Haunted Minnesota by Hugh E. Bishop Published by Lake Superior Port Cities on January 1, 2006
Genres: Nonfiction
Pages: 199
Format: Paperback
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A state's worth of spookiness! You'll find mysterious sightings, ancient legends, private hauntings and spirits in public places including well-known landmarks. Enlightening section on Bigfoot and interviews with actual ghost chasers. Written by Hugh Bishop, author of Haunted Lake Superior and The Night the Fitz Went Down.
I have to admit, I really didn’t enjoy this book. I recently relocated to the great state of Minnesota, and I was excited to dive into its haunted history and learn about the things that go bump in the night. Unfortunately, Haunted Minnesota didn’t quite deliver.
There’s no real organization by location or even by theme—the author jumps from one topic to another, sometimes within the same paragraph. I have ADHD and can ramble with the best of them, but even my already-addled brain found this hard to follow.
I do appreciate that Bishop acknowledges the difficulty in confirming certain stories and that he included footnotes where possible—that was really the book’s strongest point. Still, I was left scratching my head when cryptids and UFO sightings suddenly entered the mix. It felt out of place in a book supposedly focused on hauntings.
The book would have benefited immensely from a more structured layout—clear headers for each case, and ideally, sections divided by location. As it stands, it reads more like a string of loosely connected anecdotes—“My aunt’s cousin’s husband’s sister’s brother-in-law’s aunt on his father’s side said he saw something terrifying one night…”
In short, Haunted Minnesota has potential, but the lack of structure and clarity makes it more confusing than chilling. Ultimately, Haunted Minnesota reads more like a rough draft of intriguing possibilities than a cohesive guide. It may appeal to casual readers who enjoy browsing local lore, but it falls short for anyone seeking depth or organization.
CW / TW:
This piece contains semi-graphic references to:
Death, war, infant and child death, murder, and suicide.
Recommended Age: 13+
