Ghost Stories

Starred review from February 25, 2019
Rising smoothly above the acres of anthologies of 19th- and early-20th-century weird and supernatural fiction, author Morton and anthologist Klinger combine brilliant stories by obscure writers (such as Elizabeth Stuart Phelps’s unflinching “Since I Died”) with obscure stories by famous writers (such as Henry James’s “The Real Right Thing,” in which a dead author may not wish anyone to write his biography) to create an outstanding work that serves equally as scholarship and entertainment. The stories chosen form a multifaceted depiction of the ghost story over time, with special attention paid to elements such as political ghosts, explicitly Spiritualist pieces, and, in one fascinating case, two writers tackling identical subject matter a generation apart: Olivia Howard Dunbar’s “The Shell of Sense” is decidedly, and brilliantly, in dialogue with Phelps’s story. There are frightening pieces, funny pieces, heart-wrenching pieces, and outright propaganda, and the few stories that have been frequently anthologized elsewhere justify their presence through their contributions to the book’s thematic discussion. This is a work of art, a pleasure to read, and a serious and welcome contribution to the study of the ghost story in English.

April 1, 2019

Editors Morton and Klinger collect chilling suspense tales from the 18th to early 20th centuries. There are stories of haunted towns and people told from the perspectives of the ghosts themselves and the people interacting with them. The editors provide historical context by including information before every story, including the original publication date and other notable works by the author. They also feature footnotes to further assist in the understanding of words and concepts unrecognizable in contemporary language. From the poetic writing of Elizabeth Stuart Phelps to the more straightforward prose of Wilkie Collins, there is something here to please any reader. Stories from well-known authors such as Edgar Allan Poe and Charles Dickens will draw readers in to discover tales from those less well-known. VERDICT This collection is sure to delight and terrify horror fans and classics enthusiasts.--Natalie Browning, Longwood Univ. Lib., Farmville, VA

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