What do you think?
Rate this book
Phantoms of Old Louisville: Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood
In "Phantoms of Old Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood," Kentucky Author David Dominé conducts a literary stroll through a picturesque Victorian neighborhood where unexplained occurrences abound in grand old homes behind fortress-like walls. He adroitly pulls the reader along on a tour of hidden balconies and secret passage ways while describing architectural facets that make each dwelling unique. Along with fascinating stories and first-hand accounts from home owners and residents, Dominé offers pictures of the alleged haunts to help readers visualize spooks and phantoms as he unfolds his tales of lost spirits and forlorn phantoms. Old Louisville, the third largest historic preservation district in the nation, boasts hundreds and hundreds of opulent Victorian mansions, each of them with a story, and David Dominé brings them to life and takes the reader inside on a sumptuous visual foray. In "Phantoms of Old Ghostly Tales from America's Most Haunted Neighborhood," guests are urged to make themselves comfortable and feel at home, but right as they settle in, the author pulls the rug out from under them and defies rational explanation of the would-be paranormal occurrences in his stories. Sure to please both history buffs and ghost story enthusiasts alike, this intriguing collection of supernatural tales peppered with lavish architecture, haunting history and colorful characters makes it a perfect read any time of the year.
- GenresNonfictionGhost Stories
191 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2006
About the author
David Domine
14 books91 followersDavid Dominé has called Kentucky home since moving to Louisville in 1993. Over the years, his adopted state has provided him an unending supply of artistic inspiration, so it’s not surprising that - from local hauntings to bourbon recipes - Kentucky spirits frequently come alive in his narratives. In addition to writing travel pieces for local and national publications, he has also published books on Victorian architecture, regional cooking, folklore, and haunted history. David has an MA in German Literature from the University of California at Santa Barbara and an MA in Spanish Literature from the University of Louisville. He also completed studies in literary translation at the Karl-Franzens Universität in Graz, Austria, and received an MFA in Writing from Spalding University. When he’s not writing, he teaches language and literature classes at the university. When he’s not writing or teaching, he’s usually cooking or eating. His current projects include the forthcoming novel Peter Paul’s Kitchen and a true-crime book about the bizarre 2009 murder of drag queen Jamie Carroll and the subsequent trials of alleged killers Jeffery Mundt and Joseph Banis.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 13, 2019
Very well written and well-put-together little book full of interesting spooky stories about the old Victorian-era downtown section of Louisville, KY. As Louisville is my hometown, I am especially interested in this neighborhood and it’s history, and David has done a wonderful job researching everything and speaking to his sources in order to get the best stories possible.
If you’re local, make time to go on one of the author’s Ghost Tours of Old Louisville, and hear some of these stories first-hand. I did this very recently and it was definitely worth it. David is a natural storyteller, on paper and in person.
If you’re local, make time to go on one of the author’s Ghost Tours of Old Louisville, and hear some of these stories first-hand. I did this very recently and it was definitely worth it. David is a natural storyteller, on paper and in person.
October 30, 2023
My husband and I recently spent a long weekend in Old Louisville to celebrate our anniversary and stayed in the Dupont Mansion, which is discussed in a chapter of this book. We took the ghost tour, which our guide indicated was orchestrated by the author, and were presented with this book by our innkeeper. During the tour, we were also made aware of other books by the author, which I am interested in reading. Phantoms is well written and interesting, especially if you visited the location and have visually seen the places discussed.
November 7, 2021
It took me longer to read this than it should have but I didn’t realize that tales of phantoms had to include what this guy serves for dinner at every dinner party. The stories are good and included some I hadn’t heard but this book could have been at least thirty pages shorter without descriptions of his dinner parties and overly descriptive style.
July 21, 2022
Local Louisville native and so I LOVED the history and stories, did not love the dinner menus that took paragraphs to describe.
August 26, 2016
David Domine's books just keep getting better and better. I love the homey feel he gives off when he describes each of the places. His in depth descriptions are so vivid it's like you're really there. The hauntings, though, are what the book is truly about and trust me when I say the homey feeling vanishes. Domine tells the tales in a historical light, but they still manage to creep you out. Kudos to Domine. I can't wait to read the next book!
October 12, 2008
I loved this follow up to GHOSTS OF OLD LOUISVILE. But, you don't need to read them in order to enjoy them... each chapter is an entertaining read unto itself. More great history, more colorful characters, fascinating homes and spine-tingling ghosts. I recommend this as much as the first book. I cannot wait to read the next book in David Domine's HAUNTED OLD LOUISVILLE series.
February 2, 2016
Tedious and repetitious. No creepy stories at all.
Anyway, I've decided to write my own "True Ghosts" book. I bet I could do it in a year of weekends, just asking people about creepy sounds they've heard.
Anyway, I've decided to write my own "True Ghosts" book. I bet I could do it in a year of weekends, just asking people about creepy sounds they've heard.
May 31, 2015
Fascinating reading for anyone interested in the history of Old Louisville
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews