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The 13 Best Horror Stories of All Time
The stories that comprise this collection will surprise the reader even after numerous readings. They reflect innermost fears and head for spaces where reality is blurred by imagination, where insanity and madness are shrouded in mystery and where humanity is haunted by repressed passion and obsession.
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2002
13 people are currently reading
488 people want to read
About the author
Leslie Pockell
17 books7 followers"Some may ask where I get the authority to compile such a work, and attach such lofty claims to it. I have no advanced business degrees myself, but I have labored in an assortment of metaphorical vineyards over the course of the past four decades, from entry level to senior management positions, in government and in the private sector, and I have paid attention to the commonalities and repetitive patterns around me.
In an era when hit television programs like The Office and award-winning novels like And Then We Came To The End are documenting the futility and anomie that is so often a part of our shared work experience, and the economic chaos all around us demonstrates the inadequacy of so-called professional expertise, the universal verities of business presented in MBA IN A BOOK are more relevant than ever."
“I’ve been in publishing for more than three decades, but I try to keep current.”
So wrote Les Pockell about himself for an in-house publication. Les didn’t just “keep current” – he had an encyclopedic knowledge of everything past, present and future in every field imaginable. He had an insatiable appetite for learning, and for passing along all the wisdom he’d accumulated to the editors he worked with and mentored over his many years in publishing.
His vitality was contagious; his opinions were strong; his brilliance was dazzling. He was well-loved by so many, and will be deeply missed.
In an era when hit television programs like The Office and award-winning novels like And Then We Came To The End are documenting the futility and anomie that is so often a part of our shared work experience, and the economic chaos all around us demonstrates the inadequacy of so-called professional expertise, the universal verities of business presented in MBA IN A BOOK are more relevant than ever."
“I’ve been in publishing for more than three decades, but I try to keep current.”
So wrote Les Pockell about himself for an in-house publication. Les didn’t just “keep current” – he had an encyclopedic knowledge of everything past, present and future in every field imaginable. He had an insatiable appetite for learning, and for passing along all the wisdom he’d accumulated to the editors he worked with and mentored over his many years in publishing.
His vitality was contagious; his opinions were strong; his brilliance was dazzling. He was well-loved by so many, and will be deeply missed.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
October 13, 2021
Well, it's October! What better time to read this book of 13 classic horror stories written over a 100-year span!
Some are psychological horror stories; some involve the paranormal. Some stories I've read before and some I've only heard about; however, most were totally foreign to me.
My favorites? Those would have to be Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart", Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Jackson's "The Lottery" - these were truly hair-raising for me! Fascinating, isn't it, that the only two female authors' stories found in this book were in my top three!
Quite interesting were Stevenson's "The Bottle Imp" and Jacobs's "The Monkey Paw". These had very intriguing premises; unfortunately, the endings fell a little flat for me.
Biggest disappointment? Lovecraft's "The Call of Cthulhu". I had never read anything by this author before and was very excited to try out his brand of horror! This story read like a science report and was the only one in this book that I DNF. Life's too short.
I'm not going to say how much I "loved" these classics. I just didn't. I found that most of the stories were written in flowery, prissy prose - were the authors afraid that the male reader would swoon and die of shock? I felt let down that several stories prattled on and on in nonessential places but lacked the vocabulary of true horror where it counted.
This collection of short stories was difficult for me to get through - not because they left me terrified, but with the exception of a few stories, most were unmemorable and were an overall snoozefest.
Some are psychological horror stories; some involve the paranormal. Some stories I've read before and some I've only heard about; however, most were totally foreign to me.
My favorites? Those would have to be Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart", Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" and Jackson's "The Lottery" - these were truly hair-raising for me! Fascinating, isn't it, that the only two female authors' stories found in this book were in my top three!
Quite interesting were Stevenson's "The Bottle Imp" and Jacobs's "The Monkey Paw". These had very intriguing premises; unfortunately, the endings fell a little flat for me.
Biggest disappointment? Lovecraft's "The Call of Cthulhu". I had never read anything by this author before and was very excited to try out his brand of horror! This story read like a science report and was the only one in this book that I DNF. Life's too short.
I'm not going to say how much I "loved" these classics. I just didn't. I found that most of the stories were written in flowery, prissy prose - were the authors afraid that the male reader would swoon and die of shock? I felt let down that several stories prattled on and on in nonessential places but lacked the vocabulary of true horror where it counted.
This collection of short stories was difficult for me to get through - not because they left me terrified, but with the exception of a few stories, most were unmemorable and were an overall snoozefest.
September 21, 2025
The Lucky Thirteen.
An anthology with 13 of the best horror stories ever, written by many of the most renowned classical authors of all times. Again, I don’t know if they are the “best”, but they are all very good, nearly all of them, and if not read, they deserve at least to be known, for “famous” they are indeed, or should be, classic wise.
I would like to note that, even if I didn’t enjoy some so much (for personal reasons), I think many of the “Good” could greatly appeal to others and rank among their “Best”, easily. For example, I can’t understate the literary value of The Call of Cthulhu, even if I hated Lovecraft’s style writing. The "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe are immensely remarkable on their own merit. And even "The Beckoning Fair One" by Oliver Onions is extremely memorable, even if it wasn’t my jam at all. In truth, the only one I don’t care about is “Green Tea” by Le Fanu. All others, given the correct circumstances, I feel I could recommend them, to the right reader.
Every story here except for "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is free-domain, so the links for each of them can be found in the corresponding review below. So all the best, if you decide to risk it.
Go for the Best, consider the Good, whatever the Meh.
The Best :
★★★★☆ “The Bottle Imp”, by Robert Louis Stevenson. [4.5]
★★★★☆ "The Lottery", by Shirley Jackson. [3.5]
★★★★☆ “The Monkey's Paw”, by W. W. Jacobs. [3.5]
The Good :
★★★☆☆ "The Yellow Wallpaper", by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ "The Tell-Tale Heart", by Edgar Allan Poe. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “Dracula’s Guest”, by Bram Stoker. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “The Great God Pan”, by Arthur Machen.
★★★☆☆ “The Country Of The Blind”, by H. G. Wells.
★★★☆☆ “The Willows”, by Algernon Blackwood. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “The Call of Cthulhu”, by H. P. Lovecraft. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come To You, My Lad”, by M. R. James. [2.5]
The Meh :
★★☆☆☆ "The Beckoning Fair One", by Oliver Onions. [2.5]
★★☆☆☆ “Green Tea”, by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2002] [400p] [Anthology] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
El Trece de la Suerte.
Una antología con 13 de los mejores cuentos cortos de terror jamás, escritos por varios de los más reconocidos autores clásicos de todos los tiempos. Nuevamente, no sé si son los “mejores”, pero son todos muy buenos, casi todos, y si no se leen, al menos merecen ser conocidos, porque “famosos” sí que son, o deberían serlo, dentro de lo clásico.
Quisiera señalar que, incluso si no disfruté tanto de algunos (por razones personales), creo que muchos de los "Buenos" podrían interesar mucho a otros, y clasificarse fácilmente entre sus "Mejores". Por ejemplo, no puedo subestimar el valor literario de La Llamada de Cthulhu, incluso si odié el estilo de escritura de Lovecraft. "El Tapiz Amarillo" de Charlotte Perkins Gilman y "El Corazón Delator" de Edgar Allan Poe son inmensamente destacables por mérito propio. E incluso "La Bella que Hace Señas" de Oliver Onions es extremadamente memorable, incluso si no fue mi agrado en absoluto. En verdad, el único que realmente no me importa es “Té Verde” de Le Fanu. Todos los demás, dadas las circunstancias correctas, creo que podría recomendarlos, al lector adecuado.
Todas las historias aquí excepto "La Lotería" de Shirley Jackson son de dominio libre, por lo que los enlaces para cada una de ellas se pueden encontrar en la reseña correspondiente debajo. Así que todo lo mejor, si deciden arriesgarse.
Ir por lo Mejor, considerar lo Bueno, loquesea lo Meh.
Lo Mejor :
★★★★☆ “El Diablillo de la Botella”, de Robert Louis Stevenson. [4.5]
★★★★☆ "La Lotería", de Shirley Jackson. [3.5]
★★★★☆ “La Pata de Mono”, de W. W. Jacobs. [3.5]
Lo Bueno :
★★★☆☆ "El Tapiz Amarillo", de Charlotte Perkins Gilman. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “El Corazón Delator”, de Edgar Allan Poe. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “El Invitado de Drácula”, de Bram Stoker. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “El Gran Dios Pan”, de Arthur Machen.
★★★☆☆ “El País de los Ciegos”, de H. G. Wells.
★★★☆☆ “Los Sauces”, de Algernon Blackwood. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “La Llamada de Cthulhu”, de H. P. Lovecraft. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “Silba y Acudiré”, de M. R. James. [2.5]
Lo Meh :
★★☆☆☆ "La Bella que Hace Señas", de Oliver Onions. [2.5]
★★☆☆☆ “Té Verde”, de J. Sheridan Le Fanu. [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2002] [400p] [Antología] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
An anthology with 13 of the best horror stories ever, written by many of the most renowned classical authors of all times. Again, I don’t know if they are the “best”, but they are all very good, nearly all of them, and if not read, they deserve at least to be known, for “famous” they are indeed, or should be, classic wise.
I would like to note that, even if I didn’t enjoy some so much (for personal reasons), I think many of the “Good” could greatly appeal to others and rank among their “Best”, easily. For example, I can’t understate the literary value of The Call of Cthulhu, even if I hated Lovecraft’s style writing. The "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe are immensely remarkable on their own merit. And even "The Beckoning Fair One" by Oliver Onions is extremely memorable, even if it wasn’t my jam at all. In truth, the only one I don’t care about is “Green Tea” by Le Fanu. All others, given the correct circumstances, I feel I could recommend them, to the right reader.
Every story here except for "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson is free-domain, so the links for each of them can be found in the corresponding review below. So all the best, if you decide to risk it.
Go for the Best, consider the Good, whatever the Meh.
The Best :
★★★★☆ “The Bottle Imp”, by Robert Louis Stevenson. [4.5]
★★★★☆ "The Lottery", by Shirley Jackson. [3.5]
★★★★☆ “The Monkey's Paw”, by W. W. Jacobs. [3.5]
The Good :
★★★☆☆ "The Yellow Wallpaper", by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ "The Tell-Tale Heart", by Edgar Allan Poe. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “Dracula’s Guest”, by Bram Stoker. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “The Great God Pan”, by Arthur Machen.
★★★☆☆ “The Country Of The Blind”, by H. G. Wells.
★★★☆☆ “The Willows”, by Algernon Blackwood. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “The Call of Cthulhu”, by H. P. Lovecraft. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come To You, My Lad”, by M. R. James. [2.5]
The Meh :
★★☆☆☆ "The Beckoning Fair One", by Oliver Onions. [2.5]
★★☆☆☆ “Green Tea”, by J. Sheridan Le Fanu. [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[2002] [400p] [Anthology] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
El Trece de la Suerte.
Una antología con 13 de los mejores cuentos cortos de terror jamás, escritos por varios de los más reconocidos autores clásicos de todos los tiempos. Nuevamente, no sé si son los “mejores”, pero son todos muy buenos, casi todos, y si no se leen, al menos merecen ser conocidos, porque “famosos” sí que son, o deberían serlo, dentro de lo clásico.
Quisiera señalar que, incluso si no disfruté tanto de algunos (por razones personales), creo que muchos de los "Buenos" podrían interesar mucho a otros, y clasificarse fácilmente entre sus "Mejores". Por ejemplo, no puedo subestimar el valor literario de La Llamada de Cthulhu, incluso si odié el estilo de escritura de Lovecraft. "El Tapiz Amarillo" de Charlotte Perkins Gilman y "El Corazón Delator" de Edgar Allan Poe son inmensamente destacables por mérito propio. E incluso "La Bella que Hace Señas" de Oliver Onions es extremadamente memorable, incluso si no fue mi agrado en absoluto. En verdad, el único que realmente no me importa es “Té Verde” de Le Fanu. Todos los demás, dadas las circunstancias correctas, creo que podría recomendarlos, al lector adecuado.
Todas las historias aquí excepto "La Lotería" de Shirley Jackson son de dominio libre, por lo que los enlaces para cada una de ellas se pueden encontrar en la reseña correspondiente debajo. Así que todo lo mejor, si deciden arriesgarse.
Ir por lo Mejor, considerar lo Bueno, loquesea lo Meh.
Lo Mejor :
★★★★☆ “El Diablillo de la Botella”, de Robert Louis Stevenson. [4.5]
★★★★☆ "La Lotería", de Shirley Jackson. [3.5]
★★★★☆ “La Pata de Mono”, de W. W. Jacobs. [3.5]
Lo Bueno :
★★★☆☆ "El Tapiz Amarillo", de Charlotte Perkins Gilman. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “El Corazón Delator”, de Edgar Allan Poe. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “El Invitado de Drácula”, de Bram Stoker. [3.5]
★★★☆☆ “El Gran Dios Pan”, de Arthur Machen.
★★★☆☆ “El País de los Ciegos”, de H. G. Wells.
★★★☆☆ “Los Sauces”, de Algernon Blackwood. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “La Llamada de Cthulhu”, de H. P. Lovecraft. [2.5]
★★★☆☆ “Silba y Acudiré”, de M. R. James. [2.5]
Lo Meh :
★★☆☆☆ "La Bella que Hace Señas", de Oliver Onions. [2.5]
★★☆☆☆ “Té Verde”, de J. Sheridan Le Fanu. [2.5]
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[2002] [400p] [Antología] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
May 5, 2014
The stories that really interested me are The Tell-Tale Heart and The Lottery.
Some of the other stories seemed to go on a bit too long for short stories.
Some of the other stories seemed to go on a bit too long for short stories.
May 1, 2011
These really are some of the best horror stories of all time. This is a collection of classic horror tales, the kind of stories that get into your head. These stories don’t have to use the shock factor or blood and gore. These stories creep and crawl and slither across your bedroom floor. They are truly haunting tales. The Table of Contents speaks for itself:
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe
Green Tea by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad by M.R. James
The Country Of The Blind by H.G. Wells
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood
The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions
The Call Of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
I actually bought this book for “Dracula’s Guest”, as Dracula is one of my favorites. I had read it was supposedly the first chapter in the original Dracula manuscript, but was cut for length. I enjoyed it and wonder about the narrator. I was not familiar with all of these authors (Algernon Blackwood, Oliver Onions) but their stories got in my head. Blackwood’s prose is elegant and enchanting and eerie. Gives me the shivers! “The Monkey’s Paw” is an old favorite of mine. Three wishes is everyone’s dream, right? “The Lottery” has that great build up to the unthinkable. There are many authors in this anthology who I enjoy (Poe, HG Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson) and love having them in one collection.
This collection is excellent. I will get it out often when I want to scare myself.
The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe
Green Tea by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad by M.R. James
The Country Of The Blind by H.G. Wells
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood
The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions
The Call Of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
I actually bought this book for “Dracula’s Guest”, as Dracula is one of my favorites. I had read it was supposedly the first chapter in the original Dracula manuscript, but was cut for length. I enjoyed it and wonder about the narrator. I was not familiar with all of these authors (Algernon Blackwood, Oliver Onions) but their stories got in my head. Blackwood’s prose is elegant and enchanting and eerie. Gives me the shivers! “The Monkey’s Paw” is an old favorite of mine. Three wishes is everyone’s dream, right? “The Lottery” has that great build up to the unthinkable. There are many authors in this anthology who I enjoy (Poe, HG Wells, Robert Louis Stevenson) and love having them in one collection.
This collection is excellent. I will get it out often when I want to scare myself.
January 11, 2015
I checked out this collection primarily because I wanted to read The Call Of Cthulhu and The Great God Pan, which Stephen King cited as the inspiration for his novella "N." in Just After Sunset. Both stories are very good, though I agree with some other reviewers that they are not so much scary as 'interesting in a college lit class sort of way.' I also re-read a few of the shorter stories I had read before (The Tell-Tale Heart, The Monkey's Paw, and The Lottery). But at that point, I stopped. These stories may have passed as scary horror 100 years ago, and they are still well-written, but they're not scary.
July 23, 2021
Not really horror stories, more about mental illness. Some were just intriguing tales.
December 10, 2008
I honestly don't have much to say about this book. I did enjoy it, but what can you really say about a collection of stories? There were the classic tales like "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Monkey's Paw". There were also some new stories I had never read before. I especially enjoyed "Green Tea". I wouldn't call these tales especially "horrifying", but it was a decent collection nonetheless.
November 12, 2024
1. "The Tell-Tale Heart" by Edgar Allan Poe (1843) - 4 Stars
First read this very short tale many years ago, possibly in high school, and it has always stayed with me. Wonderfully written, creepy, taunting, maddening. Wouldn't mind if it were a bit longer, a little more drawn out. The only Poe I've read... so far.
2. “Green Tea” by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1869) – 1 Star
First half dragged on too slowly and I had difficulty following this author’s style of writing. Didn’t like this story at all.
3. “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) – 3 Stars
Well-written short story slowly builds to a creepy finale.
4. “The Bottle Imp” by Robert Louis Stevenson (1893) – 3.5 Stars
Told like a folktale, a dark twist on the “genie in the bottle” tales.
5. “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen (1894) – 3.5 Stars
A horror/fantasy novella which has influenced the work of other horror writers such as Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft, and Stephen King.
6. “Dracula’s Guest” by Bram Stoker (1897) – 2.5 Stars
A bit slow and uneventful for me. Cut from the original story of Dracula, published as a separate short story.
7. “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs (1902) – 3.5 Stars
Another dark, disturbing twist on the “three wishes” tales.
8. “Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come To You, My Lad” by M. R. James (1904) – 1.5 Stars
Couldn’t get into this one.
9. “The Country Of The Blind” by H. G. Wells (1904) - 3 Stars
Interesting folktale type of story. Hoped for A bit more of an ending, but still enjoyable.
10. “The Willows” by Algernon Blackwood (1907) - 2.5 Stars
Interesting and very creepy. Just a bit drawn out.
11. “The Beckoning Fair One” by Oliver Onions (1911) - 3 Stars
Good story, creepy. Descriptions a bit long, but stories of this era tend to be similar.
12. “The Call of Cthulhu” by H. P. Lovecraft (1926) - 2 Stars
Couldn’t get into it.
13. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson (1948) - 3.5 Stars
Very short and disturbing, but a well-written, suspenseful story.
First read this very short tale many years ago, possibly in high school, and it has always stayed with me. Wonderfully written, creepy, taunting, maddening. Wouldn't mind if it were a bit longer, a little more drawn out. The only Poe I've read... so far.
2. “Green Tea” by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (1869) – 1 Star
First half dragged on too slowly and I had difficulty following this author’s style of writing. Didn’t like this story at all.
3. “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1892) – 3 Stars
Well-written short story slowly builds to a creepy finale.
4. “The Bottle Imp” by Robert Louis Stevenson (1893) – 3.5 Stars
Told like a folktale, a dark twist on the “genie in the bottle” tales.
5. “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen (1894) – 3.5 Stars
A horror/fantasy novella which has influenced the work of other horror writers such as Bram Stoker, H. P. Lovecraft, and Stephen King.
6. “Dracula’s Guest” by Bram Stoker (1897) – 2.5 Stars
A bit slow and uneventful for me. Cut from the original story of Dracula, published as a separate short story.
7. “The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs (1902) – 3.5 Stars
Another dark, disturbing twist on the “three wishes” tales.
8. “Oh, Whistle and I’ll Come To You, My Lad” by M. R. James (1904) – 1.5 Stars
Couldn’t get into this one.
9. “The Country Of The Blind” by H. G. Wells (1904) - 3 Stars
Interesting folktale type of story. Hoped for A bit more of an ending, but still enjoyable.
10. “The Willows” by Algernon Blackwood (1907) - 2.5 Stars
Interesting and very creepy. Just a bit drawn out.
11. “The Beckoning Fair One” by Oliver Onions (1911) - 3 Stars
Good story, creepy. Descriptions a bit long, but stories of this era tend to be similar.
12. “The Call of Cthulhu” by H. P. Lovecraft (1926) - 2 Stars
Couldn’t get into it.
13. “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson (1948) - 3.5 Stars
Very short and disturbing, but a well-written, suspenseful story.
January 21, 2012
A lovely collection. I'd read most of them--the only new one was "The Beckoning Fair One" by Oliver Onions--but it was nice to sit down and curl up with them. (Would have been slightly better if the M.R. James one was "Lost Hearts", but I realize I am partisan. :) )
The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because five stars means I recommend books to people regardless of their interest in the genre, and this is not a book I would do that with.
...put like that, I am considering revising my starring policy.
For the record, the table of contents runs:
* The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe
* Green Tea by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
* The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
* The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson
* The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
* Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
* The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
* Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad by M.R. James
* The Country Of The Blind by H.G. Wells
* The Willows by Algernon Blackwood
* The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions
* The Call Of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
* The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because five stars means I recommend books to people regardless of their interest in the genre, and this is not a book I would do that with.
...put like that, I am considering revising my starring policy.
For the record, the table of contents runs:
* The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe
* Green Tea by J. Sheridan Le Fanu
* The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
* The Bottle Imp by Robert Louis Stevenson
* The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen
* Dracula's Guest by Bram Stoker
* The Monkey's Paw by W.W. Jacobs
* Oh, Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad by M.R. James
* The Country Of The Blind by H.G. Wells
* The Willows by Algernon Blackwood
* The Beckoning Fair One by Oliver Onions
* The Call Of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft
* The Lottery by Shirley Jackson
November 24, 2013
I read this book in honor of Halloween. Not a big fiction reader I thought it was time to delve into the realm of terror for a little aversion from my typical non-fiction fare. This collection of 13 kind of scary stories came from an earlier era mostly in the 1800's. You will find some well known authors among them such as Poe, Well, and Stevenson. I was disappointed in the majority of them as they could get somewhat boring with the heavy style associated with the classic era of writers. However there are some gems here, my favorites being Stevenson's "The Bottle Imp", Well's "The Country of the Blind," excellent, and the closer Shirley Jackson's. "The Lottery."
August 3, 2011
This book was full of classing horror stories. Taking it for what is is (classic stories), it's a pretty good selection of stories.
Don't plan on being scared, plan on feeling like your back in your college English Lit class. Some of the stories were good, but not scary by any means. Maybe we are desensitized and things that were scary in the early 1900's aren't scary today...who knows. I found that with my book club, who just finished reviewing this book, you either love it or you don't.
Don't plan on being scared, plan on feeling like your back in your college English Lit class. Some of the stories were good, but not scary by any means. Maybe we are desensitized and things that were scary in the early 1900's aren't scary today...who knows. I found that with my book club, who just finished reviewing this book, you either love it or you don't.
August 2, 2011
I had read three of these stories before (Lottery, Tell Tale Heart, and Monkey's Paw), but the rest were new to me. It was my first sample of Bram Stoker and H.P. Lovecraft. My favorite story of the lot though was "The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood, that alone would be enough for me to give this five stars, but really the stories were all well chosen.
December 31, 2014
Excellent compilation of classic horror stories from the 1800s and early 20th century. I had only read Poe's The Raven before, so finally being able to read the source material that so many future novels or movies were based upon was a real treat.
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October 17, 2015Great collection!
December 22, 2017
Ever wonder why the English language has the word Lovecraftian, but not the word Poean? No? Well, start wondering. Or... just read this book. I don't know if these are the best horrors stories of all time, but they are certainly among the most influential, ranging from the first and earliest story in the book, Poe's "Tell-Tale Heart" (1843), to the last and most modern in this volume, Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" (1946). If you are looking for modern horror, this is not the place to go. The bulk of these stories were written between 1890 and 1910. If you are looking for influences on modern horror, though, this might be the ticket, starting with Poe...
Poe's themes are generally interior, individualistic, and obsessive. In short, he is kind of the poster child for American individualism gone wrong. Some of this obsessive drive is reflected to a lesser degree in later stories in this volume, but few writers can achieve what Poe does. I would not call "Green Tea" [1869], "The Yellow Wallpaper" [1892], or "The Beckoning Fair One" [1911], Poean (or even Poe-influenced, quite honestly), because, while obsessive in their own ways, they all rely on outside stimuli for the story to progress. Poe has no such problems; his narrator in "The Tell Tale Heart" needs no real motive to commit murder, although he might tell you otherwise. Like most Poe narrators, he acts solely on his own obsessive needs. In short, nothing happens in this story that is not generated entirely by the interior workings of an obsessive mind. There is no plot impetus. I cannot stress this enough, because, trust me, that is very hard to duplicate successfully as a writer. Readers tend to like plots and rational motivation - or at least an acknowledgement when the irrational is broached. Poe not only doesn't give that in "The Tell-Tale Heart," his narrator insists on the complete opposite.
That aside, the bulk of stories included in this collection evolve from a folkloric tradition that Poe ignores in "The Tell-Tale Heart." "Dracula's Guest" [Bram Stoker, 1987], of course, would be the most famous of those, arising directly from vampire folk legend; similarly, Stevenson's "The Bottle Imp" [1983] and M. R. James' "The Monkey's Paw" [1902] are fairly straightforward folktales. Beyond that, more than half of the 13 stories here would today fall within the genre of folk horror, some of them in the form of ghost stories ("Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad" [1904], "The Beckoning Fair One" [1911]), while others attempt to put a name to evils we cannot explain rationally ("The Great God Pan" [Arthur Machen, 1894], "The Willows" [Algernon Blackwood, 1907]). Universally, within these stories, that which we cannot explain or understand is frightening (and, because we are frail humans, probably also "evil"). Lovecraft, drawing heavily on such fears of the unknown and the unexplained, falls directly in line with this tradition. And then he gives it a face (squidly), adds modern concepts like space travel and alternate dimensions, and sets it down in New England, reminding us that the unknown is all the more frightening when set amongst the mundane, as opposed to, say, a haunted house or a Slovakian castle. (Incidentally, Shirley Jackson will add one more layer, that of tradition, to the folk horror concept in "The Lottery.") Lovecraft's entry here and the second-to-last story in this volume, "The Call of Cthulhu" [1925], is one of the most visual stories from a not-very-visual writer, and certainly one of the single most influential sources for modern folk horror. Maybe that is why we have the word Lovecraftian.
Do I read stories/watch movies about obsession and think "Oh, that's so Poean"? No. Few writers can successfully duplicate Poe. (And, to be fair, while not represented in this volume, Poe also wrote mysteries, parodies, poetry, and more traditional horror; his interior stories of obsession, though, are probably his most remembered.)
Do I read stories/watch movies about eldritch horrors and think "That's so Lovecraftian"? Yes. Lovecraft didn't invent the word eldritch. (But if you see that word in his work - and you will - you can bet the words abomination and blasphemous will follow.) He just made us think he did.
Poe's themes are generally interior, individualistic, and obsessive. In short, he is kind of the poster child for American individualism gone wrong. Some of this obsessive drive is reflected to a lesser degree in later stories in this volume, but few writers can achieve what Poe does. I would not call "Green Tea" [1869], "The Yellow Wallpaper" [1892], or "The Beckoning Fair One" [1911], Poean (or even Poe-influenced, quite honestly), because, while obsessive in their own ways, they all rely on outside stimuli for the story to progress. Poe has no such problems; his narrator in "The Tell Tale Heart" needs no real motive to commit murder, although he might tell you otherwise. Like most Poe narrators, he acts solely on his own obsessive needs. In short, nothing happens in this story that is not generated entirely by the interior workings of an obsessive mind. There is no plot impetus. I cannot stress this enough, because, trust me, that is very hard to duplicate successfully as a writer. Readers tend to like plots and rational motivation - or at least an acknowledgement when the irrational is broached. Poe not only doesn't give that in "The Tell-Tale Heart," his narrator insists on the complete opposite.
That aside, the bulk of stories included in this collection evolve from a folkloric tradition that Poe ignores in "The Tell-Tale Heart." "Dracula's Guest" [Bram Stoker, 1987], of course, would be the most famous of those, arising directly from vampire folk legend; similarly, Stevenson's "The Bottle Imp" [1983] and M. R. James' "The Monkey's Paw" [1902] are fairly straightforward folktales. Beyond that, more than half of the 13 stories here would today fall within the genre of folk horror, some of them in the form of ghost stories ("Oh, Whistle and I'll Come to You, My Lad" [1904], "The Beckoning Fair One" [1911]), while others attempt to put a name to evils we cannot explain rationally ("The Great God Pan" [Arthur Machen, 1894], "The Willows" [Algernon Blackwood, 1907]). Universally, within these stories, that which we cannot explain or understand is frightening (and, because we are frail humans, probably also "evil"). Lovecraft, drawing heavily on such fears of the unknown and the unexplained, falls directly in line with this tradition. And then he gives it a face (squidly), adds modern concepts like space travel and alternate dimensions, and sets it down in New England, reminding us that the unknown is all the more frightening when set amongst the mundane, as opposed to, say, a haunted house or a Slovakian castle. (Incidentally, Shirley Jackson will add one more layer, that of tradition, to the folk horror concept in "The Lottery.") Lovecraft's entry here and the second-to-last story in this volume, "The Call of Cthulhu" [1925], is one of the most visual stories from a not-very-visual writer, and certainly one of the single most influential sources for modern folk horror. Maybe that is why we have the word Lovecraftian.
Do I read stories/watch movies about obsession and think "Oh, that's so Poean"? No. Few writers can successfully duplicate Poe. (And, to be fair, while not represented in this volume, Poe also wrote mysteries, parodies, poetry, and more traditional horror; his interior stories of obsession, though, are probably his most remembered.)
Do I read stories/watch movies about eldritch horrors and think "That's so Lovecraftian"? Yes. Lovecraft didn't invent the word eldritch. (But if you see that word in his work - and you will - you can bet the words abomination and blasphemous will follow.) He just made us think he did.
January 22, 2021
4.5 Stars - Loved almost every single story in here, such incredible writing. Even the stories I didn't love for the content, I still appreciate the time and energy put into language. Classic horror stories don't get enough love and I'm here to tell you to read more classic horror! If you are looking for more scary stuff but are tired of the same ol' dead white men, check out "Monster, She Wrote: The Women Who Pioneered Horror and Speculative Fiction."
My top five from this collection are:
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
"The Great God Pan" by Arthur Machen
"Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker
"The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
My top five from this collection are:
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman
"The Great God Pan" by Arthur Machen
"Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker
"The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
January 31, 2024
I was surprised that I'd already read a number of these previously and that of those that I knew I'd read before how I misremembered them. I think this was my 4th time to read The Yellow Wallpaper and although I recalled most of that one I still learned new things. I had never read The Willows before and I think it was my favorite of the lot. Over all, whether you've read them before or not, this is certainly a collection that is well worth revisiting...you may even be surprised by a couple that you've never read.
March 30, 2025
Top three
1) The Willows
2) The Beckoning Fair One
3) Dracula's Guest
1) The Willows
2) The Beckoning Fair One
3) Dracula's Guest
Read
December 22, 2025A solid collection. My personal favorites are The Great God Pan, The Yellow Wallpaper, and The Lottery.
August 26, 2017
Obviously the title is an exageration here - aside from the subjectivity of such a statement, the collection includes nothing longer than short novella-length, and nothing from the 1950's onward.
As a collection of Golden Age short horror, however, it is quite excellent. It covers a fair amount of ground despite the fact that you can easily match up thematically-like stories into categories (dementia, extra-dimensional forces, "be careful what you wish for" fables, "stranger in a strange land" tales). A solid handful of it is stuff that may be familiar from high school reading lists, but if you haven't read the stories of your own volition or since school, they're worth revisiting. I know, for example, that I couldn't be bothered with "The Yellow Wallpaper" when it was assigned to me back in school, but I now found it to be an impressive multi-tasker, serving as both an aces ghost story and a seething, harrowing look at contemporary women's treatment by society.
The less-known material is a main delight here - I was already a well-versed Lovecraft fan coming in, but "The Willows" and "The Great God Pan", both sort of proto-Lovecraft in a few senses, were new to me and all the more interesting placed next to their more famous successor's most famed work. Similarly, while I was obviously familiar with H.G. Wells the hi-concept sci-fi titan, I was hardly expecting the claustrophobic injection of creeping, powerless dread into a old cliche that he gives us in "The Country of the Blind".
The collection isn't perfect - it's easy enough to cherry pick little criticisms out of many of the stories. There's the fluidity of the language barrier in "Dracula's Guest", to say nothing of its titular fiend's absence; the Swede's excessive insight into the goings-on in "The Willows"; "The Great God Pan"'s merciless flogging of coincidence, etc. But there's not a story here that doesn't have some sense of genuinely affecting horror. If they're not THE 13 best, they're no less essential for that.
As a collection of Golden Age short horror, however, it is quite excellent. It covers a fair amount of ground despite the fact that you can easily match up thematically-like stories into categories (dementia, extra-dimensional forces, "be careful what you wish for" fables, "stranger in a strange land" tales). A solid handful of it is stuff that may be familiar from high school reading lists, but if you haven't read the stories of your own volition or since school, they're worth revisiting. I know, for example, that I couldn't be bothered with "The Yellow Wallpaper" when it was assigned to me back in school, but I now found it to be an impressive multi-tasker, serving as both an aces ghost story and a seething, harrowing look at contemporary women's treatment by society.
The less-known material is a main delight here - I was already a well-versed Lovecraft fan coming in, but "The Willows" and "The Great God Pan", both sort of proto-Lovecraft in a few senses, were new to me and all the more interesting placed next to their more famous successor's most famed work. Similarly, while I was obviously familiar with H.G. Wells the hi-concept sci-fi titan, I was hardly expecting the claustrophobic injection of creeping, powerless dread into a old cliche that he gives us in "The Country of the Blind".
The collection isn't perfect - it's easy enough to cherry pick little criticisms out of many of the stories. There's the fluidity of the language barrier in "Dracula's Guest", to say nothing of its titular fiend's absence; the Swede's excessive insight into the goings-on in "The Willows"; "The Great God Pan"'s merciless flogging of coincidence, etc. But there's not a story here that doesn't have some sense of genuinely affecting horror. If they're not THE 13 best, they're no less essential for that.
April 9, 2017
Overall, this is a solid representation of some great and classic horror authors. They have Lovecraft, Machen, Stevenson, Stoker, Poe, Le Fanu, Blackwood, and others. Classics like The Call of Cthulhu, The Great God Pan, and The Willows are perfectly chosen for this collection but then they throw away opportunities for great stories from other authors by offered in up The Bottle Imp by Stevenson which seems much less interesting in terms of horror than The Body Snatcher among others. Green Tea by Le Fanu was also much less enthralling than Camilla. However, if you want a solid introduction to some of the great horror writers in the 19th and early 20th century, this is a great place to start.
If you enjoyed this review, feel free to check out my other reviews and writings at By Any Other Nerd /
If you enjoyed this review, feel free to check out my other reviews and writings at By Any Other Nerd /
February 25, 2015
Spanning roughly 100 years, this collection starts with Poe's famous "The Tell Tale Heart" (1843) and ends with Jackson's "The Lottery" (1948).
While I wasn't wild about every story, there are some real gems among them. "The Monkey's Paw", The Bottle Imp", "The Country Of the Blind", "The Willows" and of course "The Call Of Cthulhu".
In an age when graphic horror has become the norm, it's nice to get a pleasant chill from these genuinely creepy rather than gory tales.
While I wasn't wild about every story, there are some real gems among them. "The Monkey's Paw", The Bottle Imp", "The Country Of the Blind", "The Willows" and of course "The Call Of Cthulhu".
In an age when graphic horror has become the norm, it's nice to get a pleasant chill from these genuinely creepy rather than gory tales.
May 6, 2016
I picked up this book on a whim. It was a very interesting read. Most of the stories are not typical horror stories that you would find in an anthology today. Think of them as representing proto horror stories. When you read this book you are going back in time to see the foundations of modern horror work. My favorite story in the collection was probably "The Willows" by Algernon Blackwood. It had a great otherworld feel. I will definitely remember it the next time I'm out canoeing.
November 7, 2010
This collection is really pretty scary! Eleven of the stories got me good, and I'd even read 3 of them before! But two tales (The Willows and The Beckoning Fair One) not only were not scary to me, they were not even good stories, in my opinion. Take 'em out, and this is a 5 star collection all the way!
August 28, 2017
Great picks. We could quibble, but if you only get to choose thirteen stories in English, I think these would be on everyone's top twenty. Between this and the coolth and the rain, it's starting to feel like fall.
March 5, 2009
I only read 'The Great God Pan' by Arthur Machen, but it was really good. I'd highly recommend it if you like Lovecraft.
February 7, 2017
Such a great mix of stories I'd read long ago, some I'd been meaning to, and even ones I'd never heard of before.
December 30, 2009
Creeeeeeepy.
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