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The Everyman Book of Horror Stories
CONTENTS:
* Ligeia / A.E. Poe
* Young Goodman Brown / N. Hawthorne
* Schalken the painter / J.S. Le Fanu
* The drowned man / G. Maupassant
* The sandman / E.T.A. Hoffmann
* The middle toe of the right foot / A. Bierce
* The squaw / B. Stoker
* Oh, whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad / M.R. James
* The old man of visions / A. Blackwood
* The nameless city / H.P. Lovecraft
* That hell-bound train / R. Bloch
* The emissary / R. Bradbury
* The hell of mirrors / E. Rampo
* Danse macabre / M. Peake
* The fanatic / A. Porges
* Ligeia / A.E. Poe
* Young Goodman Brown / N. Hawthorne
* Schalken the painter / J.S. Le Fanu
* The drowned man / G. Maupassant
* The sandman / E.T.A. Hoffmann
* The middle toe of the right foot / A. Bierce
* The squaw / B. Stoker
* Oh, whistle, and I'll come to you, my lad / M.R. James
* The old man of visions / A. Blackwood
* The nameless city / H.P. Lovecraft
* That hell-bound train / R. Bloch
* The emissary / R. Bradbury
* The hell of mirrors / E. Rampo
* Danse macabre / M. Peake
* The fanatic / A. Porges
239 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
4 people are currently reading
42 people want to read
About the author
Peter Haining
331 books99 followersPeter Alexander Haining was an English journalist, author and anthologist who lived and worked in Suffolk. Born in Enfield, Middlesex, he began his career as a reporter in Essex and then moved to London where he worked on a trade magazine before joining the publishing house of New English Library.
Haining achieved the position of Editorial Director before becoming a full time writer in the early Seventies. He edited a large number of anthologies, predominantly of horror and fantasy short stories, wrote non-fiction books on a variety of topics from the Channel Tunnel to Sweeney Todd and also used the pen names "Ric Alexander" and "Richard Peyton" on a number of crime story anthologies. In the Seventies he wrote three novels, including The Hero (1973), which was optioned for filming.
In two controversial books, Haining argued that Sweeney Todd was a real historical figure who committed his crimes around 1800, was tried in December 1801, and was hanged in January 1802. However, other researchers who have tried to verify his citations find nothing in these sources to back Haining's claims. A check of the website Old Bailey at for "Associated Records 1674-1834" for an alleged trial in December 1801 and hanging of Sweeney Todd for January 1802 show no reference; in fact the only murder trial for this period is that of a Governor/Lt Col. Joseph Wall who was hanged 28 January 1802 for killing a Benjamin Armstrong 10 July 1782 in "Goree" Africa and the discharge of a Humphrey White in January 1802. Strong reservations have also been expressed regarding the reliability of another of Haining's influential non-fiction works, The Legend and Bizarre Crimes of Spring Heeled Jack.
He wrote several reference books on Doctor Who, including the 20th anniversary special Doctor Who: A Celebration Two Decades Through Time and Space (1983), and also wrote the definitive study of Sherlock Holmes on the screen, The Television Sherlock Holmes (1991) and several other television tie-ins featuring famous literary characters, including Maigret, Poirot and James Bond. Peter Haining's most recent project was a series of World War Two stories based on extensive research and personal interviews: The Jail That Went To Sea (2003), The Mystery of Rommel's Gold (2004), Where The Eagle Landed (2004), The Chianti Raiders (2005) and The Banzai Hunters (2007).
He won the British Fantasy Awards Karl Edward Wagner Award in 2001.
Haining achieved the position of Editorial Director before becoming a full time writer in the early Seventies. He edited a large number of anthologies, predominantly of horror and fantasy short stories, wrote non-fiction books on a variety of topics from the Channel Tunnel to Sweeney Todd and also used the pen names "Ric Alexander" and "Richard Peyton" on a number of crime story anthologies. In the Seventies he wrote three novels, including The Hero (1973), which was optioned for filming.
In two controversial books, Haining argued that Sweeney Todd was a real historical figure who committed his crimes around 1800, was tried in December 1801, and was hanged in January 1802. However, other researchers who have tried to verify his citations find nothing in these sources to back Haining's claims. A check of the website Old Bailey at for "Associated Records 1674-1834" for an alleged trial in December 1801 and hanging of Sweeney Todd for January 1802 show no reference; in fact the only murder trial for this period is that of a Governor/Lt Col. Joseph Wall who was hanged 28 January 1802 for killing a Benjamin Armstrong 10 July 1782 in "Goree" Africa and the discharge of a Humphrey White in January 1802. Strong reservations have also been expressed regarding the reliability of another of Haining's influential non-fiction works, The Legend and Bizarre Crimes of Spring Heeled Jack.
He wrote several reference books on Doctor Who, including the 20th anniversary special Doctor Who: A Celebration Two Decades Through Time and Space (1983), and also wrote the definitive study of Sherlock Holmes on the screen, The Television Sherlock Holmes (1991) and several other television tie-ins featuring famous literary characters, including Maigret, Poirot and James Bond. Peter Haining's most recent project was a series of World War Two stories based on extensive research and personal interviews: The Jail That Went To Sea (2003), The Mystery of Rommel's Gold (2004), Where The Eagle Landed (2004), The Chianti Raiders (2005) and The Banzai Hunters (2007).
He won the British Fantasy Awards Karl Edward Wagner Award in 2001.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 22, 2009
Everyman’s Book of Classic Horror Stories is an anthology with both good points and bad. The late Peter Haining is the editor on this one, and he’s a man you can count on to deliver the chills along with the thrills. Haining was a guy who began editing horror anthologies back in the 1960s and continued right up until his death a few years ago.
Sadly, for veterans this book isn’t worth a lot, and that’s because it only contains stories that have been widely anthologised before and since its publication in 1976. It’s a collection of ‘horror’s greatest hits’, if you will, and its familiarity is its biggest flaw. So for fans new to the genre, this will be a treat, while those familiar with the stories and authors here would be better off seeking something a little more obscure.
Things kick off with Poe’s Ligeia, which I found to be one of his lesser works, lacking the doom-laden atmosphere of something like Usher or Pendulum. Still, it’s followed with a couple of good ‘uns, namely Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown in which the author’s verbose style is put to fine use with creepy antics in the woods and a hint of black magic, and Le Fanu’s Schalken the Painter, one of the Irish writer’s most compelling and haunting efforts.
What follows is a mixed bag, with many good stories mixed with a few not-so-good. De Maupassant’s The Drowned Man is a depressing rather than a haunting read, lacking the author’s usual vitality, while E. T. A. Hoffman’s The Sandman is an adult fairy tale writ large, rich in detail and oddly readable. Bierce’s The Middle Toe of the Right Foot is a flavoursome yarn bringing to life the violence of the American South, and concise reading material.
I’ve always liked Bram Stoker’s short story The Squaw, which is a pulpy effort about a vengeful cat that makes gory, gruesome use some of Nuremberg torture devices, so I was pleased to see its inclusion here. Similar, the Jamesian (M. R., not Henry) effort O Whistle, and I’ll Come to You is one of my favourite horror stories of all time, so its presence here is equally welcome. Nobody writes a good ghost story like James.
I usually like Algernon Blackwood’s work, but I found The Old Man of Visions a bore during which little happens. Still, he’s followed by a quartet of famous horror authors all working at the top of their game. Lovecraft delivers his usual creepy crawly atmospherics in The Nameless City, his first real Cthulhu Mythos yarn, while Robert Bloch excels with That Hell-Bound Train, a twisty-turny supernatural adventure full of his trademark black humour. Bradbury’s The Emissary marks the author at his most atypical and fantastic, while Japanese writer Edogawa Rampo’s The Hell of Mirrors is a masterpiece of weird fiction.
The last two stories are offbeat in the extreme. Mervyn Peake contributes Danse Macabre, a truly bizarre story about a man’s clothes coming to life in the middle of night, while Arthur Porges delivers The Fanatic, an old-fashioned twist ending tale about a man who believes that certain animals are, in fact, alien species. Some unpleasant torture and a clever twist liven this one no end.
Sadly, for veterans this book isn’t worth a lot, and that’s because it only contains stories that have been widely anthologised before and since its publication in 1976. It’s a collection of ‘horror’s greatest hits’, if you will, and its familiarity is its biggest flaw. So for fans new to the genre, this will be a treat, while those familiar with the stories and authors here would be better off seeking something a little more obscure.
Things kick off with Poe’s Ligeia, which I found to be one of his lesser works, lacking the doom-laden atmosphere of something like Usher or Pendulum. Still, it’s followed with a couple of good ‘uns, namely Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown in which the author’s verbose style is put to fine use with creepy antics in the woods and a hint of black magic, and Le Fanu’s Schalken the Painter, one of the Irish writer’s most compelling and haunting efforts.
What follows is a mixed bag, with many good stories mixed with a few not-so-good. De Maupassant’s The Drowned Man is a depressing rather than a haunting read, lacking the author’s usual vitality, while E. T. A. Hoffman’s The Sandman is an adult fairy tale writ large, rich in detail and oddly readable. Bierce’s The Middle Toe of the Right Foot is a flavoursome yarn bringing to life the violence of the American South, and concise reading material.
I’ve always liked Bram Stoker’s short story The Squaw, which is a pulpy effort about a vengeful cat that makes gory, gruesome use some of Nuremberg torture devices, so I was pleased to see its inclusion here. Similar, the Jamesian (M. R., not Henry) effort O Whistle, and I’ll Come to You is one of my favourite horror stories of all time, so its presence here is equally welcome. Nobody writes a good ghost story like James.
I usually like Algernon Blackwood’s work, but I found The Old Man of Visions a bore during which little happens. Still, he’s followed by a quartet of famous horror authors all working at the top of their game. Lovecraft delivers his usual creepy crawly atmospherics in The Nameless City, his first real Cthulhu Mythos yarn, while Robert Bloch excels with That Hell-Bound Train, a twisty-turny supernatural adventure full of his trademark black humour. Bradbury’s The Emissary marks the author at his most atypical and fantastic, while Japanese writer Edogawa Rampo’s The Hell of Mirrors is a masterpiece of weird fiction.
The last two stories are offbeat in the extreme. Mervyn Peake contributes Danse Macabre, a truly bizarre story about a man’s clothes coming to life in the middle of night, while Arthur Porges delivers The Fanatic, an old-fashioned twist ending tale about a man who believes that certain animals are, in fact, alien species. Some unpleasant torture and a clever twist liven this one no end.
September 3, 2024
It was a toss up between a solid 4 and a 5 but had to give it a full house simply because the majority of collected stories throughout are pure gold and are still the go to tales which have outlasted those which came after. I luckily scored the 1976 paperback version in a second hand charity store for 50p so you can imagine how happy I was with such a steal. There were a few that I didn't click with but that's usually to be expected in short story anthologies but as I've said the majority blew me away and I will list only those of which will forever remain etched in my psyche, whether or not that's a good or bad thing is another story (No pun intended).😉
1) (Ligeia) by Edgar Allan Poe -Is the opening story of the book and a perfect opening it is because quite frankly this one will chill you to the bone while reading and even thereafter, a testament to how good these writers of a bygone era truly were.
2) (Schalken the painter) by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu- Without a doubt one of the most unsettling and unnerving tales of terror I've ever had the pleasure of being immersed in, Le Fanu is without question my personal favourite horror writer and this one just reaffirmed why. The way Le Fanu builds suspense is second to none and he is proof that one doesn't need gore and generic jump scares to do the job, Le Fanu relies heavily on subtle description and boy does he do it flawlessly. This bone chiller is considered as his best and I can see why, timeless.
