How To Ghostbust The Old Fashioned Way

How To Ghostbust The Old Fashioned Way

From How To! with Charles Duhigg by How To!

March 3, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

Mike Pesca discusses ghostbusting techniques with Enid Baxter Ryce and Dr. Irving Finkel, focusing on ancient perspectives on hauntings.

Enid Baxter Ryce has built a fascinating career as an artist and university professor, but her unique living situation presents a very different challenge: navigating life on a massive, decommissioned, and potentially haunted military base. She knows how to uncover the historical art left behind in the empty barracks, but the leap to understanding and confronting the supernatural entities that might linger there feels intimidating and out of reach. On this episode: How To! 's Mike Pesca brings on Dr. Irving Finkel, a renowned British Museum curator, Assyriologist, and author of The First Ghosts . Irving offers Enid guidance on bypassing modern skepticism to view hauntings through an ancient Mesopotamian lens, the power of using precise incantations to address spirits—and why dealing with a ghost should be treated as practically as catching a mouse in the kitchen. Executive Producer Corey Wara Edited by Geoff Craig Booking by Lya Yanne Do you have a burning question or a problem you need help with? Email us at [email protected] and we will consider your topic for the show. For full Pesca content and updates, check out our website at https://www.mikepesca.com/ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To receive…

People in this episode

Host: Mike Pesca

Guests: Enid Baxter Ryce, Dr. Irving Finkel

Topics covered

  • ghostbusting
  • supernatural
  • Mesopotamian culture
  • art history
  • haunted locations

Keywords

  • ghosts
  • hauntings
  • incantations
  • military base
  • art
  • supernatural entities

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: British Museum

Books & works: The First Ghosts

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