What is the scariest story you've read in the Classic Horror category and why?

[MountainAshleah]

It's interesting how every discussion of "scariest [fill in the blank] ever" inevitably contains some reference to Poe. His tales are so memorable.

[[deleted user]]

Martha wrote: "Premature Burial was horrifying for me as well, I think I was 12 when I first read it. It's still one of my favorite Poe."

Oh, I couldn't read that as its too horrifying. I like The Cask of Amontillado best of all. Scorpios love revenge stories.

The Cask of Amontillado

[Aaron]

I love teaching The Cask of Amontillado. Great irony and dialogue--best when read aloud.

For scares--Premature Burial works well.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Poe always has to be on the classic horror favorites list. He knew how to tap into the macabre.

[Jason]

And the psyche!

The Black Cat disturbed me to no end!

[[deleted user]]

Aaron wrote: "I love teaching The Cask of Amontillado. Great irony and dialogue--best when read aloud.

Yes, I agree. I read it to my son when he was about ten and he loved it. Later he tried to wall up a guy who worked with his Dad! he was using xerox boxes. I thought it was so funny when I heard about it.

There is a new Listopia called 100's and its the top fav books of goodreads. I was so surprised that Poe was not on there.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

Probably because there are so many different editions.

[[deleted user]]

Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Probably because there are so many different editions."

I think you are right. Glad you pointed that out.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Kyle, that is a definite masterpiece.

[Jason]

I couldn't agree more. I've read that one countless times.

[James]

Hmmmm, thinking cap on:

The Willows - Blackwood
House Taken Over - Cortozar
The Summer People - Shirley Jackson
The Companion - Rmasey Campbell

I reserve the right to completely change my mind tomorrow though!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Now I have to seek out those stories, James! And you're totally entitled to change your mind.

[Hilary "Fox"]

The Imp of Perverse really got to me when I first read it. I think it was the feeling of vertigo that it induced, mixed with the fact I was a bit too young to have the Poe volume open before me..

[[deleted user]]

I think the Poe that scared me the most was The Pit and the Pendulum. It may have been the suspense. But the most upsetting thing I have read in awhile is a short story called The Yellow Wall Paper. It made me feel like I was going mad. I may never forget that short story. I have also never forgotten The Open Window but not because its horror or scary. Have you read it? Its by Saki.

So many books I forget right away. Some the next week......gone from my memory!

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

I haven't read The Open Window but I have a Saki volume in my stash. I hope to read it!

[[deleted user]]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I haven't read The Open Window but I have a Saki volume in my stash. I hope to read it!"

I hope to read it again sometime. Let me know what you think, ok? We just watched Follow the River as my hubby found a copy of it on his travels. It was very good. Far better than I expected. I read the book a few years ago and it was torture reading it but I could not stop.

Follow the River

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Will do, Alice.

[[deleted user]]

Hmmm...it depends on what kind of scary you mean. Probably the scariest (and my favorite) is Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley. The reason I found it scary was because of what happened in it. It's crazy to think that Victor could create this monster from near scratch, then abandon it, and then have it come after him and his loved ones. I guess really the whole idea of the book was scary in a psychological sort of way. I loved it though, because its also ridiculous, because the whole thing could have been avoided simply.

[Mike (the Paladin)]

I assumed this meant short stories. I've been "cogitating" on it, but can't decide. I read a story many years ago (we're talking 30 or 40 years here), but can't recall the title. It might have been something Like Where Angels Fear to Tread. BUT, I've found several stories by that title and none are the one I remember, so maybe I have the title wrong...

[Matt]

It hard to choose one scariest but here are a few I'd include:

"The Mezzotint" by M.R. James- I love the eerie images played on the printing.
"No. 252 Rue M. Le Prince" by Ralph Adams Cram - Maybe the best haunted house story
"Thurnley Abbey" by Perceval Landon - The ghost looks like what something that has been dead that long should - a rotting corpse.
"Feet Foremost" by L.P. Hartley - A very vengeful ghost here.
I know there's a ton more but those leap to mind.

[Dr. Zyllihapping]

Ummmmm, probably "The Tell-Tale Heart" by E. A. Poe and "The Hand" by Guy de Maupassant? Some of the greatest horror short stories HANDS DOWN!

