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The Vampyre: And Other Tales of the Macabre (Oxford World's Classics)

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Sink your fangs into this one!

The Vampyre: And Other Tales of the Macabre (Oxford World's Classics)
John Polidori
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

In a Glass Darkly (Oxford World's Classics)
Melmoth the Wanderer (Penguin Classics)
The Mysteries of Udolpho (Penguin Classics)
Vathek (Oxford World's Classics)
Uncle Silas (Penguin Classics)

ASIN: 0192838946

Book Description

`Upon her neck and breast was blood, and upon her throat were the marks of teeth having opened the vein: - to this the men pointed, crying, simultaneously struck with horror, "a Vampyre, a Vampyre!"' John Polidori's classic tale of the vampyre was a product of the same ghost-story competition that produced Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. Set in Italy, Greece, and London, Polidori's tales is a reaction to the dominating presence of his employer Lord Byron, and transformed the figure of the vampire from the bestial ghoul of earlier mythologies into the glamorous aristocrat whose violence and sexual allure make him literally a 'lady-killer'. Polidori's tale introduced the vampire into English fiction, and launched a vampire craze that has never subsided. `The Vampyre' was first published in 1819 in the London New Monthly Magazine. The present volume selects thirteen other tales of the macabre first published in the leading London and Dublin magazines between 1819 and 1838, including Edward Bulwer's chilling account of the doppelganger, Letitia Landon's elegant reworking of the Gothic romance, William Carleton's terrifying description of an actual lynching, and James Hogg's ghoulish exploitation of the cholera epidemic of 1831-2.

Customer Reviews:

Sink your fangs into this one!.......2006-05-03

Out of these 14 stories, I thought 6 were excellent, 5 were quite good. 2 did nothing for me.

A couple of caveats. These stories were written in the early 19th century. Atmosphere counted for a lot. If you've read a lot of modern horror stories, and especially if you watch horror movies, these stories might seem tame to you. The horror often focuses on the situation and psychological experience rather than physical detail. It aims for a deeper level. Also, in most stories, the language is old-fashioned. I feel it adds to the sense of ancient horrors, but it's not everyone's cuppa java.

The Vampyre - This vampire seems rather human. (Not a very nice human, mind you.) Vampiredom is presented as only one of many evils in the world, part of life's tapestry. Humans, we're reminded, have been as cruel as, or crueler than, vampires. The supernatural element is there, but played down. In a way, this makes Lord Ruthven even more frightening because he's an accepted part of society; women love him. Lord Ruthven is said to be based upon Lord Byron, whom the author knew (and apparently didn't like too well).

Sir Guy Eveling's Dream - Bloodcurdling! However, the archaic language gets in the way and makes for difficult reading.

Confessions of a Reformed Ribbonman - An ugly revenge tale. The horror here is how heartless and evil people can be, and how mob rule can make us do things that we might not do otherwise. Lots of psychological insight. Supposedly based on a true event. This one will get you in the gut.

Monos and Daimonos - It has a folklore feel to it. Enjoyable.

The Master of Logan - Excellent! Very gothic, supernatural and suspenseful, loaded with atmosphere. Gripping, with nice plot twists. Suspenseful from beginning to end.

The Victim - Harrowing. One of many stories from the time about Resurrection Men from whom medical schools and students bought bodies on which to practice their anatomy. Sometimes digging up a corpse is just too much trouble. The ending was a bit flat, otherwise a powerful heartbreaker.

Some Terrible Letters from Scotland - I didn't see much of a point in this. Three unrelated men write letters to the editor about different aspects of the cholera plague.

The Curse - Rousing horror story about revenge. Nice use of foreshadowing and suspense, with a delicious plot twist.

Life in Death - The old 'scientist tries to beat God at his own game' routine. Downright creepy tale that'll send chills down your spine.

My Hobby,--Rather - A dud. Hope the author kept his day job.

The Red Man - Excellent! A dark, gloomy, gothic atmosphere is built up creatively and very effectively, this time in not-so-gay Paris. A terrible and sad tale of obsession and revenge.

Post-mortem Recollections of a Medical Lecturer - Inside the mind of a doctor entering a state of delirium while giving a lecture on insanity. We remain in his mind as he dies, and possibly (hard to tell) shortly after he dies. Fascinating.

The Bride of Lindorf - Great start, but then it went downhill. We're introduced to two fascinating characters. One we never hear of again; the other becomes ordinary. I felt as though I had read the beginning of one story and the end of another.

Passage in the Secret History of an Irish Countess - Starts out slow, but once the suspense starts, it doesn't let up. I consider this a psychological thriller. More mystery than supernatural (not a bad thing, just not expected). This is the plot Le Fanu later expanded into his novel, "Uncle Silas." Excellent!

The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories

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Savor this supernatural feast
Just the thing for a rainy thunderous autumn evening

The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories
Michael Cox , and R. A. Gilbert
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories (Oxford Books of Prose)
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Best Ghost Stories of J. S. LeFanu

ASIN: 0192804472

Book Description

The Victorians excelled at telling ghost stories. In an age of rapid scientific progress the idea of a vindictive past able to reach out and violate the present held a special potential for terror. Throughout the nineteenth century fictional ghost stories developed in parallel with the more general Victorian fascination with death and what lay beyond it. Though they were as much a part of the cultural and literary fabric of the age as imperial confidence, the best of them still retain their original power to surprise and unsettle. The editors map out the development of the ghost story from 1850 to the early years of the twentieth century and demonstrate the importance of this form of short fiction in Victorian popular culture. As well as reprinting stories by supernatural specialists such as J. S. Le Fanu and M. R. James, this selection also emphasizes the key role played by women writers - Elizabeth Gaskell, Mrs Craik, Rhoda Broughton, and Charlotte Riddell, among many others - and offers one or two genuine rarities for the supernatural fiction enthusiast to savour. Other writers represented include Charles Dickens, Henry James, Wilkie Collins, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and R. L. Stevenson. The editors also provide a fascinating introduction, detailed source notes, and a chronological list of ghost stories collections from 1850 to 1910.

Customer Reviews:

Savor this supernatural feast.......2007-01-17

For the sake of atmosphere, read "Victorian Ghost Stories" with a candle to light your way through its mysterious passages.

A very large candle.

There are thirty-five stories within its four-hundred-and-eighty-nine pages, and you must read them all before dawn.

Actually, you should savor this supernatural feast one story at a time. Its editors, who are both scholars of occult literature, collected the best of the best from the Golden Age of ghost story writing. If you are already a reader of the phantasmagoric, some of the anthology will be familiar, e.g. "An Account of Some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street," "The Romance of Certain Old Clothes," or "John Charrington's Wedding."

There are also lesser-known tales of vengeful ghosts, haunted houses, and "things in a dead man's eye," the latter courtesy of Rudyard Kipling's "At the End of the Passage."

According to the editors' introduction, one of their aims for this anthology was to "map out the development of the Victorian ghost story from circa 1850...it is in the 1850s that the distinct, anti-Gothic character of the Victorian ghost story begins to emerge." Which is not to say that the Gothic emphasis on moldering sepulchres is altogether missing. Try "The Tomb of Sarah" by F. G. Loring, whose story begins with the memorial inscription:

"SARAH. 1630. FOR THE SAKE OF THE DEAD AND THE WELFARE OF THE LIVING, LET THIS SEPULCHRE REMAIN UNTOUCHED AND ITS OCCUPANT UNDISTURBED TILL THE COMING OF CHRIST."

Of course, the story's protagonist believes he has an excellent reason for disturbing the dead. Or in Sarah's case, the Undead.

Make certain your candle is not burning low before you start "The Tomb of Sarah," or any of the other tales in this haunting collection.

A sampling of the stories:

"Father Macclesfield's Tale" (1907) by Monsignor R.H. Benson--This author was a lesser-known brother of the famed E.F. Benson, and private chamberlain to Pope Pius X. This story is narrated by a priest who is called to the death-bed of a man who could not tolerate the thought of annihilation.

"The Kit Bag" (1908) by Algernon Blackwood--The private secretary of a criminal lawyer accidentally takes home the kit bag of a brutal murderer to pack up for a Christmas trip to the Alps.

"An Eddy on the Floor" (1899) by Bernard Capes--The warden of one of His Majesty's prisons invites a young doctor to accept a post at the prison. The new physician soon learns that a certain empty cell was not only bolted, but screwed shut from the outside. All of the prisoners are afraid of it.

"The Old Nurse's Story" (1852) by Elizabeth Gaskell--A young girl goes to work as little Rosamund's maid at Furnivall Manor, a very grand mansion located at the foot of the lonely Cumberland Fells. Rosamund's distant relative, eighty-year-old Miss Furnival is a proud, cold spinster with many secrets to hide.

"At the End of the Passage" (1890) by Rudyard Kipling--A very atmospheric tale of four English Civil servants who are trying to cope with the dust, heat, and disease of an Indian summer. One of them admits that he can't sleep. In fact it terrifies him to even think of falling asleep.

"John Charrington's Wedding" (1891) by E. Nesbit--A much-collected Victorian ghost story. It's bad enough when brides are accidentally locked into chests or pursued by demon lovers, but when the groom is overheard telling his fiancée, "My dear, my dear, I believe I should come from the dead if you wanted me!" watch out!

"The Body-snatcher" (1884) by Robert Louis Stevenson--"To see, fixed in the rigidity of death and naked on the coarse layer of sack-cloth, the man whom he had left well-clad and full of meat and sin upon the threshold of a tavern, awoke, even in the thoughtless Fettes, some of the terrors of the conscience." Two medical students venture into a graveyard to find a subject for dissection.

"Thurnley Abbey" (1908) by Perceval Landon--The new owners of Thurnley Abbey invite one of their friends to stay overnight, without telling him that he will be sleeping in the haunted bedroom. Believing the creature that appears at his bedfoot to be a hoax, the angry guest tears it apart bone by bone.

Just the thing for a rainy thunderous autumn evening.......2006-07-17

I have to say these sorts of stories have gotten me through grad school... Though I own more than one Victorian horror anthology, this was my latest acquisition and undoubtedly high ranking amongst my favorites...most of the time I'd study all day and just want something relaxing to read a 20 minute getaway and since most of the stories are short enough to not be imposing and if you have quite an imagination about you, you'll enjoy the ornate details which will carry you back to a more decadent era filled with mystery... I felt thoroughly entertained by the eloquence and detailed verbal imagery. I was able to sustain myself through yet another day...The book is a compilation of many authors such as sir Arthur Conan Doyle... it is a nice medley... so you'll always have a "surprise me" trust me you will not regret this buy.. If you want a break from the politics, economics, social structure of the world around you to your private little sanctuary... then just turn on a few candles on a chilly autumn evening and prepare to be delighted with any one of these tales...

In a Glass Darkly (Oxford World's Classics)

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In A Glass Darkly
Eerie but doesn't stand the test of time
Great stories!
3 truly chilling tales; 1 eerie rite-of-passage; 1 real bore
Simply A Must Have - Here's Why...

In a Glass Darkly (Oxford World's Classics)
Sheridan Le Fanu
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales (Oxford Books of Prose)

ASIN: 0192839470

Book Description

`the ideal reading...for the hours after midnight' Thus Henry James described the style of supernatural tale of which Sheridan Le Fanu was a master. Known in nineteenth-century Dublin as `The Invisible Prince' because of his reclusive and nocturnal habits, Le Fanu was fascinated by the occult. His writings draw on the Gothic tradition, elements of Irish folklore, and even on the social and political anxieties of his Anglo-Irish contemporaries. In exploring sometimes inexplicable terrors, the tales focus on the unease of the haunted men and women who encounter the supernatural, rather than on the origin or purpose of the visitant. This makes for spine-chilling reading. The five stories presented here have been collected by Dr Hesselius, a `metaphysical' doctor, the forerunner of the modern psychiatrist, who is willing to consider the ghosts both as real and as hallucinatory obsessions. The reader's doubtful anxiety mimics that of the protagonist, and each story thus creates that atmosphere of mystery which is the supernatural experience.

Customer Reviews:

In A Glass Darkly.......2006-10-11

WARNING! My Oxford World's Classics paperback copy had pages of Thoreau's "Walden" inserted after p.158 of the story "The Room in the Dragon Volant." Missing are approx. 50 pages of the LeFanu story, so it's not like it's a bonus. I'm letting Amazon know about it, but check your copy on receipt!! Very disappointing to not know what happens, kind of like watching a thriller on TV and then the power goes out, but the broadcast stays on so you miss the middle.

I do rate LeFanu's stories 4-5 stars though. Really well-written page turners!

Eerie but doesn't stand the test of time.......2006-08-08

During a recent (first) visit to Dublin, my wonderful guide showed me Sheridan LeFanu's lovely Georgian home and turned me on to the creepy classics which the late author wrote and helped to create an entire genre of cliched horror staples we still enjoy today.

This book, however, is a collection of tedious stories...overwritten to satisfy perhaps Le Fanu's contemporary readers, but not those of today. It is unfortunate that we fans of haunted houses and chill-inducing ghost stories have become jaded with the over saturation in the medium. If you can get past comparing it with other examples and want to take your time with this slow (sadly unsuspenseful) read, you may find a few gossebumps along the way.

Great stories!.......2001-04-24

I disagree with the previous reviewer. I thought "The Room at the Dragon Volant" was one of the better stories. It was a little longer than it could have been, and yes, you figured out very quickly what was going on, but that didn't negate my enjoyment of it. (In fact, in most of the stories you have an idea of what's going to happen before it happens--like the end of "The Watcher.") You can enjoy it if you put yourself in the place of the (admittedly dorky) protagonist and read it as straight adventure.

"Carmilla" is a classic. I'd be amazed if it didn't provoke an outcry for its frank lesbian content. It must have been shocking at that time.

