The Demonologist: Paranormal Book Review
If you think ghosts are only responsible for hauntings, think again. This New York Times Best Seller reveals the grave religious process behind supernatural events and how it can happen to you. Used as a text in seminaries and classrooms, this is one book you can’t put down. For over five decades Ed and Loraine Warren have been considered America’s foremost experts on demonology and exorcism. With thousands of investigations to their credit, they reveal what actually breaks the peace in haunted houses. Chapters include Annabelle and The Enfield Poltergeist.
Paranormal Book Review: The Demonologist
Whoever said that Ed and Lorraine Warren wrote the book on “demonology” wasn’t kidding. Years ago before the Internet became commonplace in nearly every household and Usenet groups ruled the World Wide Web before forums were rampant, I was on a quest. That quest was for a copy of the long out-of-print book entitled The Demonologist: The Extraordinary Career of Ed and Lorraine Warren by Gerald Brittle. The title says it all. For those living under a rock, or have yet to see The Conjuring, the famous couple is better known in the paranormal field for their work as real-life “Ghostbusters”. For those who know them, ghosts were a walk in the park or virtually non-existent compared to the forces of evil that were demons.
Why was I on this quest? Mere curiosity. At the time, I was made privy to the Warrens after their involvement in the Amityville Horror that took place in my native New York. Being from “The Big Apple”, I was intrigued to know that such a story took place not too far from where I grew up in the city. Ever since I was a kid I was fascinated by things that went bump in the night. Never having been witness to such an otherworldly experience, stories of the paranormal kept me up at night and the fascination within only grew. To this day I love tales of the supernatural, ghouls, ghosts, and even demons. My interest in the subject, however, does not mean I believe in such things nor does it mean I take everything I read at face value. No, to me, although sometimes downright creepy, it is simply entertainment.
The book starts in the post-Amityville era and life, thereafter, for the Warrens. Within the first few pages, it is made clear that the supposed strange happenings of 112 Ocean Ave. in Long Island, NY were far from over. Well, at least not for the Warrens it wasn’t over. As I painstakingly discovered in this book, demons were commonplace for the Warrens and they lurked behind every nook and cranny. Of course, being the ghost, or “demon-busters” that they were, the Warrens were viewed as a threat and were under constant attack by those who resided down below in that fiery pit known as hell. Throughout the first two or three chapters of the book, there is an accumulation of so-called “evidence” or, rather, testimony that is being pushed onto the readers as if trying to prove or reiterate their involvement in the Amityville case. The constant mention of the famous haunting was being drilled into my mind as if saying, “Yes, it happened! Yes, it was real! We were there! We saw things happen!” Yes, I got it! And No, I still don’t believe it. There was a case to be made, if anything, for the Warrens that demons truly do exist and that what they do is very real. This was a point they are very adamant about throughout the book with the help of author Gerald Brittle.
I must admit, however, that for the believer of the paranormal and supernatural, this book may be (or may have been) the authority in the study of demonology as it serves as a guide, or textbook, on the subject. I cannot attest to this 100% as this is the only book I have read on the subject. In a way, The Demonologist serves to educate an audience of both ghosts and demons. Think of it as a “Dummy’s Guide to Demons and Exorcisms!” Looking at it this way then makes sense in the manner that the Warrens had to portray their expertise in the subject of demonology. But the Warrens have a way of factually speaking and with great confidence on many of their claims to which there is no absolute proof. For example, their theory of spirit manifestation states that:
…light energy, combined with heat and electromagnetic energy in the room, is what the human spirit uses to manifest. (26)
An interesting theory but with no scientific data (or anything else for that matter) cited or referenced. It is this assertion, along with a slew of other so-called “facts” and bold claims portrayed in The Demonologist, that denounce any merit whatsoever. To state that there are more ghosts in America than in England is just flat-out ridiculous and, dare I say it, arrogant. To make such a statement is irrelevant. Add to that there is simply no way of ever proving that aside from published and recorded available accounts. But, such statements spoke numerous volumes as to what I was to expect throughout the book and so I braced myself for what else was to come.
Speaking of science, there is an entire chapter dedicated to addressing the subject of science and how it pertains to the paranormal entitled “Unnatural Phenomena”. While I thought it wise not to ignore science, this chapter seemed to be aimed at a specific group of people. In particular, this was a chapter aimed directly at people like me. Brittle, through the words of Ed Warren, states something to the effect of science being able to prove occurrences usually attributed to the supernatural that are indeed not paranormal. In this way, the scientific community has not succeeded in proving or disproving its existence. Fair enough, but I’m sure many would disagree. But, I can appreciate the need or want to separate science from religion.
In a court of law, evidence is data presented as proof of facts through the testimony of witnesses, records, documents, or objects. In The Demonologist, evidence is presented as the testimony of two people – Ed and Lorraine Warren. There are numerous mentions of photographic evidence that, for some reason or another, did not make their way into the final print of the book. What better way to prove naysayers wrong than by showing them some possibly tangible proof? Yet, there is not one single photograph found within the book. Why absorb the bombardment of doubt and ridicule when, according to the book’s author, claims of numerous exemplary evidence that would make any scientific claim “pale in comparison” are ignored? It is true that when presented with such evidence a true skeptic will still not believe. There is, after all, an explanation for everything, right? I have “seen” some of the alleged evidence that the Warrens claim to be proof of the existence of ghosts and demons on the internet. I will admit that I still lean towards skepticism as the evidence was not very compelling.
The Demonologist bordered on many lines, from the ridiculous to the outlandish, right back to the absurd. Again, in fairness, this is quite a “resource” for any aspiring demonologist-in-the-making or training as the information is plentiful, despite most of it being unsubstantiated. It is a book that truly tests the will and intellect of the audience. I was less than halfway through the book and could not wait to reach the book’s conclusion. There is only so much I can take and it truly took a lot for me to continue pressing forward to finish the book.
There is no doubt that the Warrens perhaps succumbed to their fame and fortune and being in the public eye they are prone to such character attacks. I’m not here to do that and if I am coming off that way, I apologize. But, the claims and stories in this book are simply hogwash and based on no merit whatsoever, other than the eyewitness testimonies of the Warrens. Sure, maybe things happened to the people mentioned in the book, but was it a demon or was it something more rational that can be attributed to the human condition and mind? Of course, this is not for me to say but this was something not even entertained in the book. From my understanding, there were previous prints of the book that featured images and photographs of evidence. This was not that book so I am simply reviewing what was made available to me. In conclusion, The Demonologist served as an “authoritative” book, and ultimate sales pitch, on what a demonologist is and their civic duty to mankind and God. It is clear through their subsequent books, television, and movie deals that it served its purpose well.
NOTE: At the conclusion of the book it is billed as being a work of fiction. Was this always the case or just updated in this new version? Also, is this to say that all the stories included in the book (including that of Amityville and the story of the haunted doll, Annabelle, are fictional accounts? Interesting. If anyone has an older edition of the book please fill me in on the other details such as the purported pictures and the note that states the book is a work of fiction.