The Campfire Collection: Spine-Tingling Tales to Tell in the Dark

I see all the other reviews felt the same way that I did. I thought this book might be some cheesy semi-boy scout nonsense about one armed men and other worn stories around the campfire. WRONG. Well written, scary, caught me by surprise and all the rest of the accolades that go with a book that comes out of nowhere and blows you away. Buy it.

This is not horror or gory mayhem so those campers seeking bloody thrills stay clear. This is a collection of beautifully written, scary STORIES about survival in the outdoors as well as the awesome mysteries of the natural world. Tension, drama, detailed settings, and realistic emotions will make the evenings around the campfire become as satisfying as the day's trek, or climb.

A wonderful collection of some of the best pieces of literature in the "campfire" genre. If you want something more engaging than a simple ghost story, the Campfire Collection is for you.

Not a children's collection of scary stories, but a literate, sophisticated compendium of great writing by lovers of the outdoors. The natural world, which can be an awesome delight and terror is evident in these tales. Some relate events that mystify but we know have a reality like the Marfa Lights by Judith Brueske. Others, like Beryl Bainbridge's piece from The Birthday Boys about Robert Scott's doomed expedition to the South Pole or The Snow-Shoers by George Steward about the Donner party are "you are there" pieces that terrify. The unifying element for these stories are the outdoors and terror. Another is their quality--wonderfully literate with the power to stretch and scare the reader.

"The Campfire Collection" is a real tribute to the lost tradition of story telling. I remember camping with my dad when I was little, and always telling scary stories as we fell asleep. It is a fabulous collection and truly spine-tingling (and a sturdy enough to toss in your back-pack before you head into the woods).