3 truly chilling tales; 1 eerie rite-of-passage; 1 real bore.......2000-08-30

While the likes of Dickens and George Eliot were pretending to be God, diagnosing the ills of society and showing us how to live better, despised sensationalists like Sheridan le Fanu were busy creating modern literature. 'In a Glass Darkly' is a perfect example of this, with its unreliable narrators, fractured narratives, mysteries, ambiguities, terrors, obsession with failures of the mind and body, and disruptive sexualities. There is one story here which is told at five - five! - removes from the original experience, a Chinese whisper a long way from the dogmatic certainties of Dickens. A collection of five stories, linked as the posthoumous papers of a seriously flawed proto-psychologist, the first three are the best, brief, compressed masterpieces of atmosphere and genuine terror: le Fanu may not be a great writer, but some of his visual coups are incomparable, the nightmare visions of 'Lord Justice Harbottle' being particularly vivid. The final tale, 'Carmilla', the collections' most famous, is an extraordinary coming of age tale, in which burgeoning sexuality and fear of the vampiric unknown are inextricably linked in a work of an overt lesbianism unthinkable for its time. The longest story, 'The Room at the Dragon Volant', is barely readable, interminably dragged out, full of deadening padding - there are some excellent scenes, such as the masked ball, but the hero is an unbearably self-regarding idiot, and the 'twist' is obvious to everyone but him after the first couple of pages, that the rest is just a tedious, suspenseless waiting for his dim enlightenment (which, admittedly, is brilliantly done). The introduction by Robert Tracy provdes some good insights into le Fanu's work as expression of national and colonial fears, but, perversely, he seems less interested in the tales' powerful sexual and gender drives.

Simply A Must Have - Here's Why..........2000-06-30

In A Glass Darkly is comprised of 5 lengthy short stories that are loosely woven together by the figure of Dr. Martin Hesselius, a "psychic doctor." Three of the five stories, "Green Tea," "Justice Harbottle," and "Carmilla," are classics of the Victorian ghost story genre, and are frequently anthologized. In my opinion, it is best to read them as they originally appeared, along with "The Watcher," and "A Room in the Dragon Volant," because Le Fanu had his reasons for ordering these five tales the way he did. This Oxford edition is better than the cheaper Wordsworth edition, and has great end notes. Also, Robert Tracy's introduction to Le Fanu is very accurate and well said. In conclusion, if you haven't read the first story, "Green Tea," then you don't know the full depths of Victorian horror fiction, and in my opinion, to get the fullest effects of "Green Tea," read "In A Glass Darkly" all the way through. You will not be disappointed--but you will get the shivers!

The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction

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The supernatural in literature
The Cook's Tour of English Fantasy
The Beginning of Horror
Oooh, old horror tales...
I rediscovered lost works...

The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction
Dorothy Scarborough
Manufacturer: Lethe Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1590210018
Release Date: 2001-06-30

Product Description

The supernatural is a traditional element in literature. Since the epic of Beowulf, there has been a continuing presence of the unearthly and weird in poetry, drama, and fiction. The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction, first published in 1917 during a period of renewed social and literary interest in the occult and spiritualism, offers readers an overview of some of the greatest known, as well as some forgotten yet eerily important, works of English literature. From the precursor of supernaturalism, the Gothic novel with its gloomy castles and cloisters, to the ghosts and madness and horrors written in the nineteenth and early twentieth century, this volume is a guide to a grotesquerie of tales. With chapters like The Devil and His Allies, The Supernatural in Folk-Tales, and Supernatural Science, the unearthly and the bizarre are met inside these pages in all their myriad guises. This is a book that will appeal to aficionados of fantastic and horror literature, offering new insight into the history of so many grand and delightfully macabre stories.

Customer Reviews:

The supernatural in literature.......2002-07-24

First of all the potential reader should know that this book was published in 1917, so the 'Modern' in the title refers to the latter part of the nineteenth century, and the earliest part of the twentieth century.

Secondly, the author omits mention of most of the ghost story authors from that period who are still popular today, e.g. J. S. Le Fanu (first ghostly tale published in 1838) and M. R. James (first collection of stories published in 1904). She also leaves out most of Victorian ladies whose ghost stories are still in print today, e.g. Mary Elizabeth Braddon, E. Nesbit, and Mrs. Riddell.

I would classify this book as an overview of the literature of supernatural fantasy and horror (including a Byronic poem about a vampire). The ghost story as defined and brought to its peak by Victorian and Edwardian authors, receives only brief mention in the chapter, "Modern Ghosts."

Scarborough begins with the Gothic Romance, of which she says: "The mysterious twilights of medievalism invited eyes tired of the noonday glare of Augustan formalism. The natural had become familiar to monotony, hence men craved the supernatural. And so the Gothic novel came into being."