3) (The drowned man) by Guy De Maupassant- Again De Maupassant is one of my favourite all round writers, another 18th century writer and one who is yet to be equalled. The Frenchman and master of the short story ranging from many genres delivers here with an emotionally charged tale which will certainly resonate with many. Brutally hard hitting, honest and poignant as is to be expected by De Maupassant. Masterful, clever and flawless story telling.
4) (The Squaw) by Bram Stoker- I have to admit that I am not entirely familiar with much of Stokers work aside from Dracula which I'm really not a fan of so I was somewhat reluctant going in but was pleasantly surprised after because (The squaw) is excellent and because of this cleverly written cat revenge tale of suspense I will undoubtedly seek out more Stoker shorts.
5) (Oh whistle and I'll come to you, my lad) by M.R.James- Another master ghost story and horror writer who was inspired by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu really excells here with this short tale of uncomfortable delight, without question one of his best and happy to see it here.
6) (The old man of visions) by Algernon Blackwood - I have never read a story by this author and I am sorry I hadn't because this one was visceral from start to finish and has a clever and satisfactory conclusion. Will definitely be seeking out more from this gifted story teller of old.
7) (The nameless city) by H.P.Lovecraft - Have to be honest I have never really been a fan of Lovecrafts work but this short had me hooked and immersed while on a bus which was an hours journey, that journey seemed like a 10 minute trip thanks to this entry. Beautifully written and masterfully told.
8) (That hellbound train) by Robert Bloch- Is tragic, unique, satisfying, poetic, and haunting all wrapped up into one package, this will undoubtedly resonate with each and everyone of you who reads this masterpiece of short story telling and read it you should. Just make sure you are not on a train while doing so.😳
9) (The Emissary) by Ray Bradbury- Probably the saddest entry in the book but sad in such a poignant and poetic way, Bradbury manages to tug at every heart string all the while keeping you in suspended animation in anticipation for what is to come. Short story writing at it's very best.
10) (Danse macabre) by Mervyn Peake-A very masterful tale of loss, anxiety and separation which will certainly leave you reeling thereafter. The way in which Peake intermingles the supernatural with the natural is hauntingly superb.
In closing Peter Haining did a perfect job of compiling and editing this solid anthology of classic horror, this belongs on your bookshelf so do yourself a favour and add it to your bookshelves immediately, I promise you will not regret it.
1) (Ligeia) by Edgar Allan Poe -Is the opening story of the book and a perfect opening it is because quite frankly this one will chill you to the bone while reading and even thereafter, a testament to how good these writers of a bygone era truly were.
2) (Schalken the painter) by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu- Without a doubt one of the most unsettling and unnerving tales of terror I've ever had the pleasure of being immersed in, Le Fanu is without question my personal favourite horror writer and this one just reaffirmed why. The way Le Fanu builds suspense is second to none and he is proof that one doesn't need gore and generic jump scares to do the job, Le Fanu relies heavily on subtle description and boy does he do it flawlessly. This bone chiller is considered as his best and I can see why, timeless.
3) (The drowned man) by Guy De Maupassant- Again De Maupassant is one of my favourite all round writers, another 18th century writer and one who is yet to be equalled. The Frenchman and master of the short story ranging from many genres delivers here with an emotionally charged tale which will certainly resonate with many. Brutally hard hitting, honest and poignant as is to be expected by De Maupassant. Masterful, clever and flawless story telling.
4) (The Squaw) by Bram Stoker- I have to admit that I am not entirely familiar with much of Stokers work aside from Dracula which I'm really not a fan of so I was somewhat reluctant going in but was pleasantly surprised after because (The squaw) is excellent and because of this cleverly written cat revenge tale of suspense I will undoubtedly seek out more Stoker shorts.
5) (Oh whistle and I'll come to you, my lad) by M.R.James- Another master ghost story and horror writer who was inspired by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu really excells here with this short tale of uncomfortable delight, without question one of his best and happy to see it here.
