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The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales
Brimming with tales of terror, suspense, and the uncanny, with dark castles and even gloomier monasteries, The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales offers the first such collection devoted to this spine-tingling genre. Though Gothic fiction has generally been identified with Walpole's"Castle of
Otranto" and the works of Ann Radcliffe, these thirty-seven selections compiled by Chris Baldick provide a unique look at the genre's development into its present-day forms. We see standard gothic elements of incest, murder, and greed in "The Poisoner of Montremos," a late eighteenth-century story
by Richard Cumberland. We find in Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" the tale that set a new standard of decadence for Gothic stories. In Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," a woman's death satisfies a neighborhood's curiosity with a bizarre discovery. All the stories contain the common elements
of the gothic a warped sense of time, a claustrophobic setting, a link to archaic modes of thought, dynastic corruption, and the impression of a descent into disintegration. Yet they also reveal the progression of the genre from stories of feudal villains amid crumbling ruins to a greater
level of sophistication in which writers brought the gothic tale out of its medieval setting, and placed it in the contemporary world.
Bringing together the work of such writers as Robert Louis Stevenson, Eudora Welty, Thomas Hardy, Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner, Isak Dinesen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Joyce Carol Oates, Jorge Luis Borges, Eudora Welty, Patrick McGrath, and Isabel Allende, The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales
presents a wide array of the sinister and unsettling for all lovers of ghost stories, fantasy, and horror.
Otranto" and the works of Ann Radcliffe, these thirty-seven selections compiled by Chris Baldick provide a unique look at the genre's development into its present-day forms. We see standard gothic elements of incest, murder, and greed in "The Poisoner of Montremos," a late eighteenth-century story
by Richard Cumberland. We find in Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" the tale that set a new standard of decadence for Gothic stories. In Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," a woman's death satisfies a neighborhood's curiosity with a bizarre discovery. All the stories contain the common elements
of the gothic a warped sense of time, a claustrophobic setting, a link to archaic modes of thought, dynastic corruption, and the impression of a descent into disintegration. Yet they also reveal the progression of the genre from stories of feudal villains amid crumbling ruins to a greater
level of sophistication in which writers brought the gothic tale out of its medieval setting, and placed it in the contemporary world.
Bringing together the work of such writers as Robert Louis Stevenson, Eudora Welty, Thomas Hardy, Edgar Allan Poe, William Faulkner, Isak Dinesen, Arthur Conan Doyle, Joyce Carol Oates, Jorge Luis Borges, Eudora Welty, Patrick McGrath, and Isabel Allende, The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales
presents a wide array of the sinister and unsettling for all lovers of ghost stories, fantasy, and horror.
566 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
May 20, 2008
This is a wonderful anthology,not a single dud story in the lot. I've taught stories out of this best Gothic collection of tales since the first edition came out in 1993.
If you want a good laugh, read "Sir Bertram: A Fragment" (written 1773).It's a gold mine for Freudian analysis: towers, swords, an "intricate, winding" passage. When Sir B finds his lost wife, he doesn't "shout" but "ejaculates" (verbally). A hoot.
It's hard to pick favorites in such a great collection, but when pressed, I'd choose: "Jordan's End" by Ellen Glasgow (true Southern Gothic, spooky Virginia setting), "The Gospel According to Mark" by Jorge Borges (a stunning conclusion), and "The Lady of the House of Love" by Angela Carter (modern innocence defeats ancient evil..humorous, richly textured).
My top pick is "The Vampire of Kaldenstein" by Frederick Cowles. A windbag doofus Brit goes on a bicycle tour in 1938 Germany and winds up in a town ruled by vampires. The narrator heeds none of the locals' warnings, and has many close calls. It's devilishly funny, an allegory of those terrifying times in Europe.
Because I like this story so much, a couple years ago, I tried to get a hold of a copy of the original Cowles' collection, "Where the Night Wind Blows." Sad to say, there is only one edition and it was not reprinted. Two copies exist in British libraries, but not for lending out. No wonder. If you want to buy a copy, prepare to shell out over $2,000. I guess we'll just have to enjoy Cowles' work in this anthology.
If you want a good laugh, read "Sir Bertram: A Fragment" (written 1773).It's a gold mine for Freudian analysis: towers, swords, an "intricate, winding" passage. When Sir B finds his lost wife, he doesn't "shout" but "ejaculates" (verbally). A hoot.
It's hard to pick favorites in such a great collection, but when pressed, I'd choose: "Jordan's End" by Ellen Glasgow (true Southern Gothic, spooky Virginia setting), "The Gospel According to Mark" by Jorge Borges (a stunning conclusion), and "The Lady of the House of Love" by Angela Carter (modern innocence defeats ancient evil..humorous, richly textured).
My top pick is "The Vampire of Kaldenstein" by Frederick Cowles. A windbag doofus Brit goes on a bicycle tour in 1938 Germany and winds up in a town ruled by vampires. The narrator heeds none of the locals' warnings, and has many close calls. It's devilishly funny, an allegory of those terrifying times in Europe.
Because I like this story so much, a couple years ago, I tried to get a hold of a copy of the original Cowles' collection, "Where the Night Wind Blows." Sad to say, there is only one edition and it was not reprinted. Two copies exist in British libraries, but not for lending out. No wonder. If you want to buy a copy, prepare to shell out over $2,000. I guess we'll just have to enjoy Cowles' work in this anthology.
December 19, 2017
With this anthology is very easy to see how Ghotic Literature evolved through the centuries.