'Gothic' is used to designate the eighteenth-century, pseudo-medieval novel of horror. The author begins with Horace Walpole's, "The Castle of Otranto"--if you are at all fond of Regency romances, you are bound to run across a heroine who is reading Walpole's tale of mad monks and haunted castles, or Mrs. Radcliffe's horrific "Mysteries of Udolpho." These novels depicting "decaying castles with treacherous stairways leading to mysterious rooms, halls of black marble, and vaults whose great rusty keys groan in the locks"--plus a heroine who wanders through spider-webbed corridors at midnight--did not have much staying power. According to Scarborough, Jane Austin finally gave this genre the kiss of death when she satirized their gloomy, overwrought style in "Northanger Abbey," which remained unpublished until after her death in 1818. "The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction" describes many gothic romance peculiarities in detail, while having a certain amount of gentle fun with them.

A chapter on European supernatural literature is followed by the aforementioned chapter on "Modern Ghosts." The author makes much of the effect Poe, Balzac, Hoffmann and other Romantic supernaturalists had on the nineteenth century English and American ghost story. Balzac in particular exerted a strong influence over Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, English author of "The Haunters and the Haunted," and progenitor of that infamous opening sentence, "It was a dark and stormy night..." (yes, that Bulwer-Lytton). Other stories that the author selects for discussion depend more on the Romantic tradition of insanity, gruesome decline, and horrid death to spark them along, rather than a purely supernatural mechanism. (As a matter of fact, Scarborough even published a novel in which the heroine was driven mad by the wind.)

She also expends a great deal of print on Spiritualism (which was already on the decline when this book was written), and the mystical, folkloric pantheism of such writers as W.B. Yeats ("The Celtic Twilight") and Algernon Blackwood ("Ancient Sorceries").

Scarborough draws heavily upon Romanticism, Spiritualism, and folklore for her chapters on "The Devil and His Allies," "Supernatural Life (which contains an excellent exposition on the legend of the Wandering Jew)," and "The Supernatural in Folk-tales."

"Supernatural Science" is the only really dated chapter in this book, with its discussions of hypnotism, the Fourth Dimension, uncanny chemistry, and students who exchange eyeballs. Even here, the author provides interesting commentary on A. Conan Doyle, H. G. Wells, Arthur Machen (whom she despises), and Ambrose Bierce, among other authors who were popular at the beginning of the twentieth century (and still are).

"The Supernatural in Modern English Fiction" should appeal to anyone who is interested in the evolution of fantasy and horror literature. Try "Elegant Nightmares: The English Ghost Story from Le Fanu to Blackwood" by Jack Sullivan or "Night Visitors: The Rise and Fall of the English Ghost Story" by Julia Briggs if your interest is more focused on literature that is entirely devoted to ghosts.

The Cook's Tour of English Fantasy.......2002-03-25

This is the latest in Lethe Press's series of reissues of works on the occult. 'The Supernatural In Modern English Fiction' was written in 1917 by Dorothy Scarborough. Given that the series has been uneven so far I did not have high expectations for this volume, and have only now discovered that it is a veritable treasure trove of books and literary history. It covers the period from Horace Walpole's 'Castle of Otranto' and other Gothic romances straight through to the author's own present times in the early 20th Century.

This makes for a literal cast of thousands. I was quite surprised to discover that horror and fantasy were a major part of the world's literary output from the very beginnings of popular literature. From Walpole, Maturin, and Shelley right through to Doyle, Machen, and Blackwood it was indeed a crowded stage. And Scarborough manages to present most of these efforts in a readable and well-organized fashion. Initially we are given a historical approach, but then the themes are taken up separately. Ghost stories, the demonic, the wandering Jew, rebirth, the afterlife, folk tales, and even 'scientific' monsters each get their turn in the sun.

As I've indicated Scarborough writes without any of the boring academic tone which often haunts this kind of material. This makes this volume an entertaining way to hunt down new reading material as well as a help in steering one's way through book stall accretions with a steady hand. Keep a pencil and a piece of paper handy while reading this book, you are bound to find things of interest.

My only regret is the lack of a bibliography. Scarborough is quite up front about this. In addition to the 3,000 or so titles that she drew upon for the book, there was an even larger additional number that she felt should be provided to the reader/researcher. There simply was no room at the inn. Unfortunately, to our loss, the bibliography promised as a second volume never materialized. There is, however, a good index, which will have to serve in it's stead.

The Beginning of Horror.......2001-12-20

Ever wonder where Horror Fiction came from? How has it progressed from the beginning Gothic story to the stuff it is made of today? This book will answer your questions.

A must have for the speculative fiction lover, this book covers every genre from the early gothic to the ghost stories of the 20th century. First published in 1917, Dorothy Scarbouough covers it all, the madness and the horror of the 18oo's.

I'm glad I discovered this book, it will remain a favorite for years to come.

Oooh, old horror tales..........2001-12-18

A very cool find... a friend gave me a copy as a birthday gift... so many different stories by authors I had never read... plus the author, Scarborough, has this cute concise way of writing. My fav chapter was on "The Devil and His Allies."

