Book Review: The Witch Cloud by Timothy Renner

Photo by Barbara Fisher 2021.

The Witch Cloud is a lovely little book that tells the story of Tim Renner and Chad Redding’s investigation into the haunted bridges in Gettysburg.

Fully illustrated by the author with a lyrical and hauntingly beautiful forward by Alison Renner, the book evokes the deep mystery and wonder that embraces anyone who chooses to engage with The Other on a regular, continuing basis.

Examining the folklore closely as he is wont to do, Renner finds no real historical support for the locally promulgated stories of these haunted bridges, and yet, when he and Redding investigate on location, they find plenty of mysterious goings-on in the land surrounding the two bridges.

So many questions arise during the investigation. Are these ghosts? What are ghosts? What are these lights? What is bigfoot? Why are bridges so often haunted? Does water have anything to do with it? And why are the owls always hooting?

I have read the entire book; I am waiting for the download. I’ve heard three tracks worth of it (thank you Tim, for a quick preview—or rather—pre-hear) and what I heard is just as beautifully done as the book. I look forward to hearing the live investigation recordings; the transcripts included in the book are revealing—and, yet, at the same time concealing.

Renner reminds us that there are no answers to the questions The Other raises. No one -knows- for certain what any of this is, and he cautions us against certitude in ourselves and other humans. Anyone who swears they know exactly what any given paranormal thing is or isn’t, is not to be trusted.

The book, which is part of a multi-media project that will stand in for the 300th Strange Familiars Podcast episode, is beautiful. Renner has stretched the definition of what a podcast can be in the best way possible here. It is very much worth your time and effort to read and savor.