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The Supernatural Short Stories of Sir Walter Scott
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- GenresHorror
217 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1977
6 people are currently reading
70 people want to read
About the author
Walter Scott
10.5k books2,002 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 27, 2023
"—Madre —le dijo el desgraciado joven—, me has quitado la vida. Eso es algo a lo que tienes derecho porque tú me la diste, ¡pero no toques mi honor! Lo he recibido de una valiente línea de ancestros, y no ha de ser mancillado ni por los actos de los hombres ni por las palabras de las mujeres."
July 22, 2019
Me gustó esta pequeña antología. No fue lo que yo esperaba, pero la narrativa lo compensa ampliamente. Mi historia favorita fue la primera, sin duda alguna, pero las otras tres me atraparon de manera diferente.
Los cuentos no son lo que yo llamaría de terror, sin embargo la atmósfera sobrenatural está presente, muy sutilmente en tres de los cuatro cuentos, y los mismos elementos típicos de la época en la que fueron escritos son lo que hizo que los terminara sin darme cuenta.
Debo reconocer que tomé pausas de días porque me distraje con otros libros, pero cada vez que regresaba a éste me volvía a sumergir en las historias.
3.5 estrellas
Los cuentos no son lo que yo llamaría de terror, sin embargo la atmósfera sobrenatural está presente, muy sutilmente en tres de los cuatro cuentos, y los mismos elementos típicos de la época en la que fueron escritos son lo que hizo que los terminara sin darme cuenta.
Debo reconocer que tomé pausas de días porque me distraje con otros libros, pero cada vez que regresaba a éste me volvía a sumergir en las historias.
3.5 estrellas
October 18, 2019
"È impossibile abolire il passato, ed è altrettanto impossibile rifiutare il presente. [..] non si può sottoporre a verifiche empiriche il soprannaturale perché i fantasmi appartengono quasi sempre al passato [..] il suo preferire il crepuscolo dell'illusione alla ferma luce della ragione."
October 5, 2021
I wanted to like this book, but I illy enjoyed the first story. There are five total. The second one was ok. I couldn’t read the third. The fourth and fifth were meh.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews