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Visiting Ghosts
Praise for Visiting Ghosts
The most appealing feature of Judith White’s short stories is her acceptance that the neurotic and the repressed have a valid viewpoint on the world … Neurosis is an area she seems to understand. It enables her to get to that place all writers try for: where reality, seemingly known and thoroughly discovered, suddenly opens up new depths and distances. Geoff Chapple (Sunday Star)
Her stories are vividly and hauntingly original, the voice and the view of the world her own. She explores human manners and mannerisms through a series of bizarre circumstances and eccentric viewpoints … Read Visiting Ghosts for a renewed appreciation of the possibilities of the short story– to entertain, to surprise, to move, to recoil, and, very often, to understand humanity with compassion. Michael King (Metro)
White’s special talent lies in her ability to dissect everyday situations in ordinary lives, giving the reader the opportunity to view these with a fresh perspective, sometimes with a wry smile, sometimes with a jolt of recognition. Her stories are unpretentious and accessible, mostly written in a no-frills narrative style, many with a deliciously sardonic sense of humour. Sandra Arnold (The Dominion)
White is a ‘born’ short story writer in that her stories seem to have written themselves, giving no inkling of the enormous effort which must have gone into their creation. Instead there is an easy ‘naturalness’ about her style which belies the intensity of the subject matter. Graeme Lay (North and South)
Also by Judith White
Across the Dreaming Night
The Elusive Language of Ducks
Visiting Ghosts
Judith White
The most appealing feature of Judith White’s short stories is her acceptance that the neurotic and the repressed have a valid viewpoint on the world … Neurosis is an area she seems to understand. It enables her to get to that place all writers try for: where reality, seemingly known and thoroughly discovered, suddenly opens up new depths and distances. Geoff Chapple (Sunday Star)
Her stories are vividly and hauntingly original, the voice and the view of the world her own. She explores human manners and mannerisms through a series of bizarre circumstances and eccentric viewpoints … Read Visiting Ghosts for a renewed appreciation of the possibilities of the short story– to entertain, to surprise, to move, to recoil, and, very often, to understand humanity with compassion. Michael King (Metro)
White’s special talent lies in her ability to dissect everyday situations in ordinary lives, giving the reader the opportunity to view these with a fresh perspective, sometimes with a wry smile, sometimes with a jolt of recognition. Her stories are unpretentious and accessible, mostly written in a no-frills narrative style, many with a deliciously sardonic sense of humour. Sandra Arnold (The Dominion)
White is a ‘born’ short story writer in that her stories seem to have written themselves, giving no inkling of the enormous effort which must have gone into their creation. Instead there is an easy ‘naturalness’ about her style which belies the intensity of the subject matter. Graeme Lay (North and South)
Also by Judith White
Across the Dreaming Night
The Elusive Language of Ducks
Visiting Ghosts
Judith White
170 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 31, 1999
10 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 1, 2024
This book was a total surprise to me. Findings like these always amaze me. Different stories of different people's life. I can't fully grasp it but I did and now multiple people's lives are part of mine. The end chapter has the most highlights by me. Mostly the words spoken by the cow. I might actually start taking advises from them. Judith did a wonderful job with the ordinariness of people's life and how the human psyche works.
Some were too plain for me, some more relatable, some were completely not in the zone of my understanding but one thing the similar and that was the sense of oddity in all of them. As raw and simple as they were in their own space I have to give a hats off to the writer for that. This definitely was a lengthier read for me despite it's pages.
Turns out this was a collection of her short stories that I didn't catch at first even though it was written on the starting pages of the book.
Some were too plain for me, some more relatable, some were completely not in the zone of my understanding but one thing the similar and that was the sense of oddity in all of them. As raw and simple as they were in their own space I have to give a hats off to the writer for that. This definitely was a lengthier read for me despite it's pages.
Turns out this was a collection of her short stories that I didn't catch at first even though it was written on the starting pages of the book.
February 10, 2026
Visiting ghosts is a collection of contemporary short stories which range from the fantastic to simple slice of life while exploring some truly uncomfortable themes. I found the small 1991 first edition paperback in a small local charity bookshop for 50p which is also surprisingly signed by the author. I can safely say that I am glad I picked it up because Judith White is criminally good at evoking a range of emotions in her stories, not only that, but can turn an ordinary situation into one of extraordinary nature. White reminds me of such authors as Roald Dahl and Guy De Maupassant in regards to how you feel when you reach the end of a story, like you've been tied up in knots and left to ponder, all of which I say in the most complimentary sense. There are 18 stories on hand here and found only a few not to my liking but that's down to personal preference and not a knock on the author. Every story on offer here is solid in it's telling and style. Judith can be brutal, beautiful, poignant and poetic showing a naturally gifted ability to make you, the reader care, yet leave you in a befuddled state of wonderment. I cannot say enough good things about this underrated author from New Zealand and am disappointed that she only put out this only collection. I know she has two novels out there and will be seeking them out in due course based on (Visiting Ghosts). I will list my standouts as always but as I've said, all 18 are strong and deserve your undivided attention.
