Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories: The Complete Ghost Stories of M. R. James, Volume 1

For several years when she was growing up my daughter and I made a habit of from time to time gathering all the candles we can muster, lighting them, turn off the electrical lights and reading one of the stories in this collection. What Conan Doyle is to the detective story, James is to the ghost story. These are not horror stories. No gore is to be found, no monsters, no savagery. One can find a subtle horror, a persistent sense that there are things in this world that we have either forgotten or never discovered. If one has ever engaged in any historical research on the occult (which I have undertaken as an extreme nonbeliever), one will come across several ancient books and manuscripts in the field that were edited by M. R. James. He was not merely the writer of perfect ghost stories; he was an authority in the field of occult beliefs and practices. This concrete grounding accounts for much of the realistic feel to the researches of many of the characters in his stories.

M.R. James' scholarship in the areas of medieval manuscripts and church history manifest themselves in appreciable ways throughout his many stories. The stories range from definitively supernatural (Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book) to those that really allow you to question the reality of the events described ("'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You My Lad'"). James has a wonderful grasp of just how much background story is necessary to create story and character depth, while at the same time establishing a mood conducive to truly spooky and chilling revelations. Jame's training and knowledge allow him to tap into real history and geography, as well as invent things which seem utterly plausible - the Penguin notes are helpful in circumventing extensive research to determine whether a place is real or not, and what historical relevance there might be for the story. However, those not interested in this may grow tired of the notes and those pursuing studies will find the recommended reading of far more pertinence. This is a nice, portable introduction to M.R. James' ghost stories and is highly recommended to those that are interested in the gothic and to anyone who enjoys a good short story.

M.R. James is one of the masters of Victorian ghost stories. All of them are extremely plausible and none require you to make a leap of faith to accept the premise of the story. The companion volume, Vol. 2 is just as delightful. If you enjoy the ghost stories of Edith Wharton and Arthur Conan Doyle, you'll love this collection. (If you have explored Wharton's and Doyle's ghost stories, you don't know what you're missing). James is undoubtedly one of the masters of Victorian ghostly fiction.

I fully concur with Mr. Zajac's observation that Penguin shortchanges the reader with this edition of M.R. James' stories of the supernatural. I also agree that the far better edition to purchase is the Oxford World Classics edition. In addition, one can buy an imported (British) complete stories but I wouldn't recommend it as it is an inferior version, in terms of paper quality and overall durability. It is, in a word, a cheap mass market paperback. I noticed, however, that Penguin calls this "The Complete Stories of M.R. James, vol.1," from which I infer that there is the intention to issue another volume. This will address Zajac's point but there is really no reason why Penguin could not compile all his stories in one big volume. After all, it was done by the same publisher in the 1980s. My guess is that Penguin felt it could milk the book-buying public for more money by releasing his collected works in several volumes. As for the content, I have no qualms with Joshi's erudite annotations. He has, as with the Penguin Lovecraft, Dunsany, and Blackwood volumes, done his usual masterful job. The notes are worth the rating alone if you're of a scholarly bent. If you aren't a fan of footnotes then you probably shouldn't be reading M.R. James to begin with. Better to stick with Dean Koontz or Stephen King.

I am a massive fan of M. R. James and to come across a new printing last year of some of his eerie stories was a treat indeed. No one quite writes the ghost story like James. You should also check out Sheridan Le Fanu....my all time favourite. If you indeed want some grand mysterious edwardian ghost stories, this is the volume to start! So many of his works are hard to find and expensive so I am excited Penguin is doing this reprint! Now when is Volume 2 coming out?!