A History of Ghost Hunting and Why We Keep Looking

Discover the evolution of paranormal investigations from the Victorian era to today, exploring how our fascination with ghosts has shifted alongside changing technology and cultural trends. Where theatres and concert halls once held sold-out performances by conjurers recreating the tricks of fraudulent mediums, we now eagerly dissect the “evidence” offered by reality TV and blockbuster horror films.

In this talk, lecturer and author Alice Vernon delves into what we’re searching for, how we search for it, and why we’ve never quite given up the ghost. She will reveal how belief, psychology and storytelling shape our encounters with the unexplained.

All books purchased on Eventbrite will be pre-signed by Alice Vernon ahead of the event.

Doors open at 7pm, talk starts at 7:30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Speaker Bio:

Alice Vernon is Lecturer in Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University, where her research focuses on parapsychology, sleep disorders, and the horror genre. Alice's debut book, Night Terrors (2022) explored troubled sleep in literature and culture, and was BBC Radio 4’s Book of the Week.

Testimonials from our guests

⭐ Truly riveting talks, always enjoy these - a great way to spend an evening with some pals. Already looking forward to the next one. - Alexander P

⭐ Expertly run, talks are always super informative and a lot of fun! Couldn’t recommend these enough! 5 star. - Owen S

⭐ Been to a few talks and all have been super interesting. An enjoyable evening to go to either alone or with friends. The talks make for stimulating conversation. Highly recommend! - Daisy J

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