Halloween Book Review: Ghosts in the Graveyard by Olyve Hallmark Abbott

Are you looking for a great Halloween book to read? Why not explore the cryptic things happening in the cemeteries of Texas?

Author Olyve Hallmark Abbott wrote "Ghosts in the Graveyard" Texas Cemetery Tales with the aim of sharing "folk stories" and personal experiences about the cemeteries in Texas. It is written from the point of view of the author. In this book, she gives information such as the background of the grave (history of the deceased buried within), as well as a description of mysterious things happening in the grave (if there are).

ABOUT THE BOOK

One would consider it a non-fiction book -- the author presented facts and figures -- but also with a little bit of dramatic interpretation from the author itself.

"Ghosts in the Graveyard" Texas Cemetery Tales is a book for general reading. Those who wish to delve deeper into the environment, history, and culture of Texas will surely find a lot of interesting anecdotes in this collection.

The author's writing style is definitely clear and descriptive. Ninety spine-chilling tales, many of which she offers a conclusion that is likely to tickle the imagination and encourage the reader to wonder what might be. Not too formal with words, she writes in a conversational way that all readers will easily understand.

Perhaps the most convincing stories in the book were the ones told by Olyve Hallmark Abbott herself. A good example is the tale of the glowing stone in a grave at Veal Station. Here, the author herself was present to prove the rumor about the singular glowing stone head of a grave. A picture of this mysterious glowing stone was shown in the book.

PROVING THE POINT

I have written my own ghost story (albeit a funny one), so I could neither say I am a firm believer nor a skeptic when the question of the paranormal comes up. And yet, I know many people, after reading a story or two in this book, will understand that the mysteries "possibly" existed, that even though they are at first "folk tales", they earn their credibility from the daring author's own experience. If you explore the haunted cemeteries yourself, you just might experience the bewildering sights and sounds for real.

How the book was written is perhaps summed up in Hallmark Abbott's words: "A common belief is ghosts appear more often at night when light is poor, Our senses can play tricks on us when we can't see so well. Moonlight casting its glow through the trees can be interpreted as a ghostly creature. Then, perhaps it really is a ghostly creature." Suffice it to say that even though Olyve Hallmark Abbott's aim is to describe the ghostly occurrences in the most accurate and believable way she could, there are still doubts about the veracity of the stories. Or maybe none.

CONTROVERSIES

"Ghosts in the Graveyard" Texas Cemetery Tales may raise issues about cemeteries being scaregrounds instead of the resting place for the physical remains of the beloved ones. It is indeed an interesting book that explores what is happening in the quiet abodes of the deceased when humans are not present. It may even encourage naysayers to explore the hauntings themselves and prove or disprove the tales. It is also, I believe, a great pick for those who are looking for a Halloween treat not necessarily in the form of costumes and candies!

SUMMARY

"Ghosts in the Graveyard" Texas Cemetery Tales is a 235-page book written by Olyve Hallmark Abbott, an editor of a genealogical quarterly in Fort Worth, Texas. It contains anecdotes about cemeteries and graveyards in Texas whose mysterious otherworldly occurrences are either a folklore or a treasure for the paranormal believers. It is a wonderful read, since not only it describes those graveyards people hardly notice on a daily basis, it is also an exploration of the rich history and culture of Texas.