I rediscovered lost works..........2001-08-31

My bookshelves are filled with anthologies, the favorites being ones that contain some of the more obscure stories. What a pleasure to find this book! Scarborough lists some writers I have never heard of and set me scurrying online. She writes in a pleasant, easy style.

Music for the Off-Key: Twelve Macabre Short Stories

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Music for the Off-Key: Twelve Macabre Short Stories
Courttia Newland
Manufacturer: Peepal Tree Press Ltd.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Tell Tales
The Society Within

ASIN: 184523040X

Book Description

Drawing inspiration from everything from traditional horror movies to the sophistication of contemporary Japanese short-story styles, the literary and the popular merge seamlessly in this uniquely black British mix. This collection meticulously and insightfully observes West London's black communities—from patterns of speech, fashions, and pleasures to the pressures of racism and exclusion they seek to escape. Delighting in the dark, the grotesque, and the uncanny, these entertaining, genre-smashing stories provocatively reject the implicitly territorial limits placed on black British writing, and are followed by an afterword in which the author writes of his frustration with the narrow limits imposed on black British fiction by mainstream publishing expectations.

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How they're told in Scotland.
Things that go bump in the Scottish night.
Spooky cover sets mood of "Scottish Ghost Stories"

Scottish Ghost Stories
James Robertson
Manufacturer: Little Brown U.K.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Ghosts Among Us: True Stories of Spirit Encounters

ASIN: 0751513938

Customer Reviews:

How they're told in Scotland........2005-03-10

I have read helpful and detailed appreciations of this book on the Internet. I shall just add two points. Firstly, I think the book's great strength is that it is written by a skeptic. Ghost stories are not likely to be taken seriously if their reporting is sensationalized. James Robertson has collected and presented them with just the right mix of detached scholarship and narrative simplicity. Secondly, it should be obvious that ghost stories are ideal material for old-fashioned listening rather than for reading. Accordingly, I strongly recommend the Soundings audio version of this book, enabling you to hear the Scottish ghost stories told by a Scotsman. James Bryce delivers them beautifully, tossing the place names off with ready familiarity.

With its prolific folklore and long history of civil strife, its many ancient castles and churches, its many bleak, windswept and lonely locations for human habitation, Scotland has been a fertile place for the growth of tales of the supernatural. Most such tales date from earlier more credulous times than ours but Robertson's collection includes recent examples.

Things that go bump in the Scottish night........2003-09-08

As anyone who has ever been to Scotland knows, there is an abundance of supernatural tales in this ancient land. James Robertson has put together a fine book that includes many of these stories. Some are ancient, some are recent. Much to his credit he does not rehash some of the more worn Scottish ghost stories, but instead includes many stories that the reader will not likely find in any other books still in print. His writing style is for the most part pleasing, but does drag a little at times. I also doubt that this book will send a chill up your spine or cause you to have any trouble sleeping. Some really good ghost books do both of these things but this one will do neither. Part of the problem is that Robertson approaches this book as a skeptic. I have found that the really good ghost book writers have full faith that what they are writing about is absolute fact. Another problem is that so many of the stories are indeed old legends with no recent eyewitness accounts to add authenticity to the story. Those kinds of accounts always add a great deal to this type of book.

On the other hand, I did enjoy most of this book. Of particular importance to me is that the author took the time to give the background information pertaining to the haunt while not getting so carried away by the history of the haunt that he forgets the haunt itself. I particularly found the chapters dealing with poltergeists and Glamis Castle to be interesting. Most interesting of all however were chapters fifteen and sixteen, which deal with modern haunts and include eyewitness testimony. Both are excellent chapters and make the whole book worthwhile.

This is not the kind of book that makes a wonderful read on a chilly autumn evening. It simply is not frightening. If however, you are planning a trip to Scotland this would be a good book to read on the flight over. Not only will it give you a good background for many of Scotland's old legends it will also help set the mood for your visit to that enchanted land of Loch monsters, devil dogs, and ghostly pipers. And if you visit Glamis, watch out for Lord Beardie.

Spooky cover sets mood of "Scottish Ghost Stories".......2001-02-14

James Robertson has collected some interesting if not always believable stories of Scottish hauntings. The author himself says, "I am a sceptic in most things - in the behavior of the living as much as that of the dead - and so I am inclined to believe some of the stories gathered here more than others."

Scottish history with its bloody battles, betrayals, and persecutions lends itself peculiarly well to tales of ghostly vengeance. Several stories in this book describe revenants that arose from the persecutions of the Covenanters, the witches, the Royalists, and the Catholics (depending on who was in power). Glamis Castle gets its own chapter, and haunted lochs and beaches also have their stories told. Some of the scariest hauntings are drowned sailors returned from the sea, and some of the least scary involve Baby Boomer types who treat their ghosts like pets or something deserving of pity. It was enough to make me wish that the smug New Agers would some day have to go a round with 'the Deil of Littledean' or the 'Beast of Glamis'.