1) All Alone- A quirky little short about a lonely man who is preparing for his mothers funeral while staying at her house, a knock on the door the day before the funeral changes everything. Simple, quirky and hits the spot.
2) Unpredictably Out of Hand- A sad tale of a lonely salary man who longs for genuine company and most of all, change. A washed up severed hand provides that change. I think this one especially shows how good Judith is at conveying the true message beneath the surface of which you see.
3) Bathroom Sketch- An artist sketches the same paunchy, naked woman in the bath and has done so for a long time it would seem, but one particular day turns out like no other.
4) Rainy Day Purples- A simple story about a wealthy retired couple who have moved into a luxury house and how an eventual conversation leads to simple indecisions.
5) Blue Skies- A comical and cleverly told short about a middle aged couple at odds regarding their soft, overly protected teenage son. The mother is over protective and the dad believes it's time he becomes a man. A birthday present idea from his dad might just be the thing he needs. Judith White really shines here as she does with all stories in the book, but this one could have been written by Roald Dahl. Superb.
6) A Mornings View- A young girl watches a boy she doesn't know from her bedroom window doing weird things and feels the urge to introduce herself. An odd story of adolescence and curious thoughts.
7) Gored By a Bull- An uncomfortable tale of a man and woman who meet regularly for coffee and chats at lunch hour, but ultimately how we are only there sometimes for convenience, which we find out in an hour of need. I loved this one and felt as though White wrote it from a similar past experience maybe? A superb dark satirical tale with an ending which will make you smile, honestly you will.
8) Running Free- A young girl gets roped into looking after a lively dog (Leo) while it's owners are away. A poetic tale of a building bond between human and dog.
9) Phoebe's Mother- A young girl struggles to cope with the loss of her mother and the brutal circumstances surrounding her untimely death. The narrative begins when she and her friend meet up with two young lads and end up at a house party when the truth finally emerges. A deeply moving story about regret, young love, trauma and identity.
10) Passion- We have all been there, in a relationship where the spark is no longer there and we can predict what the other will say before they say it. Together out of familiarity and nothing else. This story captures such in a clever and climatic way, how one's feelings and morals suddenly change when on the receiving end. Engrossing from beginning to end.
11) Chrysalis- A beautiful tale of two children, model airplanes, a fascination for butterflies and what it's like to suspend your young imagination as we all once did.
In closing, Judith White should be known all over the literary world for her broad, brave and honest approach to contemporary fiction. This collection will touch upon every emotion within and will certainly leave you wanting more. Sadly as I've said, this is White's only short story collection and for those of you who discover this hidden gem, we can only hope for more.
1) All Alone- A quirky little short about a lonely man who is preparing for his mothers funeral while staying at her house, a knock on the door the day before the funeral changes everything. Simple, quirky and hits the spot.
2) Unpredictably Out of Hand- A sad tale of a lonely salary man who longs for genuine company and most of all, change. A washed up severed hand provides that change. I think this one especially shows how good Judith is at conveying the true message beneath the surface of which you see.
3) Bathroom Sketch- An artist sketches the same paunchy, naked woman in the bath and has done so for a long time it would seem, but one particular day turns out like no other.
4) Rainy Day Purples- A simple story about a wealthy retired couple who have moved into a luxury house and how an eventual conversation leads to simple indecisions.
5) Blue Skies- A comical and cleverly told short about a middle aged couple at odds regarding their soft, overly protected teenage son. The mother is over protective and the dad believes it's time he becomes a man. A birthday present idea from his dad might just be the thing he needs. Judith White really shines here as she does with all stories in the book, but this one could have been written by Roald Dahl. Superb.
6) A Mornings View- A young girl watches a boy she doesn't know from her bedroom window doing weird things and feels the urge to introduce herself. An odd story of adolescence and curious thoughts.
7) Gored By a Bull- An uncomfortable tale of a man and woman who meet regularly for coffee and chats at lunch hour, but ultimately how we are only there sometimes for convenience, which we find out in an hour of need. I loved this one and felt as though White wrote it from a similar past experience maybe? A superb dark satirical tale with an ending which will make you smile, honestly you will.
8) Running Free- A young girl gets roped into looking after a lively dog (Leo) while it's owners are away. A poetic tale of a building bond between human and dog.
9) Phoebe's Mother- A young girl struggles to cope with the loss of her mother and the brutal circumstances surrounding her untimely death. The narrative begins when she and her friend meet up with two young lads and end up at a house party when the truth finally emerges. A deeply moving story about regret, young love, trauma and identity.
10) Passion- We have all been there, in a relationship where the spark is no longer there and we can predict what the other will say before they say it. Together out of familiarity and nothing else. This story captures such in a clever and climatic way, how one's feelings and morals suddenly change when on the receiving end. Engrossing from beginning to end.
11) Chrysalis- A beautiful tale of two children, model airplanes, a fascination for butterflies and what it's like to suspend your young imagination as we all once did.
In closing, Judith White should be known all over the literary world for her broad, brave and honest approach to contemporary fiction. This collection will touch upon every emotion within and will certainly leave you wanting more. Sadly as I've said, this is White's only short story collection and for those of you who discover this hidden gem, we can only hope for more.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews