The Paranormal

This title was first published in 2000: A manifestation of mass hysteria, a compensation for physical or emotional deprivation, or an alternative to religion? What is the function of the paranormal in society? This question and its many possible answers are the subject of this scholarly study of our enduring fascination with experiences for which science provides no ready explanations. From the ancient cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt to the present day, Eric Carlton surveys the development of