Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge, taken from the ferry on the way to Mackinac Island.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Ghosthunting Illinois by John Kachuba

I wanted to take a second to recommend some good reading for the season!

Illinois is becoming one of my favorite states to explore in general.  I was excited to pick up John Kachuba's book on the state, as he is an outsider (from Ohio) that I respect as a perceptive observer, having read some of his other books.

Kachuba is a fun author of spooky travel books.  His books are in the ghosthunting genre, but I find them a lot more enjoyable than most.  John isn't the kind of guy to get all excited about a speck of dust on a photo.  I think he is just a guy interested in visiting places with a haunted reputation.

And that's the cool thing about how John writes.  He isn't taking himself too seriously.  He isn't making any questionable claims about what he knows.  He's just looking for a good story... and that's how he writes. 

You feel like you are on his ghost chasing adventure with him.  He talks about getting to a site, who he talked to once there, and how it went.  He talks openly about having awkward conversations with odd people who approach him about ghosts.  He also may be the only ghost hunter I know of who admits that he needed to pick up clean underwear during a road trip.

And I like John's style.  Reading about how he approaches individuals (say, at a building he would like to investigate that has limited access) might give you ideas about how to approach a similar situation on your next trip.  He is pleasant and never pushy.

Check out John's site at-  http://jkachuba.com/

Also check out the Haunted Road Trip guys who publish his and many other good books about haunted locals in various other states.  I like their roster of authors.  Check them out at-
http://americashauntedroadtrip.com/



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