The Dibbuk Box

Overall, this was a good book. I didn't give it a 5 rating because I thought it was a little uneven. At times, the writer totally believes the box is real but then he abruptly starts providing information later in the book to indicate it is a hoax. He never really reconciles the two opposing viewpoints, at least not to my satisfaction. Were the manifestations psychosomatic? Was the hoax info provided to him just to discredit the person who sold it to him? He also documents that there are discrepancies in the information provided by the "whistleblower" about the hoax which makes me wonder is he saying it is a hoax or not?I will say this - the author did a great job of researching the box, its history, and the weird artifacts found in it. For that reason, I gave this a 4 star rating. For example, the author points out (and it's obvious) that the handle on the box and the general appearance is something from the 50s or 60s (or possibly even 70s) yet there's a back story indicating that it was brought over from Poland after the owner escaped from a Nazi prison camp. He documented his extensive research on the physical box and its contents as well as his exhaustive interviews to try and run down the truth. I like that he provided lots of information to back up what he found. He provides detailed information on the weird candlestick with the tentacle looking legs, the granite slab with Hebrew carved into it, etc. The only area where I felt he fell short was in not researching further what he personally observed about the box. It was as if I as the reader was to disbelieve everyone else but I was to take his word at face value. He does the same thing with the family member he interviewed. He doesn't provide evidence of investigating her past to see if she's telling the truth. That lack of objectivity was disconcerting when he did such a good job of objectively researching the box. While I wanted to believe their words as eyewitnesses, I felt that he should have accounted for things that may have affected their credibility.Other issues: I was left wondering why he didn't ask for his money back once he realized the discrepancies about the age of the artifact. He never accounts for other variables - was the family member who backed up the story mentally ill? Is it possible that even if there was another original dibbuk box, the story was made up to scare the captors to help facilitate the owner's escape? As to his own observations, he didn't account for environmental factors, medications or physical ailments that might have effected his perception or that there may have been other causes of what happened to his home. For example, could the invasion of spiders be caused by the sugar-based lacquer on the box and not any supernatural manifestation? He says the other things that happened at the house were unprecedented but I felt like he didn't research other causes as thoroughly as he did the background on the box. Rather than being objective in that regard, he in effect asks the reader to take him at his word whereas he doesn't extend the same courtesy to others in the story.With that said, though, the descriptions of the weird occurrences surrounding the box, which are described in detail and are documented with photos, are downright creepy. There seems to be a lot going on to just explain it away as coincidence. And it is here that the author is really engaging. I had trouble putting the book down. Also, it was every bit as scary as a Stephen King novel. If you enjoy scary stuff or are interested in the supernatural, or just interested in this pop culture phenomenon (the box was the subject of a Hollywood movie), I recommend the book to you. It's entertaining, a fun read, and will have you jumping with every unexplained creak in your house.

The book was interesting, but not as creepy as I was expecting. I also wish the author had used the spelling “dybbuk” and recognized that it was a spirit and not a demon. Most of the people he contacted were very unreliable witnesses. If you’re looking for a scare, look elsewhere.

Interesting but Jason Haxton seems to know no personal boundries when it comes to finding things out about the box. He seems a bit obsessed! He seemed to intrude into people's lives a little more than what is acceptable!

Great book. Well written. Great information on the subject. Honestly written. The end you will have to decide.

Overall I liked it, but it should be noted I love the paranormal, especially the dibbuk box as a cursed item fascinates me.To get the best experience I recommend reading it as fiction. If you want a tale that confirms paranormal phenomena based on factual evidence, this one ain't gonna convince you.This is Haxton's story as he experienced it, nothing more. I don't think he aimed at convincing people that demons exist, he saw and felt some pretty strange stuff and relates this experience in an entirely subjective manner.We may never know what this box is, but Jason did his best to find out with the resources available to him. Hoax or not, the story is in essence a fascinating one.

This account of events can be monotonous however interesting. The book leaves you hoping for answers. Much information is described of Jewish beliefs and traditions.

I read the reviews posted here and decided to give the book a try, in spite of some of the negative comments. I'm glad I did. I'm no literary critic, but I found the book very readable, and the story was fascinating to me. I was impressed with the thoroughness of the author's investigation, and with his attempts at rational and even-handed research into the labyrinthine story of the box. I disagree with the reviewer(s?) whose criticism of the book included comments about - in the critic's opinion - lots of superfluous digressions and information (I don't have time to look back through the reviews to find the exact wording) ...This was a journalistic approach to a story with lots of twists and turns and I enjoyed watching the author's attempt to follow every lead, whether or not it panned out. In fact, often there is no way to know whether some investigative thread will pan out until one follows through. And yes, perhaps Mr. Haxton could have left out a few of the less pertinent facets of his inquiry, but I personally enjoyed reading it all. I finished the book feeling that perhaps the box was not exactly what it was first purported to be, but to write it off as a complete hoax , as at least one reviewer did may be a bit short-sighted. Things don't have to be old (in the realm of the mysterious) to be effective. I hope, Mr. Haxton, that you are still offering the follow-up information to some of us reviewers, because I would love to know what else you have uncovered since the book went to print. Thanks for your willingness to pursue and then share this story with us. I hope your improved health has persisted.

It was ok but there are so many conflicting stories and unneeded history lessons that the reading became boring and slow. Also, I didn't like that he felt he was the intended sole protector and seemed to imply that no one will ever see it again. As if he's gods personal soldier. Bulls***. Lol. Overall, it's an easy read and an ok way to pass the time but seems more like a story right out of goosebumps to me.

Well, here goes:Round the turn of the current century an antiques buyer visits, in his professional capacity, an estate sale, thus to procure goods to sell in his shop. So far so good, save that one of same just happened to be the so called 'Dibbuk Box' - which any scientist would tell you, to this day, is just a quaint, antique wine box, constructed of wood, and therein the story might abruptly end; that is to say, *if* you were entirely of scientific persuasion...Nonetheless, once the Dibbuk (cf. a malevolent spirit from Jewish folklore) Box is brought to his said shop and left there, strange things start to happen, and don't stop happening, until its then owner put the box up for sale on Ebay (a well known auction site which is inferior to Amazon in all respects, oh, and no... I don't just say that in the hope of my one day becoming a vine reviewer... this reviewer is just too opinionated for that status!). Anyway, the box ends up on ebay and is won by a bunch of students. Soon afterwards strange things start happening, until they too have had enough, and it goes back on ebay for the last time.He who wins is Jason Haxton, a museum curator, respected academic & not least - our venerable author. Now, surely that'll be the end of all the bizarre events which surround this box!? But no, thus read on, and you'll find out exactly the what, why, when, who and future of the allegedly haunted Dibbuk box.A very readable story ensues, which took me two days to finish and I was glued to every page. You don't need to be Jewish or of any particular religion to enjoy the story/facts described herein: just open minded! Indeed, I advise that you buy this book *only if* you are open minded enough to accept that there is a possibility of ghosts, spirits and hauntings. Otherwise, I advise that you steer well clear, and just buy it for anyone you know who is of 'open-minded stationing' in life. For it's a very interesting read if you are prepared to accept that Haxton is telling us the unadulterated truth, which... I am.PS I would have given it five stars had the author expounded more upon the alleged weird phenomena which occurred while in proximity to his home. But I expect that as part of a 'face saving' exercise, he doesn't expose all the curious happenings; again, methinks, that's in case he's ridiculed for so doing. Ah well, still a v interesting read.

A bit here nor there - bought this after seeing an episode of Paranormal Witness about this subject. A bit of a disappointing recount - I'm never usually one to say this but I'd genuinely say watch the tv episode instead!

It is a really interesting read, makes you think about the events and the story has been on tv, which is really good too.The writer doesnt say this is real blah blah he tells you to make up your own mind and just tells the reader what happened.

Great to read on a cold night and a warm fire. Entertaining and easy to read. Still poses more questions than answers!!!

Very interesting read and the best conclusion ever