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Halloween: The History of America’s Darkest Holiday
Wonderfully well-written, outrageous, and provocative." — Booklist.
"Entertaining … and scholarly … Like a bag of Halloween candy, the book is a lot of fun." — Boston Globe.
"Fans of cultural history will devour each chapter … like a toothsome treat." — Christian Science Monitor.
Acclaimed cultural critic David J. Skal explores one of America's most perplexingly popular holidays in this original mix of personal anecdotes and social analysis. Skal traces Halloween's evolution from its dark Celtic history and quaint, small-scale celebrations to its emergence as mammoth seasonal marketing event.
Skal takes readers on a cross-country survey that covers remarkably divergent perspectives, from the merchants who welcome a money-making opportunity that's second only to Christmas to fundamentalists who decry Halloween a form of blasphemy and practicing witches who embrace it as a holy day. He also profiles individuals who revel in this once-a-year occasion to participate in elaborate fantasies. Their narratives, combined with the author's cultural analysis, offer a revealing look at an intriguing aspect of our national psyche.
"Entertaining … and scholarly … Like a bag of Halloween candy, the book is a lot of fun." — Boston Globe.
"Fans of cultural history will devour each chapter … like a toothsome treat." — Christian Science Monitor.
Acclaimed cultural critic David J. Skal explores one of America's most perplexingly popular holidays in this original mix of personal anecdotes and social analysis. Skal traces Halloween's evolution from its dark Celtic history and quaint, small-scale celebrations to its emergence as mammoth seasonal marketing event.
Skal takes readers on a cross-country survey that covers remarkably divergent perspectives, from the merchants who welcome a money-making opportunity that's second only to Christmas to fundamentalists who decry Halloween a form of blasphemy and practicing witches who embrace it as a holy day. He also profiles individuals who revel in this once-a-year occasion to participate in elaborate fantasies. Their narratives, combined with the author's cultural analysis, offer a revealing look at an intriguing aspect of our national psyche.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 16, 2016
31 people are currently reading
167 people want to read
About the author
David J. Skal
55 books182 followersDavid J. Skal became fascinated with monsters at the height of the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, when indestructible monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein and the Wolf Man provided a "nuclear security blanket" for a whole generation of youngsters.
Active as an editor and reporter on his high school newspaper, he was granted a journalism scholarship to Ohio University, Athens, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1974. His work as film critic, arts reporter, arts editor and assistant managing editor of the Ohio University Post, one of the country's leading college papers,led to his three-season appointment as publicity director of the University-operated Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod. Following his graduation, he served as a public affairs intern in the office of National Endowment for the Arts chairman Nancy Hanks, and went on to the position of Publicity Director at the Hartford Stage Company, where he oversaw all media relations while the regional company fund-raised, built and opened a major new facility in downtown Hartford. In 1978, he was staff writer for the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, with responsibility for the content of all printed materials. From 1979-1982 he was Publications Director of Theatre Communications Group, a national service organization in New York City. From 1982 to 1992 he was president and creative director of David J. Skal Associates, Inc. (later Visual Cortex Ltd.), a Manhattan-based, nationally oriented design and marketing consultancy with clients ranging from the Metroplitan Opera to regional theatre, dance and music organizations.
A published writer of short fiction since his early college years (he was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the celebrated Clarion Writers Workshop in fantasy and science fiction), he authored three well-received science fiction novels: SCAVENGERS (1980), WHEN WE WERE GOOD (1981) and ANTIBODIES (1987). His long-standing interest in Dracula and his extensive contacts in the theatre world led to his first nonfiction book, HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC: THE TANGLED WEB OF DRACULA FROM NOVEL TO STAGE TO SCREEN (1990), followed by THE MONSTER SHOW: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF HORROR (1993). Many other books followed, including V IS FOR VAMPIRE (1995); DARK CARNIVAL: THE SECRET WORLD OF TOD BROWNING (1995,with Elias Savada); the Norton Critical Edition of Bram Stoker's DRACULA (1996, co-edited with Nina Auerbach); SCREAMS OF REASON: MAD SCIENCE AND MODERN CULTURE(1997); and the monumental anthology VAMPIRES: ENCOUNTERS WITH THE UNDEAD (2001, the largest such illustrated/annotated compendium ever published.
