The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories

Having owned this book for many years, it is a treasured part of my library, and is worth at least one re-reading a year. A fantastic collection of English prose, with the emphasis of stories in the 1880s, which marked the highlight of ghostly literature, in my opinion. Those that prefer insightful and introspective literature dealing with the supernatural will feel right at home, but those of a contemporary ilk that require shock and gore over substance are advised to look elsewhere. Highly recommended, both for the editor's choices, and also the incredibly horrific "Smee"; one story that I have re-read dozens of times. The horror gradually creeps up on you in this fine collection....

This is a great anthology for anyone new to classic ghost literature (or even someone who isn't that new). It's a mixed bag of authors, with a smattering of stories by the obligatory writers as well as a number that are harder to find. It's important to note that these are _classic_ ghost stories - they depend largely on atmosphere and subtlety for their effect, and are often better on the second reading than on the first (and the third is just about perfect). This book provides some great ways to learn more about the genre. There is a nice recap of and commentary on the history of the English ghost story included at the beginning, as well as some biographical details and criticism of the big names. The most helpful part to me, though, was the great bibliography in the back - it's a fantastic tool for finding more great stories that just wouldn't fit in the anthology. Overall, a great book for a beginning classic ghost story reader.

The horror genre is cluttered with hackwork, and imitations of hackwork--H.P. Lovecraft seems to have spawned a particularly virulent strain of the latter. However one of its subgenres, i.e. the ghost story seems to attract a better quality of writer--perhaps because a truly frightening tale of the returned dead is so difficult to write. (Believe me, I've tried and after almost half a century of trying, have sold exactly one ghost story).L. P. Hartley, who wrote "The Travelling Grave" and other great stories of the supernatural, described the ghost story as "certainly the most exacting form of literary art, and perhaps the only one in which there is almost no intermediate step between success and failure. Either it comes off or it is a flop."Cox and Gilbert have collected mostly successes (and one or two flops) in "The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories" and its companion volume, "The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories." If you suffer from what Virginia Woolf called "the strange human craving for the pleasure of feeling afraid," both of these volumes will satisfy. Each contains a good mix of familiar and lesser-known ghost stories.Here is a sampling from 'English Ghost Stories':"The Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs -- A horrible variant on 'Be careful what you wish for. It might just come true.' This is a sad, frightening story--maybe 'the' perfect tale of the supernatural."The Confession of Charles Linkworth" by E.F. Benson -- A telephone call from a hanged man."Man-Size in Marble" by E. Nesbit -- An overly sweet Victorian marriage comes to a tragic end on All Saints' Eve."The True History of Anthony Ffryar" -- When a fatal epidemic sweeps through Cambridge, a scholar witnesses an unusual Mass for the Dead: "'Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine,' chanted the hooded four; and one candle went out...""Smee" by A.M. Burrage -- A Christmas Eve game of hide-and-seek has one too many players."Bosworth Summit Pound" by L.T.C. Rolt -- A haunted English canal tunnel: "Not only was the narrow cavern of crumbling brickwork as cold and dark as a vault after the warmth and brilliance of the May sunshine, but water streamed from the roof and descended in cascades from the chimneys of the ventilation shafts. He had the utmost difficulty in keeping a straight course, for the damp atmosphere exhaled an evil-smelling mist which obscured the farther end of the tunnel...""Hand in Glove" by Elizabeth Bowen -- A young woman on the hunt for a titled husband is in desperate need of a clean pair of gloves."Bad Company" by Walter De La Mare -- A haunting encounter on the Underground."The Judge's House" by Bram Stoker -- A likeable young man seeks solitude to study for a mathematics exam.

This anthology, superbly edited and introduced by Michael Cox and R.A. Gilbert, is a great way to begin your library of supernatural fiction. Even the connoisseur will find some rare gems. From the first of the chronologically arranged stories, "The Tapestry Room" by Sir Walter Scott, you'll be intrigued by the incredible variety. Whether you enjoy the swooning Romanticism of Vernon Lee's "A Wicked Voice," the dry restraint of M.R. James "Oh, Whistle," or the naturalistic American dialogue of Mary Wilkins-Freeman's "The Lost Ghost," you'll find stories that will linger in your mind. Almost every story is of high literary quality as well as great entertainment. The anthology also shows how differently good writers can handle the stringent requirements of good supernatural tales. These tales are on the surface escapist fiction, but on closer study prove to address themes of life after death, guilt, fear, love, the effect of inner states on outward perception, and the struggles of the individual within society. Not every story will appeal to every reader, because there's such a wide range of styles. But I think every reader will find many to savor time and again.

This superb book of classic ghost stories will literally make the hair rise on your arms. These tales are written by some of the world's best literary geniuses (Sir Walter Scott to name one). If you enjoy being spooked without the blood and gore of today's B rated horror book writers, you're guaranteed to love this classic collection!