[Auden]

Off the top of my head... The atmosphere alone in the Fall of the House of Usher was so creepy. The Yellow Wallpaper was chilling too.

[Monique]

Auden wrote: "Off the top of my head... The atmosphere alone in the Fall of the House of Usher was so creepy. The Yellow Wallpaper was chilling too."

I would have to agree with The Fall of the House of Usher. Poe is pitch perfect in his thrillers. One of my favourites (which I still find scary) is The Cask of Amontillado. I also like, though it really isn't horror per se, is Willam Wilson by Poe. For a pure gothic scare I still like Jane Eyre. I'm trying to avoid spoilers but here they are anyway: the mysterious and brooding employer, the crazy wife, the oppressive and dark country house. It is good stuff.

[Valerie]

Various Lovecraft shorts.

[Lynn]

I definitely agree about The Cask of Amontillado. Also think The Monkey's Paw was pretty disturbing. Anything by Lovecraft.

[Todd]

I have always been keen on R.H. Benson's The Watcher. While I wouldn't exactly call it scary, it does come closest (for me) to describing pure evil.

p.s. New to the group . . . I look forward to the discussions pertaining to my favorite genre.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Welcome, Todd.

[Karen]

I read The Colour Out Of Space - H P Lovecraft & The Night Wire - H F Arnold when I was 14 yrs old and they scared me to death then - still pretty scary now

[Jason]

The Colour Out of Space is scary. One of Lovecraft's scariest, imo.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Cool!

[Creature]

Hello:
One eerie story I read was "The Garden of Adompha," By Clark Ashton Smith. A very strange and unnerving story indeed.
Have a Great Day and...Pleasant Screams!!!
The "Creature"

[Karen]

Must look that one up, thanks Creature

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

I hope that's in my CAS collection. Thanks, Creature!

[Creature]

Hello:
There is a Clark Ashton Smith website that has most of his "unique" stories. I try to read one or two a week.
Another really cool and eerie story I read was "The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood.
Enjoy and...Pleasant Screams!!!
And, as always, Have a Great Day!!!
John (aka, The "Creature")

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Can you post a link to the CAS website, Creature? Thanks!

[Simon]

It's probably: http://www.eldritchdark.com/

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Thank you, Simon.

[Karen]

Thank you for the link Simon, I haven't read a lot of CAS, so I intend to remedy that - quickly!!!

[Simon]

While we're talking about CAS, if you want a recommendation for one of particularly scary stories, you could do worse than try "The Second Interment" or "The Dark Eidolon".

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Awesome. Thanks!

[Deanne]

Sheridan Le Fanu's The Room in the Dragon Volvant, young naive Englishman on his grand tour of Europe. As the story unfolds things become more and more sinister. The whole idea of premature burial is one of my biggest fears, and Le fanu explores this theme. Plus the story is in the In A Glass Darkly collection.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

I haven't read The Willows, but I think The Wendigo is scary because it taps into my fears about the incredible awe and sense of smallness I feel in relation to the enormity of nature.

[Char]

Well said, Lady!

[Jason]

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I haven't read The Willows, but I think The Wendigo is scary because it taps into my fears about the incredible awe and sense of smallness I feel in relation to the enormity of nature."

I love both those stories. Both are very creepy and have a similar theme very much resembling what Lady D, said.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Charlene wrote: "Well said, Lady!"

Thanks, Charlene.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

Jason wrote: "Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "I haven't read The Willows, but I think The Wendigo is scary because it taps into my fears about the incredible awe and sense of smallness I feel in relati..."

I'll try to move The Willows up my reading list. I was watching Dracula with Frank Langella, and it made me pine for some classic horror. I haven't gotten to read much lately because of a very swamped review read schedule.

[Jason]

I know the feeling. I'm pretty swamped for reviews, too.

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

I like doing review reads, but sometimes I had more time to just wing it with my reading!

[Jason]

I like doing it too, but you're right. Sometimes I just want to go off read something that I really want to read. It ends up that I read multiple books at once. lol

[Danielle The Book Huntress , Jamesian Enthusiast]

I do that too. I wish I could figure out an easy way to read more than one Kindle book at at time. That way i could delve into some of my classic horror on my Kindle more often.