Paranormal Investigation at the Merchant’s House Museum April 29, 2014 On Saturday, April 26th, 2014, I attended my first ever paranormal investigation, at the Merchant’s House, an 1832 red-brick row house on East Fourth Street that was home to a prosperous merchant family for almost 100 years. It is one of the city’s most most fascinating historic houses, and is widely reputed to be haunted. […]
Titanic Graves at Green-Wood Cemetery April 8, 2014 There are several Titanic-related grave sites at Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery. (There are lots at Woodlawn, too.) One of the saddest is the grave of little Douglas Spedden, best known as the little boy in this photo: When Douglas saw the icebergs after boarding a lifeboat, he reportedly exclaimed “Oh, look at the beautiful North Pole […]
Titanic First Person Accounts: Lawrence Beesley April 7, 2014 Some of the most compelling Titanic first-person accounts come from Lawrence Beesley’s The Loss of the SS Titanic. Second class passenger Beesley was a scientist and author, and he’s one of those rare people who seem equally gifted in both fields. He writes crystalline clear prose that is devastating without being histrionic: “Imagine a […]
Quote of the Day: Edgar Allan Poe April 7, 2014 The only writing advice you will ever need: “Be bold. Read much. Write much. Publish little. Keep aloof from the little wits and fear nothing.” – Edgar Allan Poe
Did a cat predict the sinking of the Titanic? April 4, 2014 While reading Charles Pellegrino’s Ghosts of the Titanic, I came across the following intriguing footnote: “Only one cat is known to have been aboard the Titanic, and she is said to have disembarked before the ship left Southampton… A stoker named Jim Mulholland reported that he had cared for the ship’s cat, and for its […]
Washington Irving Sites in New York City April 3, 2014 Happy birthday to Washington Irving, born April 3, 1783! Irving is, of course, a great literary hero of mine, not only for his classic Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but also for his imaginative (if somewhat fictive) approach to celebrating Christmas! There are two great Irving-related sites right here in New York City, where he […]
Poe Tour Featured in Literary Manhattan April 1, 2014 Edgar Allan Poe’s Greenwich Village has been featured in Literary Manhattan! We’re proud to earn their seal of approval, as we’ve worked hard to put together one of the most accurate and deeply researched Poe tours in this city. Learn more at www.literarymanhattan.org or contact us to schedule your own private Poe tour.