Well, Easter has come and gone and, as I have said many times before, I prefer the relative quiet of Easter to the ‘dreaded Christmas’. Its lighter and warmer for one thing; for another, it seems to be speeding us away from those dark gaudy days that envelop the festive season.
You can keep all the presents, the sickly rich food and all the other commercialism; that doesn’t amount to much in comparison to being able to feel the newness of Nature. For that is alive and it’s progressing now, and leaving far behind the cold and morbidity of the fake decorations that smother most people at Yuletide.
So, I don’t mind Easter. It just feels ‘free-er’ to me. A time when the future seems ‘alive’, and not just buried beneath some religious archives that have long lost their true religious meaning. But nothing is really lost. And time keeps moving on . . .
Anyway, to return to the Blog proper (maybe because so many people have been reminding me that I have been neglecting my personal diary), there is indeed some personal news that I’d like to share with you on the paranormal side of things . . .
Della’s new book “Haunted Highgate” has been doing pretty well with a series of recent reviews. I believe I have already posted one here from Paul Screeton (of Hexham Heads fame) which appeared in his magazine FOLKLORE FRONTIERS in March. (Issue No 75).
Ian Topham has also released another fairly long review on his Website MYSTERIOUS BRITAIN AND IRELAND in his book review columns. I would like to re-publish Ian’s review on here but must first get his permission to republish it. Sure he won’t mind, but have to ask him beforehand obviously. Hopefully you can all read it here soon, as trying to keep all reviews and book news together.
Also, another very recent review has appeared in the magazine of the Ghost Club. It is by John Fraser, himself a Ghost Club member and also a Council member of the Society of Psychical Research whom I first met while giving a Talk at ASSAP in 2013, and I do now have his kind permission to reproduce it on Della’s behalf on my own humble Blog! (Well, he gave Della permission anyway, so hopefullly this applies to myself!)
So, here is John’s review as it appeared in the Ghost Club Journal just a few weeks ago . . .
Thank you John for taking the time to read Della’s book, and for the insightful comments in your review.
Until next time, everyone.
David (Farrant).
