Week 12 Prompt

    Haunted Indiana 3 by Mark Marimen

Published 2001 Thunder Bay Press.

Where is the book on the narrative continuum?

• A mix (combines highly narrative moments with periods of fact-based prose)

What is the subject of the book?

• The books contain ten true stories of haunted places in Indiana.  The locations are from all over the state. 

What type of book is it?

• The book contains historical information about the specific haunted place in each chapter, including past owners and situations that led up to the reasons for the supposed hauntings.  The historical information is then followed by eye witness accounts and folklore about the hauntings. 

Articulate Appeal.

What is the pacing of the book?

• This is a quick read.  Each chapter various between 15-20 pages.  This is a good pick up and read book in one sitting or a book that can be read in short sessions since each chapter tells a different independent story.

Describe the characters in the book.

• The characters in the book differ based on the story.  Some are characters are Indians, police, hotel guest, school children, just the average country folks, etc.  Considering the limited number of pages for each story the book does a good job describing the people involved in the history of the location and the hauntings.  There is not a lot of details into the personalities of the people, but enough historical facts are given to breath life into the characters.  

How does the story feel?

• It feels like a book of short horror stories about haunted places mixed with historical facts.  The stories do not fall into the true sense of Historical Fiction, because the characters and facts are all supposedly true; the stories  are very short, the language used is modern no matter the time frame, and the characterization of the people are not deeply involved.  However, it does have a very light overall feel of historical fiction. 

What is the Intent of the author?

• The author wants to entertain and educate about different historical hauntings in the state of Indiana. Author Mark Marimen grew up and still lives in Indiana.  The last page of the book is a personal request from the author to contact him with more Indiana folklore that he can investigate, research, and write up in more volumes.  There is a volume 4.

What is the focus of the story?

• The focus of the story is to present historical information about different haunted places in Indiana.  Each story starts out with historical facts and a description of the place followed by what events caused the haunting.

Does the language matter?

• Yes, it is very important. It tells historical facts in a short story setting.  While there are dates and names of people involved in the events the book does not feels very academic.  The language is more in a narrative style.

Is the setting important and well described?

• The settings are a major part of this books.  Considering the short number of pages, the settings are described nicely and adds to the eerie feeling of the book.

Are there details and, if so, of what?

• There is an abundance of details in this book.  Each story has details about the location, people who lived there, eyewitness accounts, and the events surrounding the hauntings.  This includes dates, names of people involved in the event that caused the haunting, and what eyewitnesses have seen. 

Are there sufficient charts and other graphic materials?  Are they useful and clear?

• There are no graphs or charts.  However, there are a few photographs of tombstones and the outside of houses and buildings.

Does the book stress moments of learning, understanding, or experience?

• The book explains in detail the haunted experiences that the eye witnesses have come in contact with. 

        Why would the reader enjoy this book?

1.      Easy pick up and put down pacing of the stories.
2.      Interesting facts about local history.
3.      Feels like a books of short horror stories.