Pennsylvania Books

This monumental work, the culmination of Sachse's investigations on two continents during the late 19th century, kept extant information on the remarkable story of the fascinating and influential mystics that helped lay the foundations for much of American society in the late 17th century. Without this book, information for which was partially obtained from the author's personal collections, this extraordinary story would be virtually lost. The book is also richly illustrated with photos and copies of authentic and unforgettable pieces of one of America's most interesting and least known mysteries.

Esteemed historian Frank Klement reviews little-known
aspects of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and the ceremony
in which it played a part. This book, thoroughly and
professionally researched and written, is a must for anyone
interested in Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln, or the Gettysburg
Address itself.

Isbell has won many awards for his outstanding work as a photo journalist crossing many genres'. The Civil War is a particular passion of his and this work, along with his equally superb Vicksburg:Sentinels of Stone, was years in the making.

Study his photographs and note the stunning detail as Isbell captures not only color but shades, shadows, and unique lighting.

Each photograph is accompanied by excellent, meticulously researched historical information that is informative and very readable which makes these works much, much more than a book of photographs. Excellent for students and teachers as well as Civil War buffs. Highly recommended.

Elsie Singmaster, "Gettysburg's Poet Laureate," has long been neglected, her books forgotten and out-of-print.
This volume remedies this injustice and brings her work back into the public eye. Her spare, direct prose will strike a chord with the modern reader, as will her stories of everyday folk stricken by the terrible battle and its seemingly neverending consequences. Many thanks are due to the editor and publisher for returning this fine writer to the notice
of modern readers and the Civil War community. Her stories, once read, will not soon be forgotten; they will return to the reader at intervals and provoke more thought.
Buy and read this book!

When it comes to ghost stories, few states can boast the kind of rich tradition that Pennsylvania can. From the pre-Revolutionary colonial period through the Civil War's bloodiest battle at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania can boast over 250 years of spectral tales guaranteed to chill the spines of the most avid ghost hunters. Dan Asfar's book is laid out in various chapters with accounts of haunted houses, theaters, taverns, battlefields, even mundane items such as paintings which make Pennsylvania a prime spot for ghost hunters to visit.

In New Hope you will find the Aaron Burr house. Oddly named because the house was built after Burr died. But after killing Alexander Hamilton in their fateful duel, Burr fled to New Hope where he had friends and hid in a cellar where the current house now stands. Visitors often feel the piercing glare as if someone is staring at them intently. And Burr's spirit is known to tug on the clothes of visitors as they try to leave and they are advised to kindly say to the spirit, "Mr. Burr, please let me leave."

Gettysburg has long been considered the most haunted spot in the United States, and the site where over 50,000 men lost their lives during that climactic battle of the Civil War. Asfar first gives a short but concise history of the battle before delving into some of the strange occurrences and sightings that have been reported in the area for well over a hundred years. Ghostly lights and sounds are often heard as the spirits of the dead soldiers replay the battle over and over. Cameras have often been reported to malfunction around Gettysburg but work perfectly fine once you've left the area. Gettysburg should be the very first stop for any ghost hunter visiting Pennsylvania.

The Tate House has stood for well over 200 years and was formerly home to Anthony Tate who died in 1781 and left the house to his son James who was a surgeon. James had a fanatical interest in anatomy and experimented as much as he could on various animals but he really wanted a human body to research. He got his chance when he dug up the body of a recently deceased Hessian mercenary, took it back to his cellar and dissected it. Tate buried what was left in the dirt of the cellar but shortly after strange things began to happen. When he would walk over the spot where the remains were buried his candle would blow out although there was no draft. At night he would seem to hear footsteps coming up the stairs from the cellar. Even today, the building is used as a teachers quarters for a boarding school, residents report hearing the strange sounds from the cellar.

Haunted painting? You can find that in Pennsylvania, too. Nellie Tallman was three years old when she fell off a stool and broke her neck while posing for the portrait. Her father adored the portrait of his late daughter but every time he hung it up, he would invariably find it lying face down on the floor a short time later. The portrait would be given to a museum many decades later who experienced the same problems keeping Nellie on the wall.

From the ghostly hounds of Lebanon County, to the Eastern State Penitentiary to the famous Mishler Theater, Pennsylvania's rich and chilling hauntings are a banquet for any fans of ghost stories. Asfar provides a lively narrative and knows just the right buttons to push to get your hair standing straight up. A wickedly fun book!

Reviewed by Tim Janson

This book is one of its kind in the area. Mr. Sarro demonstrates his knowledge and passion for the field of paranormal investigations. The book walks you through some of the best "Ghost Stories" in the Chester County area. Mr. Sarro ties the history of the county and the background stories all together in this book. A must read for any of the locals...I couldn't put the book down for a minute. Great Work !!!

I live in Girard so i enjoyed the book the pictures of history of things that aren't there any more I would recommend this book to anyone who likes history. The author is also a very good teacher!!

This third and final edition of Girlie and Buddy consists of 323 pages, including a 16 page index. It is an 8.5x11 softbound volume, complete with many photographs and original documents as well as appendices detailing the genealogy of five of the main families mentioned in the book.

During my recent move, I discovered 2 copies of my original 1989 edition of Girlie and Buddy - The Papers of Elizabeth Cook Wood Blystone. While crude by today's standards, I still remember typing much of it painstakingly on a manual typewriter for days at a time. It also prompted me to buy my very first computer back in 1989, just to be able to correct errors. There were only 15 copies produced, and I thought they were all long gone. It is 300 pages, softbound standard 8 1/2 X 11 sheets using a home binder that I bought just for that purpose. It contains several photos and scans of original documents. It consists primarily of letters written by my grandparents and their contemporaries, mostly between 1900-1925. The letters do provide unique insight and great detail about the daily lives of people here in rural Pennsylvania in the early 20th century. As I indicated, there were only 15 copies produced in total. I know one is in the University of Wisconsin, one is in the Pittsburgh genealogy society, and one is in Gannon University here in Erie. I can't remember what became of the others.

This book along with the "A Tract of Land called Appetite" were so well written and informative. Having lived my whole life in Monaca and knowing some of the history prior to the books was a base for understanding my hometown. These two books made things even clearer about the history of the town. The illustrations in both books are beautifully down. I have the good fortune to not only have Miss Vetter as a teacher, but to grow up as with her as my neighbor. She has since passed on. I know that I will cherish the books that she illustrated and also the picture she painted for me as a wedding gift.