The author also makes room for several eerie tales of Gaelic 'second sight'. Scots with this 'gift' seem particularly prone to seeing ghostly funeral processions, sometimes with themselves as part of the funeral cortege!

All in all, "Scottish Ghost Stories" is a worthwhile read for those of you who collect tales of 'true' hauntings.

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The Ghost Stories of Muriel Spark
Muriel Spark
Manufacturer: New Directions Publishing Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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All the Stories of Muriel Spark
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The Bachelors (New Directions Classics,)

ASIN: 0811215490

Book Description

Eight spooky stories from the mistress of the unexpected.

"I aim to startle as well as please," Muriel Spark has said, and in these eight marvelous ghost stories she manages to do both to the highest degree. As with all matters in the hands of Dame Muriel her spooks are entirely original. A ghost in her pantheon can be plaintive or a bit vengeful, or perhaps may not even be aware of being a ghost at all. One in fact is the ghost of a man who isn't even dead yet. Another takes the bus home from work, believing she is still alive, though she is haunted by an odious tune stuck in her head (which her murderer had been relentlessly humming), and distressed by a "feeling of incompletion." And a reflective ghost recalls her mortal days of enjoying "the glory of the world, as if it would never pass."

Spark has a flair for confiding ghosts: "I must explain that I departed this life nearly five years ago. But I did not altogether depart this world. There were those odd things still to be done which one's executors can never do properly." In her case the odd things include cheerily hailing her murderer, "Hallo George!" and driving him mad.

The remarkably nonchalant stories here include some of her most wicked and famous—"The Seraph and the Zambesi," "The Hanging Judge," and "The Portobello Road"—and they all gleam with that special Spark sheen, the quality The Times Literary Supplement has hailed as "gloriously witty and polished."

Victorian Hauntings: Spectrality, Gothic, the Uncanny and Literature

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Victorian Hauntings: Spectrality, Gothic, the Uncanny and Literature
Julian Wolfreys
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Ghosts & Haunted Houses | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Art of Darkness: A Poetics of Gothic

ASIN: 0333922522

Book Description

What does it mean to read or write with ghosts, or to suggest that acts of reading or writing are haunted? How can 19th century authors be read to acknowledge the various phantom effects which return within their texts? In what ways do the traces of such "ghost writing" surface in the works of Dickens, Tennyson, Eliot, and Hardy? Beginning with an exploration of hauntings, the uncanny, the gothic, and the spectral, Julian Wolfreys traces the ghostly resonances at work in Victorian writing and how such persistence addresses the issues of memory and responsibility which literally haunt the work of reading.

The Supernatural Tales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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The super natural tales by sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Literate horror
There is more to Doyle than Holmes!
A nice treat for Conan Doyle fans
Great book to read on those dark lonely nights !!

The Supernatural Tales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0517162016
Release Date: 2000-08-01

Book Description

Here are stories of ghosts and demons, vampires, werewolves, and ghouls-and even reanimated mummies! Spine-chilling tales of the supernatural to make your scalp tingle and your pulse race. Each tale is introduced with an intriguing account of its origin and sometimes the unbelievably strange but true facts upon which it is based.

Customer Reviews:

The super natural tales by sir Arthur Conan Doyle.......2002-05-22

I must admit these series of stories took me by surprise. Surprise because my impression of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has been of a detective author. This appears to be written earlier in his career when he was experimenting with supernatural being. Initially I was somewhat disappointed as I it didn't meet my expectations; but nonetheless it is an interesting read.

Literate horror.......2002-05-09

I love creepy stories. There is something nice about that feeling, the slow tickle at the back of your neck you get when reading well-written horror. Someone, or something, might just be reading over your shoulder. Spooooky.

Horror, like any fiction, is only as good as it's writer. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is just about as good a writer as you are going to find, and "The Supernatural Tales of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle" is one of the best horror books I have read. There is an acknowledged Poe influence in this collection of 16 ghost and mystery stories, but the stories are definitely Doyle. Several of the stories focus on the then-current vogue of Egyptology, including "Lot No. 249" featuring the first "walking Mummy" story. Other gems include "The Leather Funnel," "The Ring of Thoth" and Doyle's first published story, "The Mystery of Sassa Valley."

This slim volume is a treasure-trove of wierd fiction.

There is more to Doyle than Holmes!.......2002-03-14

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote far more than just the Sherlock Holmes series - he wrote a tremendous collection of short stories and novels, with subjects ranging from the occult to science fiction. Some of these stories are better than most of the Holmes stories, and that's saying a lot!

I cannot recommend enough stories such as "The ring of Thoth", with it's amazing mystery of the ages. Doyle's writing does not diminish with time, and can be read by those who simply are looking for something different.

A nice treat for Conan Doyle fans.......2001-12-31

This book was exactly what I needed after plowing through my S.Holmes collection for the 10th time. The editing/annotation is quite respectful, even affectionate. It's insightful from a fan perspective to observe Sir Conan Doyle progress as a writer. He wrote some of these yarns for the fun of it, and they're a pleasure to read. A tad naive from our 21st century standpoint, yes, but charming nonetheless.

Great book to read on those dark lonely nights !!.......2001-11-08

This book is full of tales that will make you have a sleepless night. You will begin to Wonder if the tales are real and someone just want you to believe that it is a tale. I really enjoyed this book it sent shivers up my spine and was full of suspense. I had a hard time putting the book down.

The Essential Dracula: The Definitive Annotated Edition

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READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most Thoroughly Annotated Edition Currently In Print.
fleshed-out....
An Open Door For The Curious Mind
A must for serious fans

The Essential Dracula: The Definitive Annotated Edition
Bram Stoker
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452269431

Customer Reviews:

READ THIS BOOK!!!!!!!!!!!!!.......2005-02-26

This book is an amazing classic full of romance, suspense, and horror. Everybody from 11 to 111 should read this awesome classic! Take my word for it,after you start this book, you won't be able to put it down(litterally!).

Most Thoroughly Annotated Edition Currently In Print........2004-11-09

"The Essential Dracula" is the latest edition of "Dracula" to be annotated with copious footnotes by renowned "Dracula" scholar Leonard Wolf. In 1975, Wolf published the first thoroughly annotated edition of the novel, called, appropriately, "The Annotated Dracula". "The Essential Dracula" has retained and augmented the thousands of comments and explanations offered in that book, but lacks "The Annotated Dracula"'s more than 100 illustrations, most notably full-page artwork by the artist Sätty. Instead, the artwork of Christopher Bing introduces each chapter in "The Essential Dracula". There are also small illustrations scattered throughout, but "The Essential Dracula"'s illustrations are more decoration than material. Don't be misled by the blurb from Ingram on the back cover that oddly refers to the 1975 edition's "100 photos, maps, and drawings", not to this edition. Comments on "Dracula" by 19 writers and artists are an interesting addition between the chapters. Leonard Wolf or his publisher have perfectly chosen a handsome, modern, black and red cover to announce this novel's arrival in the 21st century.

Leonard Wolf's copious footnotes provide the reader with an ongoing lesson in social history. He addresses every imaginable allusion in the text, sometimes with short essays. The notes are more elaborate and cover a broader variety of subjects than the footnotes in the Norton Critical Edition of "Dracula". Some intriguing notes include: recipes for the Romanian dishes on which Jonathan Harker dines, population demographics for Transylvania in the late 19th century, translations of old Mr. Swales' dialect, explanations of Victorian figures of speech, and the particulars of Victorian typewriters that Mina employs so frequently. Leonard Wolf's annotations are blessing to "Dracula" fans. My only reservation about them is that the notes in "The Essential Dracula" cannot be easily read. Unlike its predecessor "The Annotated Dracula", which placed its sizable notes in the margins, "The Essential Dracula"'s notes are truly footnotes. They are written in a miniscule font at the bottom of the pages. One cannot simply peruse the notes, as I so enjoy with "The Annotated Dracula". It is too difficult to determine what text is being referenced. So you really do have to read these notes as you read the novel, which I find impractical and not as enjoyable as studying them later.

"The Essential Dracula" offers 3 Appendices. Appendix A is the legendary and entirely superfluous deleted first chapter of "Dracula", entitled "Dracula's Guest". Appendix B provides a selected Dracula filmography and a list of notable theatrical dramatizations. The filmography includes title, alternative title, director, studio, country, and leading performers for 71 Dracula films, 1920-1992, that feature Count Dracula but are not necessarily based on Bram Stoker's novel. Appendix C is a bibliography.

fleshed-out...........2003-12-09

Loved the Stoker's two-dozen spectacular line drawings and some interesting background on Bram and the legends of his subject!

An Open Door For The Curious Mind.......2000-11-09

This is far and away the best edition of the original novel you could read. In addition all it's footnotes and explanations provide a trail for any curious reader to explore for just about any particular aspect of the novel. From legends of Vampires, historical facts of Vlad Dracul III, all the way to obscure but curious details of the lendary Scholomance School Of Magic taught by the Devil himself!

A must for serious fans.......2000-02-15

While this exhaustively (at times exhaustingly) annotated book may overwhelm the reader coming to Stoker's novel for the first time, those who are past reading for the plot alone will definitely appreciate Wolf's additions, which include detailed footnotes on everything from the train schedules to literary allusions to inconsistencies in continuity. Most chapters feature brief articles by modern fantasy writers, who comment on the novel's influence in their lives and writing. The filmography and introduction are excellent. Those who enjoy looking at the fine details will certainly appreciate this scrupulously researched book.

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