6) (The old man of visions) by Algernon Blackwood - I have never read a story by this author and I am sorry I hadn't because this one was visceral from start to finish and has a clever and satisfactory conclusion. Will definitely be seeking out more from this gifted story teller of old.
7) (The nameless city) by H.P.Lovecraft - Have to be honest I have never really been a fan of Lovecrafts work but this short had me hooked and immersed while on a bus which was an hours journey, that journey seemed like a 10 minute trip thanks to this entry. Beautifully written and masterfully told.
8) (That hellbound train) by Robert Bloch- Is tragic, unique, satisfying, poetic, and haunting all wrapped up into one package, this will undoubtedly resonate with each and everyone of you who reads this masterpiece of short story telling and read it you should. Just make sure you are not on a train while doing so.😳
9) (The Emissary) by Ray Bradbury- Probably the saddest entry in the book but sad in such a poignant and poetic way, Bradbury manages to tug at every heart string all the while keeping you in suspended animation in anticipation for what is to come. Short story writing at it's very best.
10) (Danse macabre) by Mervyn Peake-A very masterful tale of loss, anxiety and separation which will certainly leave you reeling thereafter. The way in which Peake intermingles the supernatural with the natural is hauntingly superb.
In closing Peter Haining did a perfect job of compiling and editing this solid anthology of classic horror, this belongs on your bookshelf so do yourself a favour and add it to your bookshelves immediately, I promise you will not regret it.
February 10, 2025
It was a toss up between a solid 4 and a 5 but had to give it a full house simply because the majority of collected stories throughout are pure gold and are still the go to tales which have outlasted those which came after. I luckily scored the 1976 paperback version in a second hand charity store for 50p so you can imagine how happy I was with such a steal. There were a few that I didn't click with but that's usually to be expected in short story anthologies but as I've said the majority blew me away and I will list only those of which will forever remain etched in my psyche, whether or not that's a good or bad thing is another story (No pun intended).😉
1) (Ligeia) by Edgar Allan Poe -Is the opening story of the book and a perfect opening it is because quite frankly this one will chill you to the bone while reading and even thereafter, a testament to how good these writers of a bygone era truly were.
2) (Schalken the painter) by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu- Without a doubt one of the most unsettling and unnerving tales of terror I've ever had the pleasure of being immersed in, Le Fanu is without question my personal favourite horror writer and this one just reaffirmed why. The way Le Fanu builds suspense is second to none and he is proof that one doesn't need gore and generic jump scares to do the job, Le Fanu relies heavily on subtle description and boy does he do it flawlessly. This bone chiller is considered as his best and I can see why, timeless.
3) (The drowned man) by Guy De Maupassant- Again De Maupassant is one of my favourite all round writers, another 18th century writer and one who is yet to be equalled. The Frenchman and master of the short story ranging from many genres delivers here with an emotionally charged tale which will certainly resonate with many. Brutally hard hitting, honest and poignant as is to be expected by De Maupassant. Masterful, clever and flawless story telling.
4) (The Squaw) by Bram Stoker- I have to admit that I am not entirely familiar with much of Stokers work aside from Dracula which I'm really not a fan of so I was somewhat reluctant going in but was pleasantly surprised after because (The squaw) is excellent and because of this cleverly written cat revenge tale of suspense I will undoubtedly seek out more Stoker shorts.
5) (Oh whistle and I'll come to you, my lad) by M.R.James- Another master ghost story and horror writer who was inspired by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu really excells here with this short tale of uncomfortable delight, without question one of his best and happy to see it here.
6) (The old man of visions) by Algernon Blackwood - I have never read a story by this author and I am sorry I hadn't because this one was visceral from start to finish and has a clever and satisfactory conclusion. Will definitely be seeking out more from this gifted story teller of old.
7) (The nameless city) by H.P.Lovecraft - Have to be honest I have never really been a fan of Lovecrafts work but this short had me hooked and immersed while on a bus which was an hours journey, that journey seemed like a 10 minute trip thanks to this entry. Beautifully written and masterfully told.
