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Camp Pleasant
Matt Harper, a first-time counselor at a boy's summer camp, is witness to casual brutality that leads to murder in this short novel told with almost fable-like simplicity. Certainly the bullying, gluttonous headman Ed Nolan (who "has reduced Camp Pleasant to a microcosm of the Third Reich") is portrayed as a stereotype the reader is not sorry to see killed. All the sympathy is reserved for the possible suspects, from Merv Loomis, the homosexual counselor Nolan humiliates into quitting, to the troubled 10-year-old, Tony Rocca, to Nolan's meek wife, Ellen, and others. The setting and tone have the distinct feel of the early 1950s, but a casual reference to Catherine Deneuve places the action in the mid-60s or later. The minimalist plot would be inadequate in other hands, but Matheson author of Somewhere in Time and Hell House, as well as classic Twilight Zone teleplays has such command of his craft that this book is a pure pleasure. The simple style recalls Hemingway, with such lines as "It was a Wednesday night and there were movies down in the lodge so I sent my boys there and stayed in the cabin, packing my trunk." Occasionally Matheson waxes "I lay there staring at the wall, feeling my heart thud slowly in my chest like the fist of a dying man on the wall of his prison."
182 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2001
About the author
Richard Matheson
742 books4,887 followersBorn in Allendale, New Jersey to Norwegian immigrant parents, Matheson was raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1943. He then entered the military and spent World War II as an infantry soldier. In 1949 he earned his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and moved to California in 1951. He married in 1952 and has four children, three of whom (Chris, Richard Christian, and Ali Matheson) are writers of fiction and screenplays.
His first short story, "Born of Man and Woman," appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1950. The tale of a monstrous child chained in its parents' cellar, it was told in the first person as the creature's diary (in poignantly non-idiomatic English) and immediately made Matheson famous. Between 1950 and 1971, Matheson produced dozens of stories, frequently blending elements of the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres.
Several of his stories, like "Third from the Sun" (1950), "Deadline" (1959) and "Button, Button" (1970) are simple sketches with twist endings; others, like "Trespass" (1953), "Being" (1954) and "Mute" (1962) explore their characters' dilemmas over twenty or thirty pages. Some tales, such as "The Funeral" (1955) and "The Doll that Does Everything" (1954) incorporate zany satirical humour at the expense of genre clichés, and are written in an hysterically overblown prose very different from Matheson's usual pared-down style. Others, like "The Test" (1954) and "Steel" (1956), portray the moral and physical struggles of ordinary people, rather than the then nearly ubiquitous scientists and superheroes, in situations which are at once futuristic and everyday. Still others, such as "Mad House" (1953), "The Curious Child" (1954) and perhaps most famously, "Duel" (1971) are tales of paranoia, in which the everyday environment of the present day becomes inexplicably alien or threatening.
He wrote a number of episodes for the American TV series The Twilight Zone, including "Steel," mentioned above and the famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"; adapted the works of Edgar Allan Poe for Roger Corman and Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out for Hammer Films; and scripted Steven Spielberg's first feature, the TV movie Duel, from his own short story. He also contributed a number of scripts to the Warner Brothers western series "The Lawman" between 1958 and 1962. In 1973, Matheson earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his teleplay for The Night Stalker, one of two TV movies written by Matheson that preceded the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Matheson also wrote the screenplay for Fanatic (US title: Die! Die! My Darling!) starring Talullah Bankhead and Stefanie Powers.
Novels include The Shrinking Man (filmed as The Incredible Shrinking Man, again from Matheson's own screenplay), and a science fiction vampire novel, I Am Legend, which has been filmed three times under the titles The Omega Man and The Last Man on Earth and once under the original title. Other Matheson novels turned into notable films include What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, Bid Time Return (as Somewhere in Time), and Hell House (as The Legend of Hell House) and the aforementioned Duel, the last three adapted and scripted by Matheson himself. Three of his short stories were filmed together as Trilogy of Terror, including "Prey" with its famous Zuni warrior doll.
In 1960, Matheson published The Beardless Warriors, a nonfantastic, autobiographical novel about teenage American soldiers in World War II.
He died at his home on June 23, 2013, at the age of 87
http://us.macmillan.com/author/richar...
His first short story, "Born of Man and Woman," appeared in the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in 1950. The tale of a monstrous child chained in its parents' cellar, it was told in the first person as the creature's diary (in poignantly non-idiomatic English) and immediately made Matheson famous. Between 1950 and 1971, Matheson produced dozens of stories, frequently blending elements of the science fiction, horror and fantasy genres.
Several of his stories, like "Third from the Sun" (1950), "Deadline" (1959) and "Button, Button" (1970) are simple sketches with twist endings; others, like "Trespass" (1953), "Being" (1954) and "Mute" (1962) explore their characters' dilemmas over twenty or thirty pages. Some tales, such as "The Funeral" (1955) and "The Doll that Does Everything" (1954) incorporate zany satirical humour at the expense of genre clichés, and are written in an hysterically overblown prose very different from Matheson's usual pared-down style. Others, like "The Test" (1954) and "Steel" (1956), portray the moral and physical struggles of ordinary people, rather than the then nearly ubiquitous scientists and superheroes, in situations which are at once futuristic and everyday. Still others, such as "Mad House" (1953), "The Curious Child" (1954) and perhaps most famously, "Duel" (1971) are tales of paranoia, in which the everyday environment of the present day becomes inexplicably alien or threatening.
He wrote a number of episodes for the American TV series The Twilight Zone, including "Steel," mentioned above and the famous "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet"; adapted the works of Edgar Allan Poe for Roger Corman and Dennis Wheatley's The Devil Rides Out for Hammer Films; and scripted Steven Spielberg's first feature, the TV movie Duel, from his own short story. He also contributed a number of scripts to the Warner Brothers western series "The Lawman" between 1958 and 1962. In 1973, Matheson earned an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for his teleplay for The Night Stalker, one of two TV movies written by Matheson that preceded the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker. Matheson also wrote the screenplay for Fanatic (US title: Die! Die! My Darling!) starring Talullah Bankhead and Stefanie Powers.
Novels include The Shrinking Man (filmed as The Incredible Shrinking Man, again from Matheson's own screenplay), and a science fiction vampire novel, I Am Legend, which has been filmed three times under the titles The Omega Man and The Last Man on Earth and once under the original title. Other Matheson novels turned into notable films include What Dreams May Come, Stir of Echoes, Bid Time Return (as Somewhere in Time), and Hell House (as The Legend of Hell House) and the aforementioned Duel, the last three adapted and scripted by Matheson himself. Three of his short stories were filmed together as Trilogy of Terror, including "Prey" with its famous Zuni warrior doll.
In 1960, Matheson published The Beardless Warriors, a nonfantastic, autobiographical novel about teenage American soldiers in World War II.
He died at his home on June 23, 2013, at the age of 87
http://us.macmillan.com/author/richar...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 3, 2023
[Cemetery Dance Publications / G&G Books] (2001). HB/DJ. 182 Pages. Limited: 614/1,000. Signed. Purchased from Cold Tonnage Books.
The book is beautifully produced.
Slightly under-edited with minor proof checking oversights.
A compelling, gritty story of adolescence, bullying (in various forms) and murder.
Hampered by a twee romantic subplot.
Somewhat grim.
The book is beautifully produced.
Slightly under-edited with minor proof checking oversights.
A compelling, gritty story of adolescence, bullying (in various forms) and murder.
Hampered by a twee romantic subplot.
Somewhat grim.
November 25, 2022
Enjoyed the Camp Atmosphere
For several years I attended a camp in Tennessee for two months every summer. The description of this camp in the story is so much like that of the camp that I attended. It took me back many many decades to one of my favorite times in my life. The story is good as well. It’s fairly simple, but it really does capture the camp life as it really is, at least in my experience.
For several years I attended a camp in Tennessee for two months every summer. The description of this camp in the story is so much like that of the camp that I attended. It took me back many many decades to one of my favorite times in my life. The story is good as well. It’s fairly simple, but it really does capture the camp life as it really is, at least in my experience.
April 13, 2026
Thank You, Mr. Matheson
This is a lousy review of a great story. I only ever spent one week as a camper. On the first day, I dove into the lake not knowing how to swim. I was stupid, and somebody saved me. Thank you, Mr. Matheson, for reminding me that there will always be someone trying to save a camper like me.
This is a lousy review of a great story. I only ever spent one week as a camper. On the first day, I dove into the lake not knowing how to swim. I was stupid, and somebody saved me. Thank you, Mr. Matheson, for reminding me that there will always be someone trying to save a camper like me.
June 22, 2020
Currently Reading
Review to follow
⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half
This one is a very fast read set at a boys camp. Not exactly horror, but enjoyable nonetheless. Definitely not my favorite from Matheson, but his worst os better than most!
Review to follow
⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half
This one is a very fast read set at a boys camp. Not exactly horror, but enjoyable nonetheless. Definitely not my favorite from Matheson, but his worst os better than most!
November 29, 2024
Matheson wrote several great novels - this is not one of them - the big reveal toward the end is glaringly obvious the characters are homophobic, misogynistic and painfully adolescent despite being grown men.
April 7, 2026
While I enjoyed this one, the whole Matt/Ellen storyline ruined it for me. It's one thing to confess a mutual attraction, but to proclaim your love to someone you've barely said two words to? If it wasn't for those two, this could've been a five star read.
January 26, 2024
Disjointed and all over the place. The lead character comes across as a bit manic. Wouldn’t recommend this to anyone.
December 29, 2025
First b I’ve rad by this author, but have loved his work in other mediums for years.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2015
I've never been the biggest fan of coming-of-age stories, no matter the author. It just hasn't been a genre I've ever really been that enthralled with. There are, however, certain exceptions that come along every once in a while that I enjoy. Richard Matheson's "Camp Pleasant" is one such a tale.
While it may not be a coming-of-age tale in the strictest margins, I still consider it one. It is a rich tale of nostalgia, with a style of writing that is both subtle and visceral. The simplicity of the writing adds a special touch as the tale is narrated by Matt Harper, the protagonist. Without giving too much of the plot or any of the twists away, I will say that Harper is a man of many emotions during his stay at Camp Pleasant; emotions that Matheson does a wonderful job in conveying through the writing.
As big as a fan of Matheson's work as I am, I must admit that this was a fairly minor entry in his impressive catalog. Not in terms of length, mind you; I mean in the sense of the characters and the events that they find themselves in. Personally, I thought the romance sub-plot was unnecessary. Almost to the extent that it takes away from the overall effect the story would have had otherwise. This isn't to say that it isn't good, but I feel it out of place.
I must say the same for the majority of the supporting characters. The protagonist and antagonist are very well made and their conflict is very tense. Many others though, seem rather cardboard in their descriptions, which is an apt description because it seems as though their only roles for the story are simply as filler. There are the typical cohorts, toadies, best friends, and misunderstood peoples, and they do what they're supposed to do and fulfill their functions, but you come to expect more from Matheson after so many wonderful books.
At a three star rating, bring down the mic. All minor complaints aside, and believe me when I say minor, Camp Pleasant is a good story from one of the greatest American authors in the past century. An overall solid story with a somewhat surprising ending (while the outcome may not shock you, it did legitimately keep me guessing) that I recommend you pick up, both for those who are Richard Matheson fans and not.
While it may not be a coming-of-age tale in the strictest margins, I still consider it one. It is a rich tale of nostalgia, with a style of writing that is both subtle and visceral. The simplicity of the writing adds a special touch as the tale is narrated by Matt Harper, the protagonist. Without giving too much of the plot or any of the twists away, I will say that Harper is a man of many emotions during his stay at Camp Pleasant; emotions that Matheson does a wonderful job in conveying through the writing.
As big as a fan of Matheson's work as I am, I must admit that this was a fairly minor entry in his impressive catalog. Not in terms of length, mind you; I mean in the sense of the characters and the events that they find themselves in. Personally, I thought the romance sub-plot was unnecessary. Almost to the extent that it takes away from the overall effect the story would have had otherwise. This isn't to say that it isn't good, but I feel it out of place.
I must say the same for the majority of the supporting characters. The protagonist and antagonist are very well made and their conflict is very tense. Many others though, seem rather cardboard in their descriptions, which is an apt description because it seems as though their only roles for the story are simply as filler. There are the typical cohorts, toadies, best friends, and misunderstood peoples, and they do what they're supposed to do and fulfill their functions, but you come to expect more from Matheson after so many wonderful books.
At a three star rating, bring down the mic. All minor complaints aside, and believe me when I say minor, Camp Pleasant is a good story from one of the greatest American authors in the past century. An overall solid story with a somewhat surprising ending (while the outcome may not shock you, it did legitimately keep me guessing) that I recommend you pick up, both for those who are Richard Matheson fans and not.
October 16, 2011
It's fantastic having so many Richard Matheson books on kindle. Camp Pleasant is a study of interaction and how we subtly change each other. This is a typical example of why he is such a great writer. It's involving and remembers us as kids in summer camp, starting with little moments, settling in. He paints it in sure strokes. Then the boy who is different, and a gradual escalation that ends in violence because there is something so wrong in that pleasant place. Whether you feel justification at the ending or just a sadness at what we can't retract, you will come face to face with yourself. It is up to us what we think then of that.
March 20, 2011
This is not one of Richard's best books. He wrote I Am Legend, which was a very good book and made into 3 movies. I would not recomend this unless you are a Richard Matheson fan.
September 6, 2015
Even Richard Matheson could write a clunker.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews