Greek and Roman Ghost Stories by Lacy Collison-Morley

This book outlines the general idea of what the people in ancient Greece and Rome thought about afterlife in general. The soul is distinct from the body and has a place assigned to it in the center of the earth after it has departed the body. It is important to bury the dead or else they will wander the earth forever.

There are three types of the dead based on Apuleius' classification: the Manes, Lemures and Larva. The last two are the 'bad spirits'  and are associated with the hauntings.

There is also an interesting section about Necromancy. It is the practice of calling up spirits so the living can consult with them. People also believed that the dead have the power to see the future. The rest of the book contains stories of ghost sightings and excerpts of written accounts from various sources.

This book is divided into 7 parts. The following is the list of those sections:
1. The Power of the Dead to Return to Earth
2.Belief in Ghosts in Greece and Rome
3. Stories of Haunting
4. Necromancy
5. Visions of the Dead in Sleep
6. Apparitions of the Dead
7. Warning Apparitions.

The book is pretty easy to understand if you're already familiar with Greek and Roman mythology. Some historical figures are also mentioned, so reading a little bit about history would come in handy. It would have been much helpful though if the author provided notes about the people and events that are mentioned. This isn't meant as a compilation of horror stories however. Those who are expecting to read creepy stories will be disappointed.

I'm giving this book a 6 out of 10 rating.