8) (That hellbound train) by Robert Bloch- Is tragic, unique, satisfying, poetic, and haunting all wrapped up into one package, this will undoubtedly resonate with each and everyone of you who reads this masterpiece of short story telling and read it you should. Just make sure you are not on a train while doing so.😳
9) (The Emissary) by Ray Bradbury- Probably the saddest entry in the book but sad in such a poignant and poetic way, Bradbury manages to tug at every heart string all the while keeping you in suspended animation in anticipation for what is to come. Short story writing at it's very best.
10) (Danse macabre) by Mervyn Peake-A very masterful tale of loss, anxiety and separation which will certainly leave you reeling thereafter. The way in which Peake intermingles the supernatural with the natural is hauntingly superb.
In closing Peter Haining did a perfect job of compiling and editing this solid anthology of classic horror, this belongs on your bookshelf so do yourself a favour and add it to your bookshelves immediately, I promise you will not regret it.
1) (Ligeia) by Edgar Allan Poe -Is the opening story of the book and a perfect opening it is because quite frankly this one will chill you to the bone while reading and even thereafter, a testament to how good these writers of a bygone era truly were.
2) (Schalken the painter) by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu- Without a doubt one of the most unsettling and unnerving tales of terror I've ever had the pleasure of being immersed in, Le Fanu is without question my personal favourite horror writer and this one just reaffirmed why. The way Le Fanu builds suspense is second to none and he is proof that one doesn't need gore and generic jump scares to do the job, Le Fanu relies heavily on subtle description and boy does he do it flawlessly. This bone chiller is considered as his best and I can see why, timeless.
3) (The drowned man) by Guy De Maupassant- Again De Maupassant is one of my favourite all round writers, another 18th century writer and one who is yet to be equalled. The Frenchman and master of the short story ranging from many genres delivers here with an emotionally charged tale which will certainly resonate with many. Brutally hard hitting, honest and poignant as is to be expected by De Maupassant. Masterful, clever and flawless story telling.
4) (The Squaw) by Bram Stoker- I have to admit that I am not entirely familiar with much of Stokers work aside from Dracula which I'm really not a fan of so I was somewhat reluctant going in but was pleasantly surprised after because (The squaw) is excellent and because of this cleverly written cat revenge tale of suspense I will undoubtedly seek out more Stoker shorts.
5) (Oh whistle and I'll come to you, my lad) by M.R.James- Another master ghost story and horror writer who was inspired by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu really excells here with this short tale of uncomfortable delight, without question one of his best and happy to see it here.
6) (The old man of visions) by Algernon Blackwood - I have never read a story by this author and I am sorry I hadn't because this one was visceral from start to finish and has a clever and satisfactory conclusion. Will definitely be seeking out more from this gifted story teller of old.
7) (The nameless city) by H.P.Lovecraft - Have to be honest I have never really been a fan of Lovecrafts work but this short had me hooked and immersed while on a bus which was an hours journey, that journey seemed like a 10 minute trip thanks to this entry. Beautifully written and masterfully told.
8) (That hellbound train) by Robert Bloch- Is tragic, unique, satisfying, poetic, and haunting all wrapped up into one package, this will undoubtedly resonate with each and everyone of you who reads this masterpiece of short story telling and read it you should. Just make sure you are not on a train while doing so.😳
9) (The Emissary) by Ray Bradbury- Probably the saddest entry in the book but sad in such a poignant and poetic way, Bradbury manages to tug at every heart string all the while keeping you in suspended animation in anticipation for what is to come. Short story writing at it's very best.
10) (Danse macabre) by Mervyn Peake-A very masterful tale of loss, anxiety and separation which will certainly leave you reeling thereafter. The way in which Peake intermingles the supernatural with the natural is hauntingly superb.
In closing Peter Haining did a perfect job of compiling and editing this solid anthology of classic horror, this belongs on your bookshelf so do yourself a favour and add it to your bookshelves immediately, I promise you will not regret it.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews