Victorian Ghost Stories

[Ben]

I am very fond of these and have many in my collection

[Paula]

Ben wrote: "I am very fond of these and have many in my collection"

Can you give us a few examples to perhaps prompt some discussion on this topic? Thanks! :)

[Ben]

Well, the Virago Book of Ghost Stories is a good start and it begins with "Napoleon and the Spectre" by Charlotte Bronte.

I recently bought an anthology of Mrs Gaskell's supernatural tales.

"The Phantom Coach" by Amelia B Edwards is a particular favourite.

I have the British Library's bibliography of ghost stories and it covers the years 1820 - 1950. So while the ghost story was at its peak in the Victorian era, later writers like Edith Wharton were also very talented and are worth considering.
I consider Sheridan le fanu to be a master, would recommend Schalken the Painter. Of course phantom coaches appear in Thomas Hardy's work - and I have yet to read Wessex Tales - although I am thinking mainly of short stories rather than novels. I regard the ghost story as a development from the gothic novel.

Would be interested to hear from anyone who has a favourite or has read something along these lines.

[Captain Sir Roddy, R.N. (Ret.)]

Ben wrote: "Well, the Virago Book of Ghost Stories is a good start and it begins with "Napoleon and the Spectre" by Charlotte Bronte.

I recently bought an anthology of Mrs Gaskell's supernatural tales.

"The..."

While not Victorian, I'll second the quality of Edith Wharton's collection of ghost stories. They are all quite good. As a whole, I love Edith Wharton's short stories; they may be even better than her novels. Cheers!

[Ben]

http://homepages.pavilion.co.uk/users...

[Sasha]

Wow, I didn't realise Mrs Gaskell wrote ghost stories. Thanks Ben, she is one of my favourite writers.

[Kelly]

Gothic Tales by Gaskell threw me from all doubt that there is something about 19th century horror that can still get you. Unlike most of our "gruesome" tales that we spin with blood, fang and guts, the psychological trauma has a heat to it, and it feels...very real!

I have GOT to buy this book...Gaskell and her fellow writers are a great addition to any shelf.

[The Book Whisperer (aka Boof)]

I have Edith Whartons ghost stories at home and I have read the frist two stories which are great but left me very confused.

I also have

Late Victorian Gothic Tales which looks great but I want to read it next autumn when I feel I can curl up with it.

[Kelly]

Claps for thee, Boof. Oxford gives great credit to these collections with their art work and intros. :)
Boof wrote: "I have Edith Whartons ghost stories at home and I have read the frist two stories which are great but left me very confused.

I also have

Late ..."

[Ray]

The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories and The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories are both very good collections of Victorian (and mostly Victorian for the second book) ghost stories.

[Virginie]

Thanks everybody for these mouthwatering recommendations !!!!
Well ,now I definitely want to buy The Oxford Book of Victorian Ghost Stories and The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories !!!!


Here are some more : "The Haunted House" by Charles Dickens.I got it in yesterday's mail.
"The Haunted Hotel" by Wilkie Collins.Not read either yet.
I have E Gaskell "Gothic Tales" on my TBR pile.
Sheridan Le Fanu's"House by the Churchyard"was written during the XIXth century but the action takes place in the 1700's.Own as well but haven't read
My favorite ghost story, and book by the way, of all times remains "Wuthering Heights " !!!

[The Book Whisperer (aka Boof)]

All this ghostie talk is getting whetting my appetite for some gothic / ghost stories. I may start dusting one or two off the shelves soon.

[Ben]

I would recommend the Virago Book of Ghost Stories edited by Richard Dalby, it's entirely women authors but has some great classics.

[FaMo]

I had curled up with the Virago Book of Ghost Stories last October (appropriately enough) and likewise recommend it. I found the atmosphere of Margaret Oliphant's "The Open Door" the most eerie. The overall anthology certainly sets a mood, and it was interesting to see how the ghost story evolved over the decades through different voices. For other 19th century stories, I also turn to Edgar Allan Poe and Guy de Maupassant.

[Virginie]

Fallen wrote: "I had curled up with the Virago Book of Ghost Stories last October (appropriately enough) and likewise recommend it. I found the atmosphere of Margaret Oliphant's "The Open Door" the most eerie. ..."

I like Poe and Maupassant very, very much as well...my favorite are probably "The Fall of the Usher House" by Poe and "le Horla" by Maupassant who is a writer of my area in France, Normandy.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

I see some great titles mentioned. MR James is one of the best ghost story writers. Highly recommended. Ghost Stories of an Antiquary and More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary are free as ebooks on Kindle. I collect classic ghost story anthologies. They're a passion of mine.

[Virginie]

That's great Danielle, I love classic ghost stories as well, I bought a collection of MR James'stories recently but have not read them yet.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

You might also like:

F. Marion Crawford
William Hope Hodgson
Ambrose Bierce

[Virginie]

Thanks so much, I am going to check these out right now !!!

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

You're welcome. Hodgson is sort of Edwardian as well. Probably MR James in some of his stories, also.

[Ben]

Hodgson is more a writer of weird tales. I read the Ghost Pirates and didn't care for it. I like MR James but Sheridan le fanu is the master (I give MR James credit for reintroducting him to the reading public though - apparently he was almost forgotten until James acknowledged him as an influence and edited Madame Crowl's ghost)

Have today been to see a play called Ghost Stories at the Lyric Hammersmith. It was written by Jeremy Dyson.I recommend if anyone gets the chance to see it.

[Danielle The Book Huntress]

The Carnacki tales by Hodgson are ghost stories. I agree that Hodgson does have weird tales under his belt, as well as more traditional ghost stories.

[Katie]

Hi everyone, I'm a newbie here, but I'm currently reading Henry James - The Turn of the Screw. Really weird, but really compelling!

[The Book Whisperer (aka Boof)]

Katie, I have heard real mixed reviews about this book - in fact most people I know hate it. I haven't read it yet but I must admit I really like the look of it.

let us know how you get on.

[Katie]

I was the same really - lots of different people were saying different things. I went into Waterstones and read a page or two and thought I'll give it a try! it's only about 120 pages so wont take long to read, I'll keep you informed of what I think! :)

[Malcolm]

Ben wrote: "Well, the Virago Book of Ghost Stories is a good start and it begins with "Napoleon and the Spectre" by Charlotte Bronte.

I recently bought an anthology of Mrs Gaskell's supernatural tales.

"The..."

Napoleon and the Spectre is a very brief and amusing tale from Charlotte Bronte. And not one wasted word.

An Account of some Strange Disturbances in Aungier Street by Joseph Sheridsn Le Fanu, is perhaps a little unsettling still but highly amusing. He latter re-wrote the tale as Mr Justice Harbottle, a far more gothic version by far. Elizabeth Gaskell's The Old Nurse's Story is an acclaimed classic of the Victorian gothic ghost story. At Creighton Abbey is also an absorbing read.

[Malcolm]

Boof wrote: "I have Edith Whartons ghost stories at home and I have read the frist two stories which are great but left me very confused.

I also have

Late ..."

I didn't enjoy this collection but that's just my personal taste. However, it may be right up the street of many other readers of this genre of fiction.

[Malcolm]

Jenna wrote: "I didn't know about Mrs Gaskell's ghost stories either, so will have a look for those. I do love her writing."

The Old Nurse's Story by Elizabeth Gaskell is the exception and not the general rule of her work. It is the only true ghost story in the Penguin Classics 'Gothic Tales', which is a collection of nine of her fine short stories :o)

[Malcolm]

You might care to check out Le Fanu's 'In a Glass Darkly' which contains five of his short stories. 'Green Tea' is an excellent tale of the supernatural. The collection contains the lesbian vampire story 'Carmilla', said to be an influence on fellow Irish authors Bram Stoker, who ia said to have taken the overall narrator of these tales as the prototype model of Van Helsing in Dracula.

[Malcolm]

Btw 'At Creighton Abbey' is by Mary Braddon :o)

[Malcolm]

I can also recommend highly Robert Louis Stevenson's 'The Body-Snatchers'.

[Malcolm]

Malcolm wrote: "Boof wrote: "I have Edith Whartons ghost stories at home and I have read the frist two stories which are great but left me very confused.

I also have

[bookcover:Late Victorian Gothic Tales|6..."

I meant to say I didn't like Late Victorian Ghost Stories :o)

[Linda2]

1880 to 1920 was prime ghost story time. Many are listed here:

http://www.horrormasters.com/Themes/h...

One very snowy winter,I curled up with ghost stories from the library every night. I think I read a dozen or more anthologies. I consider them good only if they creeped me out.

[Robin]

I haven't read anything by Poe, maybe his short stories, but he always creeps me out.

[Linda2]

He meant to creep you out, and if still did so 150 years after writing, they're good stories. Poe's stuff is supernatural, but not necessarily ghost stories. And some of his stories aren't supernatural at all, just inhabited by psychopaths.

Malcolm, you have a good list, and I'll try some.

[Robin]

I guess it would be in a supernatural genre, horror to me is anything be it ghost stories, supernatural, etc.