American Supernatural Tales

Book Overview

As Stephen King will attest, the popularity of the occult in American literature has only grown since the days of Edgar Allan Poe. American Supernatural Tales celebrates the richness of this tradition with chilling contributions from some of the nation's brightest literary lights, including Poe himself, H. P. Lovecraft, Shirley Jackson, Ray Bradbury, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and--of course--Stephen King. By turns phantasmagoric, spectral, and demonic, this is a frighteningly good addition to Penguin Classics.

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0143105043
• ISBN13: 9780143105046
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Length: 512 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

surprising group of occult stories

I'm not sure what criteria is applied in order to qualify for a superstitious book. Is it black magic? Ghosts? Tables levitating? Second sight? It seems that the editors just applied any criteria they liked, and it worked. Some stories were written in the 19th century; most were newer. And, some were about ghosts, some about magic, etc. Most were very enjoyable; a few too many were reprints and that always makes me feel like the editors were lazy in selecting material. It was a good book, overall, but needed much more aggressive editing.

Love Fillers ---

I read so many paranormal series, among other novels, that I enjoy throwing in a short story between books. This clears my head and gives me something to contemplate before beginning the next -- this anthology was perfect. Through a gothic lit course my daughter was taking, I had the opportunity to read shorts in American Gothic Literature Edited by Joyce Carol Oates. That's what started my love of short stories and, since then, I keep an anthology by my bed for those times that my thoughts are cloudy and crowded. Nothing like Poe or Shirley Jackson to scramble the thoughts in a new pattern! I enjoyed American Supernatural Tales --- and now off to find another mix.

Shipped fast, good read.

This collection of great horror fiction is a must read for everyone. The product shipped very quickly and is priced low enough that everyone should purchase it.

An Excellent Supernatural Fiction Anthology

S.T. Joshi has done the reader a great service, taking several of the most accomplished supernatural tales that the American fictional tradition has to offer, and placing them together in just one 477-page book. With the exception of Robert E. Howard's "Old Garfield's Heart" (a clunker that is so poorly written that it comes off as humorous), all the tales are either competent or good... But the most satisfying stories in the collection are, in my humble opinion: Fitz-James O'Brien's "What Was It?" Howard P. Lovecraft's "The Call of Cthulhu" Clark Ashton Smith's "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis" Shirley Jackson's "A Visit" T.E.D. Klein's "The Events at Poroth Farm" Thomas Ligotti's "Vastarien" Caitlin R. Kiernan's "In the Water Works (Birmingham, Alabama 1888)" These are the ones which I found to have deft characterization, superb description, and/or exceptionally interesting plotting. If I had to pick just one favorite from the aforementioned stories, I'd tentatively say Smith's "The Vaults of Yoh-Vombis"... The author's brooding and creative rendition of Martian landscapes, history, and life puts most contemporary dark fantasy to shame. Whatever your tastes, though, there should be at least one story you can appreciate... Joshi's anthology is truly a worthwhile investment, and I strongly recommend it.

Fun Stuff

I found this at my university library. The first story I read was a T.E.D. Klein tale, and after that I was hooked. I grew up reading pulpy horror, and vividly remember being caught by my stern housemaster, hiding crouched in a coat closet with a copy of "The Doll Who Ate His Mother" when I should have been at congregation practice, and then being dragged down the hall while he reprimanded me for reading "this rubbish." (He confiscated the book, but eventually returned it.) O, how I suffered for my horror stories! Then, I gave up such rubbish in my late teens-early 20's when I went to college. Recently, though, I rediscovered it reading the Blackwater books by Michael McDowell. There is some fine writing in horror fiction. So. While reading Blackwater, I discovered this book, and read a few stories. They are of uneven quality, and although some of them are really not very good--sophomoric prose, thin characterization, simplistic plot--they are nevertheless interesting as examples of vintage "weird" genre. And, refreshingly, Joshi does not worship at the altar of Stephen King (although there is a story by him in this collection) and in fact offers some unkind--but accurate--words about his work. From this book, I went on to read Lovecraft, and what a treat he has been...how had I missed him in my youth? This is a worthwhile collection of short stories, good reading for anyone interested in supernatural fiction. It set me on a new path. Or realigned me on an old one, I dunno....In any case, it's worth a look at at the used book prices I see currently. There is some fine fiction in this volume; I enjoyed it a great deal.