; abandoned prisons and empty hospitals; the spirits that linger continue to capture our collective imagination; but why? His own fascination piqued by a house hunt in Los Angeles that revealed derelict foreclosures and "zombie homes;" Dickey embarks on a journey across the continental United States to decode and unpack the American history repressed in our most famous haunted places. Some have established reputations as "the most haunted mansion in America;" or "the most haunted prison"; others; like the haunted Indian burial grounds in West Virginia; evoke memories from the past our collective nation tries to forget. With boundless curiosity; Dickey conjures the dead by focusing on questions of the living—how do we; the living; deal with stories about ghosts; and how do we inhabit and move through spaces that have been deemed; for whatever reason; haunted? Paying attention not only to the true facts behind a ghost story; but also to the ways in which changes to those facts are made—and why those changes are made—Dickey paints a version of American history left out of the textbooks; one of things left undone; crimes left unsolved. Spellbinding; scary; and wickedly insightful; Ghostland discovers the past we're most afraid to speak of aloud in the bright light of day is the same past that tends to linger in the ghost stories we whisper in the dark.
#2427548 in Books Ingramcontent 2015-04-26Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.00 x .51 x 6.00l; .86 #File Name: 0994113102214 pagesHomeland of the Buddha A Guide to the Buddhist Holy Places of India and Nepal
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. This is an excellent read; visually stunning and an invaluable guide.By maloneyandmaloneyI could not recommend this book more highly. In fact; after reading it I'm ready to pack my bags and follow the path in the Homeland of the Buddha.For those who wish to learn more about the Buddha's life and/or travelling through India and Nepal this book is a must have guide. The clarity of the maps and the descriptions of the sites is indispensable. The photos give you some insight into the places and monuments that commemorate the life of the Buddha; and the people who travel this route. These places were lost over the years and only in recent times have been re-discovered. John's book takes you on this journey of re-discovery which makes it an essential guide for your travels. It is very well written; historically fascinating; practical and filled with wonderful photography. The path of your journey has been well laid out for you. All you need do is start. The Buddha is quoted as having said "If anything is worth doing; do it with all your heart." That is surely what John has done in writing this book.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A worthy guide for travellers and armchair travellers alikeBy G. S. MooreI read Homeland of the Buddha cover to cover. Although it's main function is as a guidebook and commentary to Buddhist sites; it will also appeal to armchair travellers (of which I'm one); particularly those familiar with the Buddhist tradition. It was inspiring reading - giving me a new understanding of who the Buddha was; and how his teaching affected the societies of northern India.I enjoyed the way the author told the story of each historical site. I liked McKinnon's informal style; the dashes of sardonic wit. As a well-seasoned Zen practitioner; his writing achieves a balance between reverence; street-smarts and humour.Most of the stories from the Pali canon I knew. It was satisfying to hear them retold; and to get a sense of where the events occurred. I think the author did a great job of giving a geography/home to the Pali-canon stories.I was surprised by the size of the region that the Buddha walked through; and the scale of the stupas impressed me - and what that said about the hard work which ancient communities/leaders were willing to do for Buddhist projects. There is so much evidence in the archeology of what an extraordinary personality the Buddha was recognised to be in his lifetime.As a practising Buddhist of European extraction; reading about the ruins of monasteries and stupas gave a context to our fledging practice in the west: in terms of continuity with what has gone before; and how small we are within the historical footprint of the tradition. Reading "Homeland" made me feel differently about sitting at my local Buddhist meditation group - I could see a bit more of what we are handing forward from the tradition.Isn't it great that we have science; archeological techniques; and a form of history which allows us to better understand what has actually gone on? The interweaving of scriptural history; archeological history; and the experience of present-day travellers is a strength of the book.The chapter on Nalanda was interesting to me. As in other parts of Homeland; I was struck by how such a developed institution could fall to ruins and be largely forgotten about... and then; a thousand years later; be discovered and revered again.Loved the extracts and information from Faxian and Xuanzang; the renowned Chinese pilgrims to India. Interesting to know something of what they did; and thought important to record.In general I found this book inspiring and helpful. The colour photos were clear and confirmed the monumental scale of many of the stupas.For someone considering visiting the Buddhist sites in Northern India and Nepal; this is a great source of inspiration and information: clear; straight-forward; concise; interwoven with lots of stories from the Buddha's life; and written for travellers. It includes a suggested itinerary of 17 days which will be helpful to those planning their itinerary. The bibliography will also be helpful for keen readers.
