Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (Unabridged)
-
-
3.8 • 6 Ratings
-
-
- $4.99
-
- $4.99
Publisher Description
M. R. James (Montague Rhodes James) was a noted British medieval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905-1918), and of Eton College. He is best remembered today for his ghost stories, which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature. As a medieval scholar, his output in that field was phenomenal and remains highly respected in scholarly circles.
The success of his antiquarian ghost-stories is rooted in his life as an antiquary. Many of his stories revolve around the discovery of an old book or other antiquarian object that somehow calls down the wrath, or at least the unwelcome attention, of a supernatural menace, usually from beyond the grave.
James' most important and well-known works are those collected in Ghost Stories of an Antiquary and its sequel, More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary.
A word of warning: Despite his suggestion in an essay that writers should employ reticence in their work, many of James' tales depict scenes and images of savage and often disturbing violence. Stories included in this collection are:
"Canon Alberic's Scrapbook"
"Lost Hearts"
"The Mezzotint"
"The Ash Tree"
"Number 13"
"Count Magnus"
"Oh Whistle and I'll Come to You My Lad"
"The Treasure of Abbot Thomas"
Customer Reviews
More like creepy vignettes than ghost stories.
I found these stories to be quite dated. They’re interesting for their glimpse into a way of life as lived by British intellectuals of a century ago, and it’s fun to match up these old stories with the more modern works they must have helped to inspire. The writing style is crisp and rather emotionally distant - characters accept the uncanny with such speed as to lessen theimpact of the supernatural aspect of their situation. The stories are mannerly and cerebral. They are wonderfully read by a gentleman whose delivery ranges from the coolly British collegiate to florid bluster - I would say the book is worth listening to as much for his reading as for the stories themselves.
Anyway, if you’re interested in the history of spook story writing, it’s a must. but if you’re looking for a volume of tales to be deliciously creeped out by - this may not be for you.