Skal began his work as a documentary filmmaker writing and co-producing segments for the A&E Network's award-winning series "Biography," and contributed scripts chronicling the lives and careers of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Angela Lansbury (with whom he had worked during his theatre career). In 1999, he wrote, co-produced and co-directed a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the Academy Award-winning film GODS AND MONSTERS. The same year, he was tapped by Universal Studios Home Video for a series of twelve original DVD documentaries exploring the legacies of the studio's classic horror and science fiction films. His DVD work has continued with Disney Home Video's "Jules Verne and Walt Disney: Explorers of the Imagination" (2003) and the feature commentary for Warner Home Video's special-edition release of Tod Browning's FREAKS (2004).
His current projects include CITIZEN CLONE: THE MORPHING OF AMERICA (Faber and Faber, 2005)and CLAUDE RAINS: AN ACTOR'S VOICE, a biography based on the acclaimed character actor's never-published reminiscences, written in collaboration with the actor's daughter, Jessica Rains.
David Skal is a member of the Authors Guild. He lives and writes in Glendale, California.
Active as an editor and reporter on his high school newspaper, he was granted a journalism scholarship to Ohio University, Athens, where he earned a bachelor's degree in 1974. His work as film critic, arts reporter, arts editor and assistant managing editor of the Ohio University Post, one of the country's leading college papers,led to his three-season appointment as publicity director of the University-operated Monomoy Theatre on Cape Cod. Following his graduation, he served as a public affairs intern in the office of National Endowment for the Arts chairman Nancy Hanks, and went on to the position of Publicity Director at the Hartford Stage Company, where he oversaw all media relations while the regional company fund-raised, built and opened a major new facility in downtown Hartford. In 1978, he was staff writer for the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, with responsibility for the content of all printed materials. From 1979-1982 he was Publications Director of Theatre Communications Group, a national service organization in New York City. From 1982 to 1992 he was president and creative director of David J. Skal Associates, Inc. (later Visual Cortex Ltd.), a Manhattan-based, nationally oriented design and marketing consultancy with clients ranging from the Metroplitan Opera to regional theatre, dance and music organizations.
A published writer of short fiction since his early college years (he was one of the youngest students ever admitted to the celebrated Clarion Writers Workshop in fantasy and science fiction), he authored three well-received science fiction novels: SCAVENGERS (1980), WHEN WE WERE GOOD (1981) and ANTIBODIES (1987). His long-standing interest in Dracula and his extensive contacts in the theatre world led to his first nonfiction book, HOLLYWOOD GOTHIC: THE TANGLED WEB OF DRACULA FROM NOVEL TO STAGE TO SCREEN (1990), followed by THE MONSTER SHOW: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF HORROR (1993). Many other books followed, including V IS FOR VAMPIRE (1995); DARK CARNIVAL: THE SECRET WORLD OF TOD BROWNING (1995,with Elias Savada); the Norton Critical Edition of Bram Stoker's DRACULA (1996, co-edited with Nina Auerbach); SCREAMS OF REASON: MAD SCIENCE AND MODERN CULTURE(1997); and the monumental anthology VAMPIRES: ENCOUNTERS WITH THE UNDEAD (2001, the largest such illustrated/annotated compendium ever published.
Skal began his work as a documentary filmmaker writing and co-producing segments for the A&E Network's award-winning series "Biography," and contributed scripts chronicling the lives and careers of Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Jr. and Angela Lansbury (with whom he had worked during his theatre career). In 1999, he wrote, co-produced and co-directed a behind-the-scenes chronicle of the Academy Award-winning film GODS AND MONSTERS. The same year, he was tapped by Universal Studios Home Video for a series of twelve original DVD documentaries exploring the legacies of the studio's classic horror and science fiction films. His DVD work has continued with Disney Home Video's "Jules Verne and Walt Disney: Explorers of the Imagination" (2003) and the feature commentary for Warner Home Video's special-edition release of Tod Browning's FREAKS (2004).
His current projects include CITIZEN CLONE: THE MORPHING OF AMERICA (Faber and Faber, 2005)and CLAUDE RAINS: AN ACTOR'S VOICE, a biography based on the acclaimed character actor's never-published reminiscences, written in collaboration with the actor's daughter, Jessica Rains.
David Skal is a member of the Authors Guild. He lives and writes in Glendale, California.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 21, 2016
Parts of this one I found fascinating. Other parts bored me to tears. I enjoyed the history of Halloween, Jack-o-Lanterns, Haunted Houses etc Sometimes though the author would go off on these tangents about gay rights, or 9/11 which he connects to Halloween by the thinnest of strings.
I was also unaware that this book is over a decade old and had been out of print for 13 years. I assumed I was getting a recently published (or soon to be published) book. I guess that is more my fault for not checking out this title more thoroughly before I requested it.