I. Beginnings (XVIII Century)
Sir Bertrand: A Fragment by Anna Laetitia Aikin - 4*
The Poisoner of Montremos by Richard Cumberland - 4*
The Friar's Tale by Anonymous - 4*
Raymond: A Fragment by Juvenis' - 3*
The Parricide Punished by Anonymous - 3*
The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin by Anonymous - 4*
The Vindictive Monk or the Fatal Ring by Isaac Crookenden - 4*
II - XIX Century
The Astrologer's Prediction or the Maniac's Fate by Anonymous - 3*
Andreas Vesaliuis the Anatomist by Petrus Borel - 4*
Lady Eltringham or the Castle of Ratcliffe Cross by J. Wadham - 3*
The Fall of the House of Usher de Edgar Allan Poe - 4*
A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family by Sheridan Le Fanu - 4.5*
Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - 4.5*
Selina Sedilia by Bret Harte - 5*
Jean-Ah Poquelin by George Washington Cable - 4.5*
Olalla by Robert Louis Stevenson - 3.5*
Barbara of the House of Grebe by Thomas Hardy - 5*
Bloody Blanche by Marcel Schwob - 4*
The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Stetson - 3.5*
The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle - 4*
Hurst of Hurstcote by E. Nesbit - 5*
III - XX Century
A Vine on a House - Ambrose Bierce 4*
Jordan's End - Ellen Glasgow 4*
The Outsider - H. P. Lovecraft 3*
A Rose for Emily - William Faulkner 4*
A Rendezvous in Averoigne - Clark Ashton Smith 4*
The Monkey - Isak Dinesen 5*
Miss de Mannering of Asham - F. M. Mayor 5*
The Vampire of Kaldenstein - Frederik Cowles 3*
Sardonicus - Ray Russell 5*
The Bloody Countess - Alejandra Pizarnik 4*
The Gospel According to Mark - Jorge Luís Borges 4.5*
The Lady of the House of Love - Angela Carter 4.5*
Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl - Joyce Carol Oates 4*
Blood Disease - Patrick McGrath 4*
If you Touched my Heart - Isabel Allende 5*
I. Beginnings (XVIII Century)
Sir Bertrand: A Fragment by Anna Laetitia Aikin - 4*
The Poisoner of Montremos by Richard Cumberland - 4*
The Friar's Tale by Anonymous - 4*
Raymond: A Fragment by Juvenis' - 3*
The Parricide Punished by Anonymous - 3*
The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin by Anonymous - 4*
The Vindictive Monk or the Fatal Ring by Isaac Crookenden - 4*
II - XIX Century
The Astrologer's Prediction or the Maniac's Fate by Anonymous - 3*
Andreas Vesaliuis the Anatomist by Petrus Borel - 4*
Lady Eltringham or the Castle of Ratcliffe Cross by J. Wadham - 3*
The Fall of the House of Usher de Edgar Allan Poe - 4*
A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family by Sheridan Le Fanu - 4.5*
Rappaccini's Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne - 4.5*
Selina Sedilia by Bret Harte - 5*
Jean-Ah Poquelin by George Washington Cable - 4.5*
Olalla by Robert Louis Stevenson - 3.5*
Barbara of the House of Grebe by Thomas Hardy - 5*
Bloody Blanche by Marcel Schwob - 4*
The Yellow Wall-Paper by Charlotte Perkins Stetson - 3.5*
The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle - 4*
Hurst of Hurstcote by E. Nesbit - 5*
III - XX Century
A Vine on a House - Ambrose Bierce 4*
Jordan's End - Ellen Glasgow 4*
The Outsider - H. P. Lovecraft 3*
A Rose for Emily - William Faulkner 4*
A Rendezvous in Averoigne - Clark Ashton Smith 4*
The Monkey - Isak Dinesen 5*
Miss de Mannering of Asham - F. M. Mayor 5*
The Vampire of Kaldenstein - Frederik Cowles 3*
Sardonicus - Ray Russell 5*
The Bloody Countess - Alejandra Pizarnik 4*
The Gospel According to Mark - Jorge Luís Borges 4.5*
The Lady of the House of Love - Angela Carter 4.5*
Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl - Joyce Carol Oates 4*
Blood Disease - Patrick McGrath 4*
If you Touched my Heart - Isabel Allende 5*
September 6, 2018
This is a well-selected compilation of Gothic tales - appealing for its sheer entertainment value, but also for the overview of the genre which it provides (37 tales in all).
An excellent intro by the editor (avoids heavy critical jargon/only one minor spoiler) distinguishes the gothic from other kinds of supernatural tales - a distinction which I'd never thought about - and makes a good case for summarising gothic fiction as a way of exercising anxieties about systems of tyranny and oppression, and I'd have to say this resonates well with the stories in the collection.
As with any kind of anthology, part of the value lies in getting a taste of a variety of authors and writing styles, and in stimulating readers to follow up on new discoveries. Because this collection is arranged by date, from 1773 (how wonderful!) to 1991, it is also possible to get a feel for the developments both in the genre and in literary movements/history since the eighteenth century.
My favourite story? Mmmmm - so many could claim this honour. Dinesen/Blixen's The Monkey (1934) is an absolute masterpiece for its insights into human nature, but I guess if sheer horror is the criteria the prize would have to go to Patrick McGrath's Blood Disease (1988) or, given that it is based on actual events, Alejandra Piznarik's Bloody Countess(1968; recorded docu-style and spiced up with folklore) - very shocking. Well, happy reading folks!
An excellent intro by the editor (avoids heavy critical jargon/only one minor spoiler) distinguishes the gothic from other kinds of supernatural tales - a distinction which I'd never thought about - and makes a good case for summarising gothic fiction as a way of exercising anxieties about systems of tyranny and oppression, and I'd have to say this resonates well with the stories in the collection.
As with any kind of anthology, part of the value lies in getting a taste of a variety of authors and writing styles, and in stimulating readers to follow up on new discoveries. Because this collection is arranged by date, from 1773 (how wonderful!) to 1991, it is also possible to get a feel for the developments both in the genre and in literary movements/history since the eighteenth century.
My favourite story? Mmmmm - so many could claim this honour. Dinesen/Blixen's The Monkey (1934) is an absolute masterpiece for its insights into human nature, but I guess if sheer horror is the criteria the prize would have to go to Patrick McGrath's Blood Disease (1988) or, given that it is based on actual events, Alejandra Piznarik's Bloody Countess(1968; recorded docu-style and spiced up with folklore) - very shocking. Well, happy reading folks!
January 5, 2016
This one is hard to rate. The stories are great examples of gothic tales, and there are some classics (Lovecraft's The Outsider, Poe's Fall of the House of Usher, Doyle's Adventure of the Speckled Band) and some pleasant surprises (Ray Russell's Sardonicus and Frederick Cowles' The Vampire of Kaldenstein). I even liked the Thomas Hardy entry, Barbara of the House of Grebe, and I normally despise Hardy's work. Gotta admit he fits right in here, though: okay situation gets bad, might get better but gets worse, repeat until everyone is completely miserable and/or destroyed is his MO.
The problem is that I guess I'm just not a fan of gothic tales. The editor defines gothic in his introduction as a mood and setting in a dreary and confined place that is decaying, and the excess of description most gothic authors seem to spend setting that mood drives me to distraction. Also, dreary without enough dread to impel me along the storyline makes it hard to read. So although there were some gems and this is definitely 4 stars for anyone who likes genuinely gothic stories, it doesn't make my 3-star cut which is defined as "it was worth my time to read". I'll definitely have to be more choosy about what I pick from this genre.
Alejandra Pizarnik's The Bloody Countess also deserves mention for a warning if nothing else: its straightforward and matter of fact recounting of the tortures Countess Bathory inflicted on young women made me literally sick to my stomach, which takes some doing. I'm really not sure this belonged in the anthology anyway.
The problem is that I guess I'm just not a fan of gothic tales. The editor defines gothic in his introduction as a mood and setting in a dreary and confined place that is decaying, and the excess of description most gothic authors seem to spend setting that mood drives me to distraction. Also, dreary without enough dread to impel me along the storyline makes it hard to read. So although there were some gems and this is definitely 4 stars for anyone who likes genuinely gothic stories, it doesn't make my 3-star cut which is defined as "it was worth my time to read". I'll definitely have to be more choosy about what I pick from this genre.
Alejandra Pizarnik's The Bloody Countess also deserves mention for a warning if nothing else: its straightforward and matter of fact recounting of the tortures Countess Bathory inflicted on young women made me literally sick to my stomach, which takes some doing. I'm really not sure this belonged in the anthology anyway.
October 3, 2023
3.86⭐
Introduction essay by Chris Baldick 3.5⭐
BEGINNINGS
Sir Bertrand: a Fragment by John Aikin and Anna Letitia Barbauld (variant of On the Pleasure Derived from Objects of Terror; with Sir Bertrand, A Fragment 1773) 3.25⭐
The Poisoner of Montremos by Richard Cumberland (variant of Remarkable Narrative 1791) 4.5⭐
The Friar's Tale • (1792) by Anonymous 3⭐
Raymond: A Fragment • (1799) by Juvenis 3⭐
The Parricide Punished by Anonymous (trans. of Le crime puni 1782) 3⭐
The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin • (1801) by Anonymous 4⭐
The Vindictive Monk, or, The Fatal Ring • (1802) by Isaac Crookenden 3⭐
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
The Astrologer's Prediction, or, The Maniac's Fate • (1972) (variant of The Fatalist 1824) by Anonymous 3⭐
Andreas Vesalius the Anatomist by Pétrus Borel (trans. of Don Andréa Vésalius, l'anatomiste 1833) 3⭐
Lady Eltringham, or, the Castle of Ratcliffe Cross • (1836) by J. Wadham 2⭐
The Fall of the House of Usher • (1839) by Edgar Allan Poe 5⭐
A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu 5⭐
Rappaccini's Daughter • (1844) by Nathaniel Hawthorne 5⭐
The Yellow Wall-Paper • (1892) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman [as by Charlotte Perkins Stetson] 5⭐
Selina Sedilia • (1865) by Bret Harte 2⭐
Jean-ah Poquelin • (1875) by George Washington Cable 5⭐
Olalla • (1885) by Robert Louis Stevenson 3.5⭐
Barbara of the House of Grebe • (1890) by Thomas Hardy 4.5⭐
Bloody Blanche • short story by Marcel Schwob (trans. of Blanche la sanglante 1892) 3.5⭐
The Adventure of the Speckled Band [Sherlock Holmes] • (1892) by Arthur Conan Doyle 5⭐
Hurst of Hurstcote • (1893) by E. Nesbit 3.25⭐
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
A Vine on a House • [Some Haunted Houses] • (1905) by Ambrose Bierce 4.25⭐
Jordan's End • (1923) by Ellen Glasgow 3⭐
The Outsider • [Dream Cycle] • (1926) by H. P. Lovecraft 4⭐
A Rose for Emily • (1930) by William Faulkner 5⭐
A Rendezvous in Averoigne • (1931) by Clark Ashton Smith 3.5⭐
The Monkey • (1934) by Karen Blixen [as by Isak Dinesen] 3.75⭐
Miss De Mannering of Asham • (1935) • by F. M. Mayor 4⭐
The Vampire of Kaldenstein • (1938) by Frederick Cowles 4.25⭐
Clytie • (1941) by Eudora Welty 4.5⭐
Sardonicus • (1961) by Ray Russell 5⭐
The Bloody Countess • (1986) by Alejandra Pizarnik (trans. of La condesa sangrienta 1968) 3.5⭐
The Gospel According to Mark • (1971) by Jorge Luis Borges (trans. of El evangelio según Marcos 1970) 4.5⭐
The Lady of the House of Love • (1975) by Angela Carter 5⭐
Secret Observations of the Goat-Girl • (1988) by Joyce Carol Oates 4⭐
Blood Disease • (1988) by Patrick McGrath 2.5⭐
If You Touched My Heart • (1991) by Isabel Allende (trans. of Si me tocaras el corazón 1989) 4⭐
Introduction essay by Chris Baldick 3.5⭐
BEGINNINGS
Sir Bertrand: a Fragment by John Aikin and Anna Letitia Barbauld (variant of On the Pleasure Derived from Objects of Terror; with Sir Bertrand, A Fragment 1773) 3.25⭐
The Poisoner of Montremos by Richard Cumberland (variant of Remarkable Narrative 1791) 4.5⭐
The Friar's Tale • (1792) by Anonymous 3⭐
Raymond: A Fragment • (1799) by Juvenis 3⭐
The Parricide Punished by Anonymous (trans. of Le crime puni 1782) 3⭐
The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin • (1801) by Anonymous 4⭐
The Vindictive Monk, or, The Fatal Ring • (1802) by Isaac Crookenden 3⭐
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
The Astrologer's Prediction, or, The Maniac's Fate • (1972) (variant of The Fatalist 1824) by Anonymous 3⭐
Andreas Vesalius the Anatomist by Pétrus Borel (trans. of Don Andréa Vésalius, l'anatomiste 1833) 3⭐
Lady Eltringham, or, the Castle of Ratcliffe Cross • (1836) by J. Wadham 2⭐
The Fall of the House of Usher • (1839) by Edgar Allan Poe 5⭐
A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu 5⭐
Rappaccini's Daughter • (1844) by Nathaniel Hawthorne 5⭐
The Yellow Wall-Paper • (1892) by Charlotte Perkins Gilman [as by Charlotte Perkins Stetson] 5⭐
Selina Sedilia • (1865) by Bret Harte 2⭐
Jean-ah Poquelin • (1875) by George Washington Cable 5⭐
Olalla • (1885) by Robert Louis Stevenson 3.5⭐
Barbara of the House of Grebe • (1890) by Thomas Hardy 4.5⭐
Bloody Blanche • short story by Marcel Schwob (trans. of Blanche la sanglante 1892) 3.5⭐
The Adventure of the Speckled Band [Sherlock Holmes] • (1892) by Arthur Conan Doyle 5⭐
Hurst of Hurstcote • (1893) by E. Nesbit 3.25⭐
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY
A Vine on a House • [Some Haunted Houses] • (1905) by Ambrose Bierce 4.25⭐
Jordan's End • (1923) by Ellen Glasgow 3⭐
The Outsider • [Dream Cycle] • (1926) by H. P. Lovecraft 4⭐
A Rose for Emily • (1930) by William Faulkner 5⭐
A Rendezvous in Averoigne • (1931) by Clark Ashton Smith 3.5⭐
The Monkey • (1934) by Karen Blixen [as by Isak Dinesen] 3.75⭐
Miss De Mannering of Asham • (1935) • by F. M. Mayor 4⭐
The Vampire of Kaldenstein • (1938) by Frederick Cowles 4.25⭐
Clytie • (1941) by Eudora Welty 4.5⭐
Sardonicus • (1961) by Ray Russell 5⭐
The Bloody Countess • (1986) by Alejandra Pizarnik (trans. of La condesa sangrienta 1968) 3.5⭐
The Gospel According to Mark • (1971) by Jorge Luis Borges (trans. of El evangelio según Marcos 1970) 4.5⭐
The Lady of the House of Love • (1975) by Angela Carter 5⭐
Secret Observations of the Goat-Girl • (1988) by Joyce Carol Oates 4⭐
Blood Disease • (1988) by Patrick McGrath 2.5⭐
If You Touched My Heart • (1991) by Isabel Allende (trans. of Si me tocaras el corazón 1989) 4⭐
December 20, 2013
Anthologies are always a mixed bag, but there were very few here I didn't enjoy. My favorite was Miss de Mannering of Asham (1935) which is a lovely anti-Heyer.
November 28, 2011
There was no way I could have passed by this book and not pick it up, and after picking it up, not wanting to read it. Not even the fact that it was the only copy and looked slightly worn, with a bent corner, could make me put it back on the shelf in the bookstore.
The book is divided into three sections with 37 stories from the 18th, 19th and 20th century. One of them, "Sir Betrand: A Fragment", by Anna Laetitia Aikin, can be found here: http://www.horrormasters.com/Text/a01... I found the story intriguing, considering it ends just when it gets more interesting. Poe’s "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" by Arthur Conan Doyle I’ve read before – the rest were new to me.
This is a very good collection of Gothic stories; there are bloody ghosts, evil characters, vampires and haunted houses, religious themes, kidnappings, strange plants, and horrifying acts of cruelty. I got literally sick when reading "The Bloody Countess" by Alejandra Pizarnik – the story of a beautiful aristocrat who tortured and killed young girls and used their blood in the hope of preserving her youth – the gory details, the vivid descriptions of various ways of torture made for quite a disgusting story.
It was a nice surprise to see stories by authors I’ve read before: Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlett Letter – I read it a few years ago as an assignment for school and liked it very much) with "Rappaccini’s Daughter", a tale about the beautiful daughter of a scientist and the mysterious and evil power of a plant; Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island – one of the books of my childhood) with "Olalla", in which a man falls in love with a beautiful woman of an accursed lineage; H.P. Lovecraft (I’ve read some short story collection by him but was unable to finish – maybe someday…) with "The Outsider", a creature who lives in a castle and sees itself for the first time with scary consequences.
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Stetson sent chills down my spine – I got so engrossed in the story that it became difficult to distinguish reality from a sick imagination, they blurred so well, and only the end provided the key to the mystery.
"Sardonicus" by Ray Russell is the story of a man punished for his greed: his lips are forever frozen in a horrible smile and no doctor is able to restore his face to normal, until a renowned physician manages to help him but there is a terrible price to pay.
I have been looking for a book like this for a long time; there’s nothing quite like a Gothic tale. There are some good horror stories nowadays but the old ones are still my favorite. I will be reading this again someday.
For some reason I think this song&video by "Florence and The Machine" fits rather well with the whole atmosphere of the book. I especially love the first part, right before the tempo picks up. The lyrics are good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbN0nX...
The book is divided into three sections with 37 stories from the 18th, 19th and 20th century. One of them, "Sir Betrand: A Fragment", by Anna Laetitia Aikin, can be found here: http://www.horrormasters.com/Text/a01... I found the story intriguing, considering it ends just when it gets more interesting. Poe’s "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Adventure of the Speckled Band" by Arthur Conan Doyle I’ve read before – the rest were new to me.
This is a very good collection of Gothic stories; there are bloody ghosts, evil characters, vampires and haunted houses, religious themes, kidnappings, strange plants, and horrifying acts of cruelty. I got literally sick when reading "The Bloody Countess" by Alejandra Pizarnik – the story of a beautiful aristocrat who tortured and killed young girls and used their blood in the hope of preserving her youth – the gory details, the vivid descriptions of various ways of torture made for quite a disgusting story.
It was a nice surprise to see stories by authors I’ve read before: Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlett Letter – I read it a few years ago as an assignment for school and liked it very much) with "Rappaccini’s Daughter", a tale about the beautiful daughter of a scientist and the mysterious and evil power of a plant; Robert Louis Stevenson (Treasure Island – one of the books of my childhood) with "Olalla", in which a man falls in love with a beautiful woman of an accursed lineage; H.P. Lovecraft (I’ve read some short story collection by him but was unable to finish – maybe someday…) with "The Outsider", a creature who lives in a castle and sees itself for the first time with scary consequences.
"The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Stetson sent chills down my spine – I got so engrossed in the story that it became difficult to distinguish reality from a sick imagination, they blurred so well, and only the end provided the key to the mystery.
"Sardonicus" by Ray Russell is the story of a man punished for his greed: his lips are forever frozen in a horrible smile and no doctor is able to restore his face to normal, until a renowned physician manages to help him but there is a terrible price to pay.
I have been looking for a book like this for a long time; there’s nothing quite like a Gothic tale. There are some good horror stories nowadays but the old ones are still my favorite. I will be reading this again someday.
For some reason I think this song&video by "Florence and The Machine" fits rather well with the whole atmosphere of the book. I especially love the first part, right before the tempo picks up. The lyrics are good too.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbN0nX...
August 10, 2015
The most interesting anthologies, like the best compilations, tell a story of their own, piecing together a jigsaw of distinct works. In a somewhat contrary fashion, this collection maps the evolution of Gothic literature, a genre best known for its novels, by reconstructing its history around the short story. Editor Chris Baldick makes a persuasive case for celebrating the gothic tale in its own right, much like the ghost story is enjoyed. His introduction sets out the criteria for what makes a gothic story, invariably featuring decrepit interiors that contain dark histories of decadence and cruelty. This may seem a bit rigid for some readers (a recent exhibition at The British Library on The Gothic Imagination gave a more fluid interpretation of the genre) but his argument for the comprising elements of Gothic fiction is increasingly convincing as the collection goes on, including some surprise choices that fit in nicely alongside the classics. Beginning with the rudimentary fragments and bootlegs of the 18th Century, more literary curios than stories in their own right, the collection begins to build momentum before arriving at Poe, surely the godfather of all things Gothic. From then on it draws on Victorian fiction and Penny Dreadfuls, as well as the Local Colour and Southern Gothic movements from across the Atlantic. Reaching the 20th Century and Weird Fiction writers such as Ambrose Bierce and H.P. Lovecraft make appearances, before the collection concludes by demonstrating how modern writers, from Jorge Luis Borges to Joyce Carol Oates, have incorporated the Gothic into their work. Baldick argues that Gothic literature warns us away from the evils of the past and it is fascinating to see how the genre has been reconfigured over the years to pass political comment: its initial appearances seem to be written for the primary purpose of catholic-bashing, before the focus shifted to the diminishing fortunes of the debauched landed gentry. One of the constants of the genre’s history has been its use in highlighting the malevolence of patriarchal society, with feminist stories by the likes of Sheridan Le Fanu, Charlotte Perkins Stetson, F. M. Mayor and Angela Carter featuring in this anthology. Isak Dinesen’s The Monkey, though it is taken from her collection Seven Gothic Tales, seems a strange inclusion as it hardly fits within Baldick’s parameters and is instead a vaguely creepy but meandering fantasy. Other than that the selection is strong: there is plenty to discover, from rare republishings to first time translations. There are several authors I will now be seeking out in the future but… maybe I’ll read something lighter first, wait for some of this darkness to pass.
May 12, 2019
This anthology contains only Gothic tales from late 18th century to modern day (1991). Chris Baldick as editor of The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales has selected Gothic ‘fragments’ - “an incomplete narrative....... (a) discovery among partially destroyed manuscripts” and “the forerunner of the Gothic tale proper” such as Sir Bertrand: A Fragment (1773) by Anna Laetitia Akin. A fragment is not truly a piece of a ‘just discovered’ extremely old manuscript, but a partial narrative that could be attached to a complete Gothic tale or novel, but I found that by reading a fragment, my imagination would gladly fill in the rest. The 19th century selections include authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and a great favorite of mine, Edgar Allan Poe. The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) by Poe is always an atmospheric eerie read, and the editor of this volume states “If there is one work that announces the true arrival of the Gothic tale........, it is (Poe’s) story ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’. The 20th century Gothic tales begin with Ambrose Bierce’s (1903) A Vine on a House. He is an author who has me always asking myself,”What did I just read?” This section also includes William Faulkner, H.P. Lovecraft, and Isabel Allende along with other dynamic writers and stories. I strongly recommend that one read the introduction to understand the definition of Gothic writing and how it became more defined in the last 200+ years. 4.5 stars.
September 15, 2010
Uneven like these collections can be, and I won't pretend I read it all. Provides a nice chronological overview of short gothic fiction from the 1700s to the 1990s.
November 29, 2023
A very good collection. Some I already knew, some authors I had heard the names of but never read, and many I had never heard about. It's split into three sections; beginnings (7 stories), 19th century (14 stories and 20th century (16 stories). So a good mix of time periods as well as geographic origin. Would recommend this for big fans of gothic fiction, so those who obviously are familiar with most of the big works, this is not for those who are just starting out dipping their toes into the genre.
Some of my favorites:
Sir Bertrand, A Fragment by Anna Laetitia Aikin
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Vampire of Kaldenstein by Frederick Cowles
Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
Some of my favorites:
Sir Bertrand, A Fragment by Anna Laetitia Aikin
The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe
The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle
The Vampire of Kaldenstein by Frederick Cowles
Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl by Joyce Carol Oates
January 29, 2019
OK as an overview of 200 years of Gothic Tales - not so good as an anthology of stories that make for satisfying reading. Too many duds and many of the better stories will be familiar to most fans of horror or the Gothic.
I. Beginnings
1. Sir Bertrand: A Fragment (1773) - Anna Laetitia Aikin - also in Great British Tales of Terror - An early example where "Gothic" effects evidently serve as their own justification. Not good from a modern perspective.
2. The Poisoner of Montremos (Remarkable Narrative) (1791) - Richard Cumberland - Melodrama. OK.
3. The Friar's Tale (1792) - Anonymous - Melodrama. OK.
4. Raymond: A Fragment (1799) - 'Juvenis' - Bad. Similar to 'Sir Bertrand'.
5. The Parricide Punished (1799) - Anonymous - Melodrama. Not very good.
6. The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin (1801) - Anonymous - A two-step narrative anticipating A Study in Scarlet in form. But not very good.
7. The Vindictive Monk or The Fatal Ring (1802) - Isaac Crookenden - Melodrama; stylistically interesting (but not necessarily good0>
II. The Nineteenth Century
8. The Astrologer's Predictions or The Maniac's Fate (1826) - Anonymous - Bad.
9. Andreas Vesalius the Anatomist (Don Andrea Vesalius l'anatomiste) (1833) - Petrus Borel (tr. Chris Baldick) - Reasonably good story of revenge.
10. Lady Eltringham or The Castle of Ratcliffe (1836) - J. Wadham - Bad.
11. The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) - Edgar Allan Poe - I've probably reached the point of diminishing returns with this good but over-anthologized tale.
12. A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family (1839) - Sheridan Le Fanu - Very good; anticipates Jane Eyre.
13. Rappaccini's daughter (1844) - Nathaniel Hawthorn - An OK story, but Hawthorne is too garrulous to be an effective storyteller.
14. Selina Sedilia (1865) - Bret Harte - Funny parody that almost overstays its welcome.
15. Jean-Ah Poquelin (1875) - George Washington Cable - Early Southern Gothic, pretty good.
16. Olalla (1885) - Robert Louis Stevenson - Not bad, but rather overlong.
17. Barbara of the House of Grebe (1891) - Thomas Hardy - A very good tale - not fantastic elements.
18. Bloody Blanche (Blanche la sanglante) (1892) Marcel Schwob (tr. Chris Baldick) - Bad decadence.
19. The Yellow Wall-Paper (1892) - Charlotte Perkins Stetson - A good psychological horror story; even more effective followed by the Doyle.
20. The Adventure of the Speckled Band (1892) - Arthur Conan Doyle
This is effective paired with "The Yellow Wall-Paper"
21. Hurst of Hurstcote (1893) - E. Nesbit - OK tale of hypnotism and living death reminiscent of Poe's "M. Valdemar".
III. The Twentieth Century
22. A Vine on a House (1905) - Ambrose Bierce - A vignette - reads like a true-life account.
23. Jordan's End (1923) - Ellen Glasgow - Southern Gothic. OK.
24. The Outsider (1926) - H. P. Lovecraft - For me, one of HPL's weaker efforts.
25. A Rose for Emily (1930) - William Faulkner - Southern Gothic to the max. Interesting out-of-chronological-sequence narrative.
26. A Rendezvous in Averoigne (1931) - Clark Ashton Smith - Good Klarkash-Ton with historical but still fantastic setting.
27. The Monkey (1934) - Isak Dinesen - My immediate ractionwas that I hated the ending, but I mellowed by the next day. This may work better in the context of Seven Gothic Tales, than in that of this anthology.
28. Miss De Mannerling of Asham (1935) - F. M. Mayor - Nice contrast of modern narrative with an embedded narrative in 19th century pastiche.
29. The Vampire of Kaldenstein (1938) - Frederick Cowles - Lots of cinematic cliches. Bad.
30. Clytie (1941) - Eudora Welty - Much atmosphere, little storytelling.
31. Sardonicus (1961) - Ray Russell - Very good modern tale of horror.
32. The Bloody Countess (Acerca de la condesa sangrienta) (1968) - Alejandra Pizarnik (tr. Alberto Manguel) - Aestheticized cruelty, in the spirit of de Sade. Torture porn. Bad.
33. The Gospel According to Mark (1970) - Jorge Luis Borges (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni) - Not bad; more of a standard tale than I expected.
34. The Lady of the House of Love (1979) - Angela Carter - Good mix of traditional and historical horror.
35. Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl (1988) - Joyce Carol Oates - A sketch, not a tale.
36. Blood Disease (1988) - Patrick McGrath - Self-conscious in a sort of post-modernist way.
37. If You Touched My Heart (1991) - Isabel Allende (tr. Margaret Sayers Peden) - Like the Pizarnik, this may have political implications which are downplayed by the context of this anthology.
I. Beginnings
1. Sir Bertrand: A Fragment (1773) - Anna Laetitia Aikin - also in Great British Tales of Terror - An early example where "Gothic" effects evidently serve as their own justification. Not good from a modern perspective.
2. The Poisoner of Montremos (Remarkable Narrative) (1791) - Richard Cumberland - Melodrama. OK.
3. The Friar's Tale (1792) - Anonymous - Melodrama. OK.
4. Raymond: A Fragment (1799) - 'Juvenis' - Bad. Similar to 'Sir Bertrand'.
5. The Parricide Punished (1799) - Anonymous - Melodrama. Not very good.
6. The Ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin (1801) - Anonymous - A two-step narrative anticipating A Study in Scarlet in form. But not very good.
7. The Vindictive Monk or The Fatal Ring (1802) - Isaac Crookenden - Melodrama; stylistically interesting (but not necessarily good0>
II. The Nineteenth Century
8. The Astrologer's Predictions or The Maniac's Fate (1826) - Anonymous - Bad.
9. Andreas Vesalius the Anatomist (Don Andrea Vesalius l'anatomiste) (1833) - Petrus Borel (tr. Chris Baldick) - Reasonably good story of revenge.
10. Lady Eltringham or The Castle of Ratcliffe (1836) - J. Wadham - Bad.
11. The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) - Edgar Allan Poe - I've probably reached the point of diminishing returns with this good but over-anthologized tale.
12. A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family (1839) - Sheridan Le Fanu - Very good; anticipates Jane Eyre.
13. Rappaccini's daughter (1844) - Nathaniel Hawthorn - An OK story, but Hawthorne is too garrulous to be an effective storyteller.
14. Selina Sedilia (1865) - Bret Harte - Funny parody that almost overstays its welcome.
15. Jean-Ah Poquelin (1875) - George Washington Cable - Early Southern Gothic, pretty good.
16. Olalla (1885) - Robert Louis Stevenson - Not bad, but rather overlong.
17. Barbara of the House of Grebe (1891) - Thomas Hardy - A very good tale - not fantastic elements.
18. Bloody Blanche (Blanche la sanglante) (1892) Marcel Schwob (tr. Chris Baldick) - Bad decadence.
19. The Yellow Wall-Paper (1892) - Charlotte Perkins Stetson - A good psychological horror story; even more effective followed by the Doyle.
20. The Adventure of the Speckled Band (1892) - Arthur Conan Doyle
This is effective paired with "The Yellow Wall-Paper"
"The very horror of my situation lies in the fact that my fears are so vague, and my suspicions depend so entirely upon small points, which might seem trivial to another, that even he to whom of all others I have a right to look for help and advice looks upon all that I tell him about it as the fancies of a nervous woman."
"Did you observe anything very peculiar about that bed?"
"No."
"It was clamped to the floor. Did you ever see a bed fastened like that before?"
"I cannot say that I have."
21. Hurst of Hurstcote (1893) - E. Nesbit - OK tale of hypnotism and living death reminiscent of Poe's "M. Valdemar".
III. The Twentieth Century
22. A Vine on a House (1905) - Ambrose Bierce - A vignette - reads like a true-life account.
23. Jordan's End (1923) - Ellen Glasgow - Southern Gothic. OK.
24. The Outsider (1926) - H. P. Lovecraft - For me, one of HPL's weaker efforts.
25. A Rose for Emily (1930) - William Faulkner - Southern Gothic to the max. Interesting out-of-chronological-sequence narrative.
26. A Rendezvous in Averoigne (1931) - Clark Ashton Smith - Good Klarkash-Ton with historical but still fantastic setting.
27. The Monkey (1934) - Isak Dinesen - My immediate ractionwas that I hated the ending, but I mellowed by the next day. This may work better in the context of Seven Gothic Tales, than in that of this anthology.
28. Miss De Mannerling of Asham (1935) - F. M. Mayor - Nice contrast of modern narrative with an embedded narrative in 19th century pastiche.
29. The Vampire of Kaldenstein (1938) - Frederick Cowles - Lots of cinematic cliches. Bad.
30. Clytie (1941) - Eudora Welty - Much atmosphere, little storytelling.
31. Sardonicus (1961) - Ray Russell - Very good modern tale of horror.
32. The Bloody Countess (Acerca de la condesa sangrienta) (1968) - Alejandra Pizarnik (tr. Alberto Manguel) - Aestheticized cruelty, in the spirit of de Sade. Torture porn. Bad.
33. The Gospel According to Mark (1970) - Jorge Luis Borges (tr. Norman Thomas di Giovanni) - Not bad; more of a standard tale than I expected.
34. The Lady of the House of Love (1979) - Angela Carter - Good mix of traditional and historical horror.
35. Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl (1988) - Joyce Carol Oates - A sketch, not a tale.
36. Blood Disease (1988) - Patrick McGrath - Self-conscious in a sort of post-modernist way.
37. If You Touched My Heart (1991) - Isabel Allende (tr. Margaret Sayers Peden) - Like the Pizarnik, this may have political implications which are downplayed by the context of this anthology.
October 10, 2021
Multiple stories and extremely well written. I genuinely enjoyed picking at this to understand the old writing. And kind of made it a habit to go onto YouTube and watch the story depictions along with reading, made for fun rainy nights.
December 17, 2023
An excellent selection of Gothic Tales. The downside is that it took me far too long to read them all!
Read
September 28, 2025I’ve only read the introduction since it was assigned for my The Rise of the Gothic class.
March 24, 2012
As with all collections, you'll love a few, be okay with most, and dislike a few too. My favorites are Selina Sedilia for its great humor, and Sardonicus for its nastiness.
Gothic Tales mostly seem to be set in mouldering, decaying castles and their inhabitants seem to be in similar condition. There is a lot of insanity, some blood lust and an excess of inbreeding that can only lead to bad things. Mysteries abound until the end of the story and the final reveal is often pretty distasteful.
That's a decent description of Gothic Tales. The older ones from the 18th and 19th centuries are a bit tough to read due to archaic writing styles. Included also are a few odd tales that probably don't fit well within a fairly defined Gothic category, but here they are anyway. Understandably, a few tales just seem downright odd and pointless.
I have to add that this genre isn't my favorite but that doesn't mean i don't enjoy a screaming skeleton every full moon or so.
Gothic Tales mostly seem to be set in mouldering, decaying castles and their inhabitants seem to be in similar condition. There is a lot of insanity, some blood lust and an excess of inbreeding that can only lead to bad things. Mysteries abound until the end of the story and the final reveal is often pretty distasteful.
That's a decent description of Gothic Tales. The older ones from the 18th and 19th centuries are a bit tough to read due to archaic writing styles. Included also are a few odd tales that probably don't fit well within a fairly defined Gothic category, but here they are anyway. Understandably, a few tales just seem downright odd and pointless.
I have to add that this genre isn't my favorite but that doesn't mean i don't enjoy a screaming skeleton every full moon or so.
October 18, 2014
This book presents a comprehensive collection of Gothis tales from the beginnings of the genre (e.g., the 1773 "Sir Bertrand: A Fragment" by Anna Leathia Aikin, to the 19th century works (e.g., the 1839 "A Chapter in the House of a Tyrone Family" by Sheridan Le Fanu), and to more recent 20th century works (e.g., the 1934 "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner"). The book also includes a very interesting and informative introduction on the specific characteristics and history of the Gothic tale. I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys this genre!
November 18, 2017
A massive collection of stories spanning the history of gothic fiction. Tragic, strange, dark and grim, the stories are varied in length and structure, and will give you hours of sinister entertainment. It's sometimes hard to define what a gothic tale is, but reading this book will give you an understanding of the genre.
March 25, 2009
The few stories I made it through were overly melodramatic and flagrantly racist against ethnic Catholic type people. Yuck! Not scary, just sad.
December 12, 2023
Baldick has curated a wonderfully instructive collection of short stories more (or sometimes less) of the Gothic genre.
The introductory essay is excellent: helpful in drawing the boundaries of the genre, identifying and explaining its hallmarks, history and origins. Baldick describes the Gothic tale as “combin[ing] a fearful sense of inheritance in time with a claustrophobic sense of enclosure in space, these two dimensions reinforcing one another to produce an impression of sickening descent into disintegration”.
It was refreshing to read a collection without pressure to like any or all of them. The anthology is arranged chronologically, and it’s fascinating to see the genre develop, mature and become experimental. (Side note: this equally applies to the English language itself. The first tales from the 1770s are very hard going) Some stories are clearly classics of the genre, others are an interesting or original riff, others follow a more standard formula. Baldick does well to avoid what could have been a truly monotonous repetition of vampire stories.
My favourites are probably the stories with the least explanation - that create a sense of the sinister through the gaps and the silences (Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Olalla” (1885), Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Gospel According to Mark” (1970) and Joyce Carol Oates’ “Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl” (1988)) and those where the ‘horrible’ or the ‘monstrous’ is found within our own culture, history or prejudice (Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” (1844), George Washington Cable’s “Jean-ah Poquelin” (1875))
And of course it always a joy to read the classics, particularly when they are not just foundational for the genre but also some of the very best (Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” (1839), H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Outsider” (1926), William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” (1930)).
My top rated is Charlotte Perkins Stetson’s “The Yellow Wall-Paper” (1892). I read it four times in a row in sick fascination.
The introductory essay is excellent: helpful in drawing the boundaries of the genre, identifying and explaining its hallmarks, history and origins. Baldick describes the Gothic tale as “combin[ing] a fearful sense of inheritance in time with a claustrophobic sense of enclosure in space, these two dimensions reinforcing one another to produce an impression of sickening descent into disintegration”.
It was refreshing to read a collection without pressure to like any or all of them. The anthology is arranged chronologically, and it’s fascinating to see the genre develop, mature and become experimental. (Side note: this equally applies to the English language itself. The first tales from the 1770s are very hard going) Some stories are clearly classics of the genre, others are an interesting or original riff, others follow a more standard formula. Baldick does well to avoid what could have been a truly monotonous repetition of vampire stories.
My favourites are probably the stories with the least explanation - that create a sense of the sinister through the gaps and the silences (Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Olalla” (1885), Jorge Luis Borges’ “The Gospel According to Mark” (1970) and Joyce Carol Oates’ “Secret Observations on the Goat-Girl” (1988)) and those where the ‘horrible’ or the ‘monstrous’ is found within our own culture, history or prejudice (Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Rappaccini’s Daughter” (1844), George Washington Cable’s “Jean-ah Poquelin” (1875))
And of course it always a joy to read the classics, particularly when they are not just foundational for the genre but also some of the very best (Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” (1839), H.P. Lovecraft’s “The Outsider” (1926), William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” (1930)).
My top rated is Charlotte Perkins Stetson’s “The Yellow Wall-Paper” (1892). I read it four times in a row in sick fascination.
Read
October 1, 2023Sir Bertrand: A fragment (1773) -- The poisoner of Montremos (1791) -- The friar's tale (1792) -- Raymond: A fragment (1799) -- *********
The ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin (1801) -- The vindictive monk or the fatal ring (1802) -- The astrologer's prediction or the maniac's fate (1826) -- Andreas Vesalius the anatomist (1833) -- Lady Eltringham or the castle of Ratcliffe Cross (1836) -- The fall of the house of usher (1839) -- A chapter in the history of a Tyrone family (1839) -- Rappaccini's dughter (1844) -- Selina Sedilia (1865) -- Jean-Ah Poquelin (1875) -- Olalla (1885) -- Barbara of the House of Grebe (1891) -- Bloody Blanche (1892) -- The yellow wall-paper (1892) -- The adventure of the Speckled band (1892) -- Hurst of Hurstcote (1893) --
A vine on a house (1905) -- Jordan's End (1923) -- The outsider (1926) -- A rose for Emily (1930) -- A rendezvous in Averoigne (1931) -- The monkey (1934) -- Miss DeMannering of Asham (1935) -- -- The vampire of Kaldenstein (1938) -- Clytie (1941) -- Sardonicus (1961) -- The bloody countess (1968) -- The gospel according to Mark (1970) -- The lady of the house of love (1979) -- Secret observations on the goat-girl (1988) -- Blood disease (1988) —If you touched my heart (1991)
******** other late 18th Gothic bluebooks
https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Goth...
- The story of Fitzalan;
- The adventure James III of Scotland had with the weird sisters in the dreadful wood of Birnan;
- The ruin of the House of Albert;
The ruins of the Abbey of Fitz-Martin (1801) -- The vindictive monk or the fatal ring (1802) -- The astrologer's prediction or the maniac's fate (1826) -- Andreas Vesalius the anatomist (1833) -- Lady Eltringham or the castle of Ratcliffe Cross (1836) -- The fall of the house of usher (1839) -- A chapter in the history of a Tyrone family (1839) -- Rappaccini's dughter (1844) -- Selina Sedilia (1865) -- Jean-Ah Poquelin (1875) -- Olalla (1885) -- Barbara of the House of Grebe (1891) -- Bloody Blanche (1892) -- The yellow wall-paper (1892) -- The adventure of the Speckled band (1892) -- Hurst of Hurstcote (1893) --
A vine on a house (1905) -- Jordan's End (1923) -- The outsider (1926) -- A rose for Emily (1930) -- A rendezvous in Averoigne (1931) -- The monkey (1934) -- Miss DeMannering of Asham (1935) -- -- The vampire of Kaldenstein (1938) -- Clytie (1941) -- Sardonicus (1961) -- The bloody countess (1968) -- The gospel according to Mark (1970) -- The lady of the house of love (1979) -- Secret observations on the goat-girl (1988) -- Blood disease (1988) —If you touched my heart (1991)
******** other late 18th Gothic bluebooks
https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Goth...
- The story of Fitzalan;
- The adventure James III of Scotland had with the weird sisters in the dreadful wood of Birnan;
- The ruin of the House of Albert;
December 31, 2024
Excellent anthology of gothic tales from three different time periods. I love how Baldick has organized it with the first section being formative tales when gothic lit was basically popular trash, enjoyed by a lot of readers, but dismissed by the elite.
His second section is when the genre was perfected and mastered by 19th Century writers like Poe and Conan Doyle.
Then there's a third section showing gothic influences on 20th Century literature by folks like William Faulkner and Isabel Allende.
It's a huge volume that took me a long time to read, and as with any anthology, I didn't love every story equally. But each has that element of dreadful horror that I'm looking for. Standouts for me include Charlotte Perkins Stetson's "The Yellow Wall-Paper", Robert Louis Stevenson's "Olalla", Ray Russell's "Sardonicus" (need to see the movie now), and Frederick Cowles' "The Vampire of Kaldenstein".
His second section is when the genre was perfected and mastered by 19th Century writers like Poe and Conan Doyle.
Then there's a third section showing gothic influences on 20th Century literature by folks like William Faulkner and Isabel Allende.
It's a huge volume that took me a long time to read, and as with any anthology, I didn't love every story equally. But each has that element of dreadful horror that I'm looking for. Standouts for me include Charlotte Perkins Stetson's "The Yellow Wall-Paper", Robert Louis Stevenson's "Olalla", Ray Russell's "Sardonicus" (need to see the movie now), and Frederick Cowles' "The Vampire of Kaldenstein".
November 27, 2024
Top tier tales:
The Friar's Tale (1792)
Andreas Vesalius the Anatomist (1833) by Petrus Borel
A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family (1839) by Sheridan Le Fanu
Rappaccini's Daughter (1844) by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Olalla (1885) by Robert Louis Stevenson
Barbara of the House of Grebe (1891) by Thomas Hardy
The Yellow Wall-Paper (1892) by Charlotte Perkins Stetson
A Rose for Emily (1930) by William Faulkner
The Monkey (1934) by Isak Dinesen
Sardonicus (1961) by Ray Russell
The Lady of the House of Love (1979) by Angela Carter
The Friar's Tale (1792)
Andreas Vesalius the Anatomist (1833) by Petrus Borel
A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family (1839) by Sheridan Le Fanu
Rappaccini's Daughter (1844) by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Olalla (1885) by Robert Louis Stevenson
Barbara of the House of Grebe (1891) by Thomas Hardy
The Yellow Wall-Paper (1892) by Charlotte Perkins Stetson
A Rose for Emily (1930) by William Faulkner
The Monkey (1934) by Isak Dinesen
Sardonicus (1961) by Ray Russell
The Lady of the House of Love (1979) by Angela Carter
May 12, 2017
Very interesting! Five stars for the amount of representation of female authors and for the interesting selection of gothic tales from all over. The juxtaposition of the stories really made the contrasts and/or commonalities shine. Three stars for the weight and heft of the book and for some of the duds that I just couldn't get through.
April 6, 2020
I didn't expect this book to be this enjoyable! Actually the stories were almost all really interesting and capturing. The Gothic theme does repeat itself but I anyway read on with enthusiasm. Some of the stories were absolutely brilliant with their morbid, ghastly, gloomy horror. This is recommended for anyone interested in Gothic literature, it also features a very good introduction.
October 21, 2022
This is my "Read" for One Side Only by Frederick Cowles
Goodreads adding books function is removed and adding one through the Librarian Group doesn't happen.
Goodreads is losing its relevance one book at a time.
By the way, I did enjoy "One Side Only".
I'll read the Oxford book at some point.
Goodreads adding books function is removed and adding one through the Librarian Group doesn't happen.
Goodreads is losing its relevance one book at a time.
By the way, I did enjoy "One Side Only".
I'll read the Oxford book at some point.
July 20, 2017
I did not read this whole book. I checked it out to read only one tale that I was unfamiliar with, and I didn't like it. These are all examples of classic gothic stories, but I suppose I am not really a fan of gothic tales!
May 7, 2024
A fantastic collection of gothic stories. Very enjoyable to dive into and be engulfed by so much eeriness and decay.
The introduction at the beginning of the book, which explains how a gothic tale differs from other ghost stories, I also found very interesting.
The introduction at the beginning of the book, which explains how a gothic tale differs from other ghost stories, I also found very interesting.
March 9, 2018
Nice selection, good introduction.
April 28, 2021
Some hit and some miss. Turns out some do miss, huh?
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews