Description
The Ghost That Closed Down The Town by South African author Arthur Goldstuck explores the country’s rich and often unsettling tradition of ghost stories, urban legends and supernatural beliefs. Drawing on stories from across South Africa, Goldstuck looks beyond the apparitions themselves to examine how different cultures have influenced one another’s ideas about the supernatural. From tokoloshes, witches and zombies to the ghosts said to haunt Cape Town Castle, the book brings together a fascinating collection of tales rooted in South Africa’s complex history.
Rather than simply accepting these stories at face value, Goldstuck investigates how legends are spread through word of mouth and the media, and asks what they reveal about the people who tell them. He considers the influence of San, African, Muslim, Afrikaner and other cultural traditions, while exploring famous stories including the Flying Dutchman, the Uniondale Ghost and the many supposed haunts of Daisy de Melker. The result is both an entertaining journey through South African folklore and an exploration of how history, culture and belief shape our experience of the supernatural. The book was selected for Publishers’ Choice.
A fascinating choice for readers interested in South African folklore, ghost stories, urban legends and the cultural history behind our most enduring supernatural tales.
