Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
105th out of 465 books
—
293 voters
Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories (The Complete Ghost Stories of M.R. James #1)
by
M.R. James,
S.T. Joshi
The only annotated edition of M. R. James’s writings currently available, Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories contains the entire first two volumes of James’s ghost stories, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary and More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. These volumes are both the culmination of the nineteenth-century ghost story tradition and the inspiration for much of the best tw...more
Paperback, 288 pages
Published
October 4th 2005
by Penguin Classics
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,030)
My view of this author changed considerably in the course of my reading of this collection. I embarked on it as a follow-up to the magnificent Tales of Hoffmann, and, at first, by comparison, it seemed distinctly lightweight, though engaging and fun to read. I became more and more intrigued by these stories as I went along, though. They’re deceptively simple, and M. R. himself quite determinedly played down their importance in his few critical remarks on them (“The stories … do not make any very...more
My grandfather, my father’s father, attended Eton College before the Second World War, leaving there for Sandhurst when he was seventeen. During his time at school he got to know M. R. James, who was provost until his death in the summer of 1936. Grandfather was among the successive waves of boys that James introduced to the tingly delights of the ghost story, a genre in which the old master excelled, writing some of the best tales in the English language. He learned to love the ghost story from...more
view all 6 comments
M.R. James was an eminent scholar of medieval manuscripts and early Christianity; however, even with his solid output in academia, he is best known for his short ghost stories. This is the first recently assembled volume of his work, and it brings together fifteen of his (presumably) best tales.
As a scholar, James makes good use of his knowledge of arcane history. While his stories aren't set way in the past in abandoned and crumbling castles, they usually involve a historian or scholarly type g...more
As a scholar, James makes good use of his knowledge of arcane history. While his stories aren't set way in the past in abandoned and crumbling castles, they usually involve a historian or scholarly type g...more
After re-reading my Collected Ghost Stories in honor of M.R. James' birthday, I realized a lot of things, not least that I was more enamored of (and more indebted to) M.R. James than I'd realized. So at once I sought out the Penguin editions which, though they contained more or less all the same stories as the Collected Ghost Stories, also contained various notes from James himself, as well as annotations and the like. I'd definitely say these were the definitive volumes, assuming that (like me)...more
Nov 15, 2007
Suzanne moodhe
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lovers of the classic ghost tale, readers of Lovecraft and Poe
God I love ghost stories! Fall is the best time of year for a little Ray Bradbury, H.P. Lovecraft and now...M.R. James. Ever wonder why ghosts wear sheets? Read the short story, "Oh, Whistle and I'll come to you my lad" and you will understand why. Creepy stories - Lovecraftian, yes but with a wry humor and a more concise style...Other good reads in this book include, "The Rose Garden", "Number 13", "A school tale" and Count Magnus. Happy Hauntings!
Having just re-read the entire H.P. Lovecraft canon, I wanted to explore some of the authors that inspired him - starting with M.R. James. I am a fan of S.T. Joshi's editorial work on Lovecraft, so I decided on the Penguin Classics two-volume compendium of the four books that James published during his lifetime.
If you are a fan of antiquarian horror, then Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories should be on your must-read shelf. These are subtle tales with wonderful settings - dusty libraries fille...more
If you are a fan of antiquarian horror, then Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories should be on your must-read shelf. These are subtle tales with wonderful settings - dusty libraries fille...more
M.R. James loved to tell ghost stories around the fire, apparently a Christmas tradition in England during the Victorian Period, and someone wisely suggested that he put several of the spookiest ones into book form. Thus, we have "Count Magnus and Other Ghost Stories", published by Penguin Classics, the only comprehensive collection of his complete stories. Not a lot, to be sure, but enough to paint a picture of a time when people were still terrified by floating bedsheets and whispering wind. L...more
I am picking through this book in the spirit of the season. Halloween. Ghost Stories. After reading the introduction I understand that M.R. James is a recognized and honored scholar. His Ghost Stories were more of a personal side indulgence it seems. His scholarly background certainly bleeds into his stories. The stories intrigue me as examples of classic gothic fare. Perhaps these short stories may have appeared in periodicals of the day. Four stars for his intellectual capability, three and a...more
Lots of fun. Heard about James from a Michael Chabon essay in his book Maps And Legends. James's stories all have a similar feel, but it's a good, creepy feel: Oxford academic type discovers some historic artifact or story or document and has an encounter with something inhuman. It's those inhuman things that especially work and have a genuine creep factor. They aren't Victorian ethereal images; they are lumps of hairy flesh, creeping and sliding and watching. When it works it really works. If I...more
Mar 04, 2011
Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Fans of classic horror
Recommended to Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress by:
Classic Horror Lovers Tales to Chill Your Blood group read
This review is for Count Magnus alone (although I fully intend to read the other stories at some point).
Mr. James has not been called a ghost story-writing master for no reason. He is an expert at building the atmosphere and writing a story that delivers an eerie, creepy thrill to the reader. Although I wouldn't call this one of my favorite stories by him, he was quite successful with this tale about an ill-fated travel-writer who comes upon the mystery of a not-so nice Swedish nobleman with an...more
Mr. James has not been called a ghost story-writing master for no reason. He is an expert at building the atmosphere and writing a story that delivers an eerie, creepy thrill to the reader. Although I wouldn't call this one of my favorite stories by him, he was quite successful with this tale about an ill-fated travel-writer who comes upon the mystery of a not-so nice Swedish nobleman with an...more
Jul 27, 2011
Iain McNab
added it
After decades of hearing how MR James is the doyen of ghost story writers, I was a little underwhelmed. The classics may have inspired terrific adaptations e.g. Whistle and I'll Come to You, and the wonderful Night of the Demon film version of Casting the Runes, but the original stories are just not creepy enough - and they are all narrated by fussily pedantic vicars and antiquarians who look down their noses at the lower classes, women etc.
