author

J. W. (John William) Harris

b. 1849

Best known for a curious early-1900s study of hauntings, hypnotism, and the supernatural, this little-known writer explored strange experiences with a determinedly rational tone. His work sits at the crossroads of popular psychology, psychical research, and Victorian-era fascination with the unseen.

1 Audiobook

Inferences from Haunted Houses and Haunted Men

Inferences from Haunted Houses and Haunted Men

by J. W. (John William) Harris

About the author

Very little biographical information about this author could be confirmed from the sources I found. He is identified in library-style records as J. W. (John William) Harris, born in 1849.

He is best known for Inferences from Haunted Houses and Haunted Men (1901), a book that examines reports of hauntings and unusual mental states through the lens of hypnotism and suggestion rather than simple ghost stories. Listings for his work also suggest he wrote at least one other book, God's Plan.

Because reliable personal details were scarce, the surviving picture is mainly of Harris as an author of unusual and speculative nonfiction rather than a fully documented public figure. That air of mystery fits the subject of his best-known book rather well.