Fun answers. Books about witchcraft hysteria are almost always interesting to at least some degree. I haven't read "Devil in the White City," but I'm familiar enough with H.H. Holmes to know there's only so bad it could possibly be. I share with your experience of horror FICTION not being personally "scary." That being said, the most horrific and disturbing book I've ever read is Iris Chang's "The Rape of Nanking" about the mass atrocities carried out against Chinese civilians during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Took me a while to "recover" from that one.
@@DrL_Reads It's a very engaging book that's accessible to a general readership. As for statements on historical rigor, I can only speak as a layman. My understanding is that there is criticism regarding the author's emotional perspective on the subject (How could anyone NOT have one?), and that there may be some improper simplification regarding motivation and aspects of Japanese culture, and that there is some debate over the overall tally of victims, and that she may have even made some objective errors regarding minor points of fact. However, from what I see, she brings some compelling evidence to bear, and at the end of the day, the major points that a huge number of victims were subjected to utterly horrific atrocities, and that both the immediate perpetrators and the leadership that allowed it to continue deserve every bit of infamy that's been heaped upon them, is beyond any kind of reasonable dispute. Chang's (journalist) book captures this on a level sufficient for me, but I'm sure there are more "rigorous" alternatives by "proper" academics. Hope that helps. 🤪
@DrL_Reads In my opinion, yes. Chang presents compelling evidence of the big picture. If there's space to argue about the psychology of the perpetrators, or if Chang may have misinterpreted X piece of evidence, and therefore the death count may not have been 300,000, but instead a mere 200,000 🙄, I'm hardly inclined to dismiss the trumpeting chamber elephant perfuming the place with its voluminous excretions.
@@kevintowle9665 I have read a couple narrative fictions from different authors and they seem to all be like that. At least I haven’t found one that isn’t yet. They have all dragged a little bit so far, at least at some point, but I have still really liked them.
@DrL_Reads That is what I was thinking! I am planning on reading it in November. If that is too soon, we should definitely do a buddy read of another book soon
Best witch book -The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (not real witchcraft just people using the excuse of Witchcraft to persecute women) Spooky MC -No Gods No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull haa several Orangefever -Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Not spooky but Samantha Shannon is the closest thing I have to a god lol) You'd pbly dig A Clockwork Orange Gouls and ghosts -I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir Horrible horror -American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Gothic Wonders -We Have always lived in the castle by Shirly Jackson (cheating with a reread bc Taken by the Witch Queen by Luna Fury is my honest (smutty) answer) Magic and potions -The Last Ranger by JDL Rosell Black Cat -When The Tiger Came Down the Mountan by Nghi Vo Spooky scary skeletons - Case Files of the Rocky Mountain paranormal research Society volume 1 by Robert Lewis (nonfiction about non sensationalized paranormal research it didn't scare me but I did get a couple literal spine-tingling moments) Honorable mentions Ghost wall by sara moss Sundial by catriona ward The Wehrwolf by alma katsu The stake by richard laymon The forgotten girls by sara blædel The lost village by camilla sten Near the bone by christina henry The crypt by scott seigler Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder The invocations by krystal southerland
Nice job with the Spooky Tag. Happy Halloween!🎃
@@BookChatWithPat8668 It was fun!!
Fun answers. Books about witchcraft hysteria are almost always interesting to at least some degree. I haven't read "Devil in the White City," but I'm familiar enough with H.H. Holmes to know there's only so bad it could possibly be.
I share with your experience of horror FICTION not being personally "scary." That being said, the most horrific and disturbing book I've ever read is Iris Chang's "The Rape of Nanking" about the mass atrocities carried out against Chinese civilians during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Took me a while to "recover" from that one.
@@BryanM.R.-prionic1 You know, I have heard of that book before. I can take difficult reads, would you recommend it? Is it a good historical account?
@@DrL_Reads It's a very engaging book that's accessible to a general readership. As for statements on historical rigor, I can only speak as a layman. My understanding is that there is criticism regarding the author's emotional perspective on the subject (How could anyone NOT have one?), and that there may be some improper simplification regarding motivation and aspects of Japanese culture, and that there is some debate over the overall tally of victims, and that she may have even made some objective errors regarding minor points of fact. However, from what I see, she brings some compelling evidence to bear, and at the end of the day, the major points that a huge number of victims were subjected to utterly horrific atrocities, and that both the immediate perpetrators and the leadership that allowed it to continue deserve every bit of infamy that's been heaped upon them, is beyond any kind of reasonable dispute. Chang's (journalist) book captures this on a level sufficient for me, but I'm sure there are more "rigorous" alternatives by "proper" academics.
Hope that helps. 🤪
@ It doesn’t have to be academic. I was just curious if it was convincing as a non-fiction.
@DrL_Reads In my opinion, yes. Chang presents compelling evidence of the big picture. If there's space to argue about the psychology of the perpetrators, or if Chang may have misinterpreted X piece of evidence, and therefore the death count may not have been 300,000, but instead a mere 200,000 🙄, I'm hardly inclined to dismiss the trumpeting chamber elephant perfuming the place with its voluminous excretions.
@ Understood! I appreciate your recommendations.
Nicely done Logan! I read Devil in the White City. Enjoyed it, a tad wordy but good.
@@kevintowle9665 I have read a couple narrative fictions from different authors and they seem to all be like that. At least I haven’t found one that isn’t yet. They have all dragged a little bit so far, at least at some point, but I have still really liked them.
Are you planning on reading Dark Bloom soon?
@@Already-Overbooked I haven’t purchased it yet but maybe. Why? Looking for a buddy read? Also, how soon?
@DrL_Reads That is what I was thinking! I am planning on reading it in November. If that is too soon, we should definitely do a buddy read of another book soon
Best witch book
-The Mercies by Kiran Millwood Hargrave (not real witchcraft just people using the excuse of Witchcraft to persecute women)
Spooky MC
-No Gods No Monsters by Cadwell Turnbull haa several
Orangefever
-Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon (Not spooky but Samantha Shannon is the closest thing I have to a god lol)
You'd pbly dig A Clockwork Orange
Gouls and ghosts
-I Remember You by Yrsa Sigurðardóttir
Horrible horror
-American Gods by Neil Gaiman
Gothic Wonders
-We Have always lived in the castle by Shirly Jackson (cheating with a reread bc Taken by the Witch Queen by Luna Fury is my honest (smutty) answer)
Magic and potions
-The Last Ranger by JDL Rosell
Black Cat
-When The Tiger Came Down the Mountan by Nghi Vo
Spooky scary skeletons
- Case Files of the Rocky Mountain paranormal research Society volume 1 by Robert Lewis (nonfiction about non sensationalized paranormal research it didn't scare me but I did get a couple literal spine-tingling moments)
Honorable mentions
Ghost wall by sara moss
Sundial by catriona ward
The Wehrwolf by alma katsu
The stake by richard laymon
The forgotten girls by sara blædel
The lost village by camilla sten
Near the bone by christina henry
The crypt by scott seigler
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder
The invocations by krystal southerland
@@zachreads I have only seen the movie for A Clockwork Orange.