Well, most ghost stories are just fictional tales made up to scare or entertain people. There's no scientific evidence to prove the existence of real ghosts, so while they are called 'ghost stories', they are usually products of human imagination.
One real ghost story I heard was about an old abandoned house. People said that at night, you could see a figure in the window. It was said to be the spirit of a woman who died there long ago. Many who passed by the house at night claimed to feel a sudden chill and an uneasy feeling.
Since I haven't read this book, I can only make general guesses about the ghost stories in it. There could be tales of vengeful ghosts, seeking revenge on those who wronged them in life. There might be stories about friendly ghosts too, ones that are just there, observing the living world and maybe even protecting the people in the area they haunt. It could also feature stories where the ghosts are a part of a mystery that the characters in the stories have to solve, like finding out who the ghost was in life and what it wants, in order to put the spirit to rest.
In Japan, there is the story of Okiku's well. A maid named Okiku was thrown into a well by her master after she refused his advances. People say that if you lean over the well and call her name, you can hear her counting the plates she was supposed to take care of before she died. Some claim to have felt a cold hand grabbing them when they got too close to the well. It's a very spooky and dangerous - feeling story as it involves the potential of being physically grabbed by a ghostly presence.
A real - life ghost story that sends shivers down the spine is that of the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. There are tales of ghosts of slaves and a young girl who was murdered there. Visitors have reported seeing apparitions, feeling cold hands on their shoulders, and hearing the sound of crying in the empty halls.
In my opinion, it's hard to say all are real ghost stories. There are many fictional elements often added to make them more exciting. However, there are those who claim to have had real encounters and base their stories on that, but it's difficult to prove objectively.
Most likely not. These stories are often part of the folklore that has grown around the 9/11 tragedy. People tend to attach supernatural elements to such large - scale and tragic events. It could be that the collective grief and shock make us more susceptible to believing in such tales, but there is no evidence to suggest that ghosts are real in this context.
Some people believe that ghost stories can be real stories. There are many accounts of strange happenings that seem to defy explanation and are often attributed to ghosts. However, from a scientific perspective, there is no evidence to prove the existence of ghosts. So it really depends on one's beliefs.
One of the scariest real ghost stories is the Bell Witch Haunting. It happened in Tennessee in the early 19th century. The Bell family was tormented by a mysterious entity. There were strange noises, objects moving on their own, and even physical attacks on family members. The apparition would whisper and sing in a creepy way. It was so terrifying that it became a well - known case of alleged paranormal activity.