Overall though, a fairly interesting read.
October 4, 2020
Just finished this social history of Halloween. Every two or three years I read a new Halloween themed history, and even though they all cover more or less the same things, somehow I never get tired of them (I've also read a fair few social histories of Thanksgiving and Christmas).
This particular one, being devoted to "AMERICA'S Darkest Holiday", focuses mainly on modern 20th century history. It does give a few pages each to Samhain and Dias de los Muertas, but if you want in depth reading on those you'll have to look elsewhere.
What the book does have plenty to say about are topics such as Halloween in counter culture, Halloween crime (or in some cases, the lack thereof), Halloween in film, and Halloween post-9/11.
A fairly short read at 200 pages, not including the notes, index, and pages of pictures at the back, I enjoyed this little reminder of Halloween history.
This particular one, being devoted to "AMERICA'S Darkest Holiday", focuses mainly on modern 20th century history. It does give a few pages each to Samhain and Dias de los Muertas, but if you want in depth reading on those you'll have to look elsewhere.
What the book does have plenty to say about are topics such as Halloween in counter culture, Halloween crime (or in some cases, the lack thereof), Halloween in film, and Halloween post-9/11.
A fairly short read at 200 pages, not including the notes, index, and pages of pictures at the back, I enjoyed this little reminder of Halloween history.
November 9, 2022
I want to give this 2.5 stars because about half of the book was interesting to me. The other half he seems to meander and talk about issues that have very little or nothing to do with Halloween. I have read other books by Skal and found them to be entertaining. I'm quite disappointed with this one.
August 17, 2016
Halloween: The History of America's Darkest Holiday by David J. Skal is an interesting nonfiction account of the history of Halloween. It is a re-release. It was out of print for about 10 years before being released in this edition.
My thoughts on this book:"You can't kill the bogeyman. But does anyone really want to?" (Halloween: Homecoming film) By the end of the book, it seems that this is precisely what many people are seeking to do in the guise of political correctness or religion.
I found parts of the book to be very interesting. In other parts, it seemed to drag a little. I found myself skipping parts of some sections like in the one about the gay Halloween parades in New York City. And sadly, I found myself skimming a little even in the sections I really liked, for example: the one about haunted houses, and the one about movies. I was glad that the author pointed out more than once that Halloween had nothing to do with Satanism. And that he actually got the cultural origins of the holiday right.
Generally speaking, I really enjoy books about Halloween. This one, not so much. It was still a good book overall. It just wasn't a great one. I give it 3 stars out of 5.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
My thoughts on this book:"You can't kill the bogeyman. But does anyone really want to?" (Halloween: Homecoming film) By the end of the book, it seems that this is precisely what many people are seeking to do in the guise of political correctness or religion.
I found parts of the book to be very interesting. In other parts, it seemed to drag a little. I found myself skipping parts of some sections like in the one about the gay Halloween parades in New York City. And sadly, I found myself skimming a little even in the sections I really liked, for example: the one about haunted houses, and the one about movies. I was glad that the author pointed out more than once that Halloween had nothing to do with Satanism. And that he actually got the cultural origins of the holiday right.
Generally speaking, I really enjoy books about Halloween. This one, not so much. It was still a good book overall. It just wasn't a great one. I give it 3 stars out of 5.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
May 1, 2019
I am a big fan of Halloween so I enjoyed this book about this history of the holiday. It is very thorough, mainly on points of interest people will be most likely interested in. It also covers things not specifically related to Halloween, but associated with it ( horror movies and different cultural celebrations of the dead and macabre.
One criticism of the book is the different forms of narration, it starts of telling a story, and then morphs into a history book, then personal biographies of haunters, then movies. I feel like a bit too much emphasis is placed on the Halloween movie franchise, and many other notable Halloween movies ( Hocus Pocus! ) are left out. Obviously the writer can't include every thing, but perhaps even just mentioning a list of movies with a Halloween setting would have made me happier,
Still, a great read for anyone interested in the holiday and how it go to what it is now by examining what it was earlier.
One criticism of the book is the different forms of narration, it starts of telling a story, and then morphs into a history book, then personal biographies of haunters, then movies. I feel like a bit too much emphasis is placed on the Halloween movie franchise, and many other notable Halloween movies ( Hocus Pocus! ) are left out. Obviously the writer can't include every thing, but perhaps even just mentioning a list of movies with a Halloween setting would have made me happier,
Still, a great read for anyone interested in the holiday and how it go to what it is now by examining what it was earlier.
