Explore the chilling depths of Victorian horror literature, where monsters and aberrations embody societal fears. Uncover the dark legacy of iconic works.
This was a marvelous essay. I agree that “The Willows” is chilling! Further to Dorian Gray and Poe, there is one Poe doppelgänger story that I think you might enjoy if you haven’t read it yet. It’s called “William Wilson”. Very creepy. “Melmoth the Wanderer” by Charles Maturin is a pretty good read and has some funny moments, but is a bit long. But when it comes to “chill factor” I think my favorite horror story writer was M.R. James. If you haven’t read them, check out: “Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come for You, My Lad” or “The Tractate Middoth.” (And that’s just two examples.) I think his stories are just as good if not better than Algernon Blackwood, although “The Willows” and “The Wendigo” are first rate.
It’s interesting because my Latin professor who grew up in Dundee in the ‘30s and ‘40s, told me that Algernon Blackwood had a weekly radio program in which he would read his original ghost stories, and his reading voice was evidently magnificent. It may also explain his output. I have two beefy volume of ghost stories alone by him. I had a hard time getting into the John Silence stories; I think it was all the outdated pseudo-science that destroys the enchantment of those tales for me. When they start talking about psychic residues being left in the wainscoting like tobacco smoke, it’s hard not to laugh.
The recommendations are much appreciated as well. I'm steadily working my way through several authors, including Poe and M.R. James.
I've got two Blackwood books on my kindle too, one is his complete supernatural tales and one is his complete works. The John Silence stories weren't my favourite either. He's such an interesting guy from what I've read about him - I heard he was one of the first people to broadcast on the radio as well. I need to read his biography Starlight Man by Mike Ashley, but I've got a long way to go in the Lovecraft biography, I Am Providence first.
Lovecraft wrote short work called “Supernatural Horror in Literature” that I remember being a source of great leads. It’s very well done. And, now I remember, he singled out in that book Poe’s novella, “The Strange Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym” for special praise. And, if memory serves me correctly, the last few pages of that novella, which ends with some creepy imagery in the Arctic (giants in the mist, and such) served as an inspiration for his story “At the Mountains of Madness,” which also has an arctic setting.
This was a marvelous essay. I agree that “The Willows” is chilling! Further to Dorian Gray and Poe, there is one Poe doppelgänger story that I think you might enjoy if you haven’t read it yet. It’s called “William Wilson”. Very creepy. “Melmoth the Wanderer” by Charles Maturin is a pretty good read and has some funny moments, but is a bit long. But when it comes to “chill factor” I think my favorite horror story writer was M.R. James. If you haven’t read them, check out: “Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come for You, My Lad” or “The Tractate Middoth.” (And that’s just two examples.) I think his stories are just as good if not better than Algernon Blackwood, although “The Willows” and “The Wendigo” are first rate.
It’s interesting because my Latin professor who grew up in Dundee in the ‘30s and ‘40s, told me that Algernon Blackwood had a weekly radio program in which he would read his original ghost stories, and his reading voice was evidently magnificent. It may also explain his output. I have two beefy volume of ghost stories alone by him. I had a hard time getting into the John Silence stories; I think it was all the outdated pseudo-science that destroys the enchantment of those tales for me. When they start talking about psychic residues being left in the wainscoting like tobacco smoke, it’s hard not to laugh.
Thank you for the support Daniel!
The recommendations are much appreciated as well. I'm steadily working my way through several authors, including Poe and M.R. James.
I've got two Blackwood books on my kindle too, one is his complete supernatural tales and one is his complete works. The John Silence stories weren't my favourite either. He's such an interesting guy from what I've read about him - I heard he was one of the first people to broadcast on the radio as well. I need to read his biography Starlight Man by Mike Ashley, but I've got a long way to go in the Lovecraft biography, I Am Providence first.
Lovecraft wrote short work called “Supernatural Horror in Literature” that I remember being a source of great leads. It’s very well done. And, now I remember, he singled out in that book Poe’s novella, “The Strange Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym” for special praise. And, if memory serves me correctly, the last few pages of that novella, which ends with some creepy imagery in the Arctic (giants in the mist, and such) served as an inspiration for his story “At the Mountains of Madness,” which also has an arctic setting.
I'm sure I've got Supernatural Horror in Literature on my kindle, I've definitely got a nonfiction book on there written by him 👍🏻
Yeah I think you're right, and I think the character in At the Mountains of Madness makes reference to the adventures of Arthur Gordon Pym !
I just read the Willows and I love the way he writes. I want to read more of his stuff.
You definitely should read more of his stuff, I've still got loads left to read
Yeah I got a lot to read, especially if I buy a couple books I want to, one of which is his.