While the author himself characterized these as ghost stories I think they should more accurately be called horror stories as not all of them have ghosts in them. I've been a fan of horror stories (as well as ghost stories) since I was a child, so some of the stories in this collection I had read before. My addition has end notes to explain some of the more arcane words and phrases which helped in the understanding of the stories themselves, since they are written in the style of the times(the l...more
I commend you all to M. R. James' stories. They're ghost stories in the sense that they are 19th-century style (which he himself admits) rather than 20th-century "horror". Usually, though, the "ghost" is far more physical than our usual interpretation and almost always the result of people messing around with Things They Shouldn't Be Messing Around With. I'm absolutely fascinated by his stories and intrigued by his philosophy of writing. Some BYU writers want to be the Mormon C. S. Lewis; I want...more
The first volume of Penguin's superb annotated collection of James' stories (by "weird fiction" scholar S.T. Joshi) contains some of the best and most famous works by one of literature's preeminent practicioners of the ghost story. Indeed, I might even argue that as far as specializing in "ghosts" as subject matter, James may have been the greatest of all. The first volume contains "Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book," "The Mezzotint," "'Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad'," "The Treasure of Abbot...more
Dec 17, 2009
Angela Alcorn
marked it as to-read
Fantastic. Genuine chills. The style is an ancillary amusement, with the narrator weighing in to tell you which parts of the story he wants to skip. These are short, direct, and terrifying. Well worth the read.
Collects "Ghost Stories of an Antiquary" & "More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary." Simply put, one of THE greatest collections of supernatural short fiction. M.R. James was certainly one of the Masters.
Oct 23, 2010
Martha
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
lovers of classic horror and supernatural stories
Shelves:
short-story-collections,
horror
This was my first crack at reading MR James, and I must say I really enjoyed it. Probably not much can be said about his writing that hasn't already been said, but I will give my impressions anyway.
James writes in a much more readable and direct way than some other writers of classic or gothic horror, for example LeFanu. The prose is still elaborate enough to be very satisfying to a reader of classic horror.
I am definitely interested in reading more MR James in the future. My favorite stories in...more
James writes in a much more readable and direct way than some other writers of classic or gothic horror, for example LeFanu. The prose is still elaborate enough to be very satisfying to a reader of classic horror.
I am definitely interested in reading more MR James in the future. My favorite stories in...more
M.R. James is a hilarious and skilled writer. If you're done with Poe's heavy melodrama and Lovecraft's self-obsession, it's time for a classical ghost story. James apparently doesn't think much of golfers or golfing, a comical quirk that surfaces in various stories just as a pleasant aside to rich, indulgent storytelling. He has a great grasp of suspense and establishing a scene, with bright, crisp characters that breathe on the page. Also invaluable to this edition is the collection of footnot...more
M.R. James, arguably the greatest Edwardian era writer of ghost stories. Still horrifying after all these years, and--one hopes--for years to come.
Nothing I can't say that's already been said. James is hailed as the 20th century's master of the ghost story for a reason.
Particular highlights, you ask?
I'd recommend: "Lost Hearts," "The Mezzotint," "The Ash-Tree," and "A School Story."
Particular highlights, you ask?
I'd recommend: "Lost Hearts," "The Mezzotint," "The Ash-Tree," and "A School Story."
Very menacing, but not in an obvious way. The most inventive are the ones where the ordinary turns into something frightening - the bedclothes taking form, for example
Fun ghost stories with a typically Victorian feel.
A guy finds a mysterious object, upsets a sacred place, or angers a crazy person. Then bad, scary stuff happens. Eventually he dies. Or never speaks of the event again...The stories are good, but generally seem to follow the same plot, outlined above. Plus, its totally obvious that this is a late 19th/early20th century male author. The only women who show up are young maid servants or nagging wives...
Some of these are similar in tone, so it's best not to read them all at once.
"The Mezzotint" was my favorite.
"The Mezzotint" was my favorite.
Apr 03, 2008
Pat
marked it as to-read
Student: Is there a British Lovecraft?
Me: I dunno. Probably. Let me get back to you on that....
A quick google search of "British" "Lovecraft" led me to M.R. James, a man referred to by Lovecraft himself as " one of the few really creative masters in his darksome province."
So there you go. Haven't read a word of it yet.....
Me: I dunno. Probably. Let me get back to you on that....
A quick google search of "British" "Lovecraft" led me to M.R. James, a man referred to by Lovecraft himself as " one of the few really creative masters in his darksome province."
So there you go. Haven't read a word of it yet.....
M. R. James is one of the best ghost story authors EVER! Very scary stuff. My dad used to read these stories to us when we were kids, and I still love them today.
I loved this book. I think that it is hard to find really good ghost stories. These are great! If you like Victorian fiction, you should love these.
Nobody does atmosphere like James - classic ghost stories. I've been re-reading these ever few years since I was a young'un.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Montague Rhodes James, who used the publication name M. R. James, was a noted British mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–1918) and of Eton College (1918–1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature. One of James' most important achievements was to redefine the ghost story for the new century by...more
More about M.R. James...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