October 19, 2016
I may be partial, not only because Halloween is my favorite holiday, as well as my birthday, but I loved this book. Skal covers the history of Halloween and how it migrated to the United States in the 19th century, witch lore, Halloween in cinema, Halloween in the gay community, the effect of real life horror, such as 9/11, on Halloween, etc. It is scholarly but also a fun read. Highly recommend to Halloween lovers!
October 2, 2021
3.5. This is a series of cultural essays on Halloween. One of the essays is mainly though not totally, about the Halloween gay experience. It seems some reviewers are shocked by that.
I learned a few things I didn’t know. And this books adds nicely to my history Halloween collection of books. It’s not the first book you should read if looking for a history (that’s Halloween An American Holiday or Trick or Treat). However Skal is an excellent and entertaining writer and he gives good coverage to the pop culture history of Halloween especially in the 20th century.
I wasn’t too thrilled that he comes out strongly against keeping costumes politically correct. Changing mores dictate such things. And it’s a bit hypocritical that in one chapter he is reporting about how post 9/11, Americans made sure to make Halloween sensitive to that day’s tragedy in costumes and observances. But Skal seems completely oblivious that minorities and marginalized groups might deserve the same respect. He even quotes a token Native American store owner who is “happy” that others want to wear his culture’s dress as a costume on Halloween. Well the book was published in 2002. He added an end note in the 2016 doubling down on his belief that anything should go. Skal even defends Erika Christakis of Yale, who in 2015 encouraged students to push back against unofficial school policy urging them to thing of respecting their classmates when choosing costumes. So I guess Christakis (who, with her husband, left Yale after the controversy) and Skal are saying Halloween frivolity trumps the feelings and respect of others? I think this stance will age like milk. Mores and taboos change. I don’t think anyone should be imprisoned for choosing an insensitive costume, but they should be embarrassed and society should see to that.
I learned a few things I didn’t know. And this books adds nicely to my history Halloween collection of books. It’s not the first book you should read if looking for a history (that’s Halloween An American Holiday or Trick or Treat). However Skal is an excellent and entertaining writer and he gives good coverage to the pop culture history of Halloween especially in the 20th century.
I wasn’t too thrilled that he comes out strongly against keeping costumes politically correct. Changing mores dictate such things. And it’s a bit hypocritical that in one chapter he is reporting about how post 9/11, Americans made sure to make Halloween sensitive to that day’s tragedy in costumes and observances. But Skal seems completely oblivious that minorities and marginalized groups might deserve the same respect. He even quotes a token Native American store owner who is “happy” that others want to wear his culture’s dress as a costume on Halloween. Well the book was published in 2002. He added an end note in the 2016 doubling down on his belief that anything should go. Skal even defends Erika Christakis of Yale, who in 2015 encouraged students to push back against unofficial school policy urging them to thing of respecting their classmates when choosing costumes. So I guess Christakis (who, with her husband, left Yale after the controversy) and Skal are saying Halloween frivolity trumps the feelings and respect of others? I think this stance will age like milk. Mores and taboos change. I don’t think anyone should be imprisoned for choosing an insensitive costume, but they should be embarrassed and society should see to that.
October 12, 2020
Me entretivo mucho este libro de David J. Skal, sobre la historia y evolución de esta festividad norteamericana.
En el se tratan ndiversos temas, como la raíces y evolución de la festividad en sí, los mitos urbanos (por ejemplo, Candy Man), el surgimiento de las casas encantadas como entretención, del cine asociado a Halloween (que no es lo mismo que cine de terror), del "truco o trato" y del merchandising asociado a la fiesta. También analiza la necesidad de control de la sociedad norteamericana sobre las manifestaciones y derivaciones de Halloween, su excesiva comercialización, los imaginarios asociados a ella y su brusco cambio en las décadas de 80 y 90.
Todo, obviamente, repleto de datos sabrosos, una gran cantidad de fuentes y una muy amena prosa. 💯 % recomendado, al igual que "Monsters Show", sobre las adaptaciones de Drácula a teatro y al cine (mi favorito) y "Algo en la sangre" biografía (un poco especulativa) sobre Bram Stocke.
Lo leí en inglés, pero la edición en español que sacó EsPop Ediciones el año pasado.
En el se tratan ndiversos temas, como la raíces y evolución de la festividad en sí, los mitos urbanos (por ejemplo, Candy Man), el surgimiento de las casas encantadas como entretención, del cine asociado a Halloween (que no es lo mismo que cine de terror), del "truco o trato" y del merchandising asociado a la fiesta. También analiza la necesidad de control de la sociedad norteamericana sobre las manifestaciones y derivaciones de Halloween, su excesiva comercialización, los imaginarios asociados a ella y su brusco cambio en las décadas de 80 y 90.
Todo, obviamente, repleto de datos sabrosos, una gran cantidad de fuentes y una muy amena prosa. 💯 % recomendado, al igual que "Monsters Show", sobre las adaptaciones de Drácula a teatro y al cine (mi favorito) y "Algo en la sangre" biografía (un poco especulativa) sobre Bram Stocke.
Lo leí en inglés, pero la edición en español que sacó EsPop Ediciones el año pasado.
October 29, 2024
As a professional book critic in the 2000s, I reviewed a lot of cultural history texts centered in and around the U.S. Capitol. With this book, I get to read about my favorite holiday, originally published as "Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween." Author Skal combines personal comments with sociological facts, compiled, I assume, from years of research. From the silver screen to the holiday displays on people's suburban lawns, to a general history of the scary holiday's Celtic roots in Samhain (Saw-wane,) this book takes the reader through the second most marketable celebration in Capitalism (only X-mas beats it.) Here's to making Halloween a federal holiday. Now, I need to get a hold of the Norton Critical Edition of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," to see what Skal wrote within its pages.
December 3, 2025
2.5 stars
This book sounds fantastic and it's by a well known author, but it's not really the history of Halloween, it's more the history of everything that could possibly Halloween adjacent. There were a couple of phenomenal chapters actually about Halloween and though I've read many books on the subject, the author found several nuggets of information I'd never seen before, so those made it worth it.
Sadly the rest of it is about tourism in Salem, razor blades in apples, gay people being targeted on Halloween, people's haunted houses in their yards and a deep dive into the Halloween movie franchise, none of which I thought was relevant to the topic.
This book sounds fantastic and it's by a well known author, but it's not really the history of Halloween, it's more the history of everything that could possibly Halloween adjacent. There were a couple of phenomenal chapters actually about Halloween and though I've read many books on the subject, the author found several nuggets of information I'd never seen before, so those made it worth it.
Sadly the rest of it is about tourism in Salem, razor blades in apples, gay people being targeted on Halloween, people's haunted houses in their yards and a deep dive into the Halloween movie franchise, none of which I thought was relevant to the topic.
October 27, 2023
This book is well-researched and quite hilarious with nods to Halloween celebrations of all kinds. I wish this book was newer or featured a recently-published additional chapter because I would really enjoy learning about Halloween celebration trends post-COVID. I also would have enjoyed a well-researched historical chapter about ghosts, in a similar way that the witches and haunted houses chapters were presented. This book has something for any type of Halloween enthusiast.
March 20, 2021
Not as fun as I'd hoped it would be. Was really looking forward to a book that delved into the Celtic origins of Halloween and some of the history of Samhain, but the book just focused mainly on the history of the American holiday that we celebrate today and only touched on it's ancient origins briefly. As such it was still interesting, but not the real in-depth history I was looking for.
September 12, 2017
Easy Read and Entertaining
Quick with plenty of analogies, anecdotes and analysis about our cultural love affair and affinity for Halloween. Really enjoyed the book.
Quick with plenty of analogies, anecdotes and analysis about our cultural love affair and affinity for Halloween. Really enjoyed the book.
October 20, 2017
A fun, but too brief, history of Halloween in America. Skal, is an astute observer of popular culture with an engaging prose style and I always enjoy his work.
October 4, 2019
Meh. Not really what I thought it would be. Not necessarily all about Halloween. A lot of social commentary that I skipped over.
October 22, 2019
Interesting, but too deep. A little too much comparison to real life.
September 18, 2021
A fun, compulsively readable (mostly) cultural history of Halloween. It feels like fall now!
May 29, 2025
A great nonfiction read that I hope inspires me to read more nonfiction. The author is equal parts informative and witty within his writing. Would recommend to anyone interested in the subject.
October 21, 2017
A rather disappointing effort from such an expert author. The bok seems badly in need of editing. The author often goes back and forth between topics in a somewhat haphazard way. Also, since Halloween is such an iconic event, the lack of any sort of illustration makes this a drab read. Still, the author's knowledge of the subject manages to keep up th interest. But not the definitive cultural history of Halloween it could have been.
May 31, 2016
I disliked this book. The foreword was weak and almost put me off from continuing on. Skal's tangential writing style caused me to quickly lose interest and made the book hard to follow. It reads more like meditations about Halloween.
October 3, 2016
I didn't finish the book, but I am finished with the book.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews