One of the best things about the Internet is that everyone can have a voice and there’s no one telling them what they can and cannot say; one of the worst things about the Internet is that monkeys like me are doing it and we have no editors or fact checkers. Yes, the last time I mentioned one of Lesley Pratt Bannatyne’s books I bestowed a Harvard education on her. I failed to mention she was knighted by the Queen and has achieved the 33rd Degree of Masonry as well despite being a woman. Yes, smart cookie that she is she found my error and called me on it. Her bio, which is no less impressive without the Harvard degree, can be found on the Harvard site since she works for them, and we all know that Harvard hires a bunch of slouches as editors and communications writers. Now if I had only taken 3.2 seconds to click that link and read it in the first place . . .
With that said, she’s still one of the Queens of Halloween, and I want to tell you a little bit about another of her books: A Halloween How-To.
Published in 2001 before the explosion of Halloween related websites, forums, email lists, and a quagmire of how-to information, “A Halloween How-To” was the definitive guide to everything Halloween. This would exclude, perhaps, if you happen to be looking for a Pagan religious guide to Samhain; this ain’t it folks. All the information in this guide, which is geared toward an adult contemporary Halloween experience, is still quite relevant, and indeed I found tons of useful ideas for parties, costumes, decorations and destinations I really hadn’t known about before.
Within it’s pages are plenty of good solid ideas to decorate your home and yard, how to pick the perfect pumpkin and carve it, for making do-it-yourself costumes, to liven up a party of ghouls and goblins, to help you decide which music to play from Bach to Midnight Syndicate, for picking classic movies to watch, and for tempting your guest with some delicatible Halloween food recipes. Then Banntyne follows this with an excellent selection of ideas for making Halloween great outside your safe little Halloween home base such as ghost hunting, finding parades and local events, and a profile of some of the nations best haunted attractions (yes, some have went by the wayside since publication but others are still going strong)that you can visit. On top of all this is a good helping of Halloween history, which should come as no surprise to anyone who has read “Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History” also by the Lesley Pratt Bannatyne (I swear I’m going to do a full review on this one soon), and you have a one concise, intelligent, adult read that should give you endless ideas to enhance your October festivities.
Yes, we just finished October, but this book would make an excellent addition to your collection or the collection of a Halloween fan you may be stymied for holiday gift ideas for. Start now people. Time is waisting. Halloween will be here before you know it. Honest!
