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There Is a Graveyard That Dwells in Man: More Strange Fiction and Hallucinatory Tales
A compendium of strange fiction and hallucinatory tales by both renowned innovators of the weird and little-known scribes of the macabre.
An arcane compendium of strange fiction and hallucinatory tales, There Is a Graveyard That Dwells in Man collects chilling stories by renowned innovators of the weird and by many little-known and underrepresented or forgotten scribes of the macabre. Selected by artist, writer, and musician David Tibet, this widely-sourced collection of supernatural rarities continues the bibliographic archaeology initiated with The Moons At Your Door (Strange Attractor Press, 2016), offering lyrical portals into worlds of strange beauty, elegant unease, and creeping decadence. Authors include Lady Dilke, Edna Underwood, Thomas Ligotti, L. P. Hartley, R. H. Benson, Walter de la Mare, Hugh Walpole, Colette de Curzon, L. A. Lewis, Edith Wharton, and others. The volume also features translations from Coptic, folk songs, and other surprises. Comprehensive biographical and publication histories are provided by noted scholar of bibliographic arcana Mark Valentine. There Is a Graveyard That Dwells in Man offers an unnerving, serpentine tributary to the canon of supernatural literature.
An arcane compendium of strange fiction and hallucinatory tales, There Is a Graveyard That Dwells in Man collects chilling stories by renowned innovators of the weird and by many little-known and underrepresented or forgotten scribes of the macabre. Selected by artist, writer, and musician David Tibet, this widely-sourced collection of supernatural rarities continues the bibliographic archaeology initiated with The Moons At Your Door (Strange Attractor Press, 2016), offering lyrical portals into worlds of strange beauty, elegant unease, and creeping decadence. Authors include Lady Dilke, Edna Underwood, Thomas Ligotti, L. P. Hartley, R. H. Benson, Walter de la Mare, Hugh Walpole, Colette de Curzon, L. A. Lewis, Edith Wharton, and others. The volume also features translations from Coptic, folk songs, and other surprises. Comprehensive biographical and publication histories are provided by noted scholar of bibliographic arcana Mark Valentine. There Is a Graveyard That Dwells in Man offers an unnerving, serpentine tributary to the canon of supernatural literature.
416 pages, Paperback
Published September 10, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
October 1, 2020
full post here:
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/202...
For Pete's sake, whoever put the cover photo into Goodreads put the wrong one for this edition. Oh well. Moving on:
There is absolutely nowhere I'd rather be than in the reading realm of the strange. It's October now, so that won't be difficult to manage.
There is a Graveyard That Dwells in Man is an excellent anthology of short stories edited by David Tibet. Some time ago I'd read his The Moons at Your Door and have been waiting impatiently for this book ever since. I was not disappointed -- this collection more than delivered, something I don't generally say about most anthologies I read, and I don't think that it's an understatement at all to say that if any book will get you in the October/Halloween frame of mind, it's this one. The completely unnerving, the weird, the ghostly, the horrific, the familiar and the forgotten all come together here, making for hours of unsettling reading.
Of these twenty-three stories I was delighted to have discovered eleven that I hadn't previously read, but the joy didn't stop there. Rereading the other twelve became far more than a refresher -- in some cases casting a new eye made for a completely different reading experience. To offer only two examples of many, this time around it dawned on me that Walter de la Mare's "Seaton's Aunt" gave off more than just a little bit of an Aickman vibe and that EF Benson's "The Room in the Tower" took on much more of vampiric tone for me than I had originally noticed. There were actually many of these moments, so anyone inclined to skip the familiar might want to do a rethink.
In my reading, there were two different times I found quotations that I thought so nicely expressed what I saw in all of these stories. First from A.C. Benson's "The Slype House" comes the idea that
"Oh, it is as appears; he hath been where he ought not, and he hath seen somewhat he doth not like"
followed later by the words of Arthur Machen in "The Inmost Light" in which he says
"...when men say that there are strange things in the world, they little know the awe and the terror that dwell always with them and about them."
I was so sorry to see this book end -- the choices of stories that David Tibet made to fill this volume are outstanding. Do not miss his opening piece "A Rainbow Rag to an Astral Bull," where he explains his idea of "the Graveyard," and be sure to read author Mark Valentine's "Biographical Notes" that close this volume.
So very, very highly recommended, for lovers of the supernatural, the weird, and the forgotten.
https://www.oddlyweirdfiction.com/202...
For Pete's sake, whoever put the cover photo into Goodreads put the wrong one for this edition. Oh well. Moving on:
There is absolutely nowhere I'd rather be than in the reading realm of the strange. It's October now, so that won't be difficult to manage.
There is a Graveyard That Dwells in Man is an excellent anthology of short stories edited by David Tibet. Some time ago I'd read his The Moons at Your Door and have been waiting impatiently for this book ever since. I was not disappointed -- this collection more than delivered, something I don't generally say about most anthologies I read, and I don't think that it's an understatement at all to say that if any book will get you in the October/Halloween frame of mind, it's this one. The completely unnerving, the weird, the ghostly, the horrific, the familiar and the forgotten all come together here, making for hours of unsettling reading.
Of these twenty-three stories I was delighted to have discovered eleven that I hadn't previously read, but the joy didn't stop there. Rereading the other twelve became far more than a refresher -- in some cases casting a new eye made for a completely different reading experience. To offer only two examples of many, this time around it dawned on me that Walter de la Mare's "Seaton's Aunt" gave off more than just a little bit of an Aickman vibe and that EF Benson's "The Room in the Tower" took on much more of vampiric tone for me than I had originally noticed. There were actually many of these moments, so anyone inclined to skip the familiar might want to do a rethink.
In my reading, there were two different times I found quotations that I thought so nicely expressed what I saw in all of these stories. First from A.C. Benson's "The Slype House" comes the idea that
"Oh, it is as appears; he hath been where he ought not, and he hath seen somewhat he doth not like"
followed later by the words of Arthur Machen in "The Inmost Light" in which he says
"...when men say that there are strange things in the world, they little know the awe and the terror that dwell always with them and about them."
I was so sorry to see this book end -- the choices of stories that David Tibet made to fill this volume are outstanding. Do not miss his opening piece "A Rainbow Rag to an Astral Bull," where he explains his idea of "the Graveyard," and be sure to read author Mark Valentine's "Biographical Notes" that close this volume.
So very, very highly recommended, for lovers of the supernatural, the weird, and the forgotten.
August 3, 2020
Having read the anthology assembled by David Tibet known as THE MOONS AT YOUR DOOR back in 2016, it was only natural that I would one day pick up this sister volume, THERE IS A GRAVEYARD THAT DWELLS IN MAN, at some point in the future. Unlike the first volume, here the majority of the stories collected were ones I have never read (with a few exceptions) and, also unlike the first volume, most of the stories, as far as I could tell, were not ones that have seemingly influenced the music of Current 93 on a lyrical level (the one exception being Machen's "The Inmost Light," which I really feel should have been included in the first volume). Incidentally, the ones that I HAD previously read was the aforementioned "Inmost Light" (always a decadent pleasure to reread), Thomas Ligotti's "The Small People" (which I enjoyed much more the second time around), and Walter De La Mare's "Seaton's Aunt." But the rest of the stories were unknown to me, and it was a eldritch joy to read most of them for the first time (for example, the fact I had never read Charlotte Perkins Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper" was a shameful lacuna in my explorations of horror & supernatural fiction, and I was pleased as the cat that got the cream to finally fill that small gap). Some of the other highlights of the collection in my humble opinion were Colette de Curzon's clever "Paymon's Trio," LA Lewis' bizarre "Lost Keep" (which I felt had a great macabre ending), RH Benson's understated "The Watcher"... Oliver Onions' "The Beckoning Fair One" was enjoyable if a bit overlong (at 72 pages), and having it smack-dab in the middle of the book kind of hurt the reading momentum of the collection: initially I thought maybe it would have been better to have it at the very end, but my opinion on that score changed upon reading the final story, the beautiful "Present at the End" by HR Wakefield, which touched me so deeply that I was moved to tears by its lovely ending.
My only gripe with this collection is that, like the first one, it is perhaps a bit TOO old-fashioned; here Ligotti is the only "modern" (and living) author represented. I would be very curious indeed if, in future volumes, Mr. Tibet would assemble a collection of contemporary writers in the field that he has enjoyed and/or have influenced the music of Current 93, lyrically or otherwise.
My only gripe with this collection is that, like the first one, it is perhaps a bit TOO old-fashioned; here Ligotti is the only "modern" (and living) author represented. I would be very curious indeed if, in future volumes, Mr. Tibet would assemble a collection of contemporary writers in the field that he has enjoyed and/or have influenced the music of Current 93, lyrically or otherwise.
December 16, 2020
This was one of those delightful serendipitous finds that only happen while browsing. A local bookstore had a display of Halloween-ish titles set up, and this one in particular caught my eye. Something about the cover art and the mysterious title called to me. I read the back cover … “strange fiction” … “hallucinatory tales” … “weird” … “macabre” … And then I saw that the stories were selected by David Tibet, which definitely got my attention. I’m familiar with Tibet as the driving force behind the band Current 93 (also, long ago, 23 Skidoo) and frequent collaborator with Death In June and other bands. Those familiar with his music will be happy to learn that his taste in fiction is just what one would expect.
Many of the stories date back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Original publication dates aren't given, but from the capsule biographies for each author I’d guess that the most recent is probably Thomas Ligotti’s “The Small People” and the oldest is unquestionably John Gower’s poem, “Slep Hath His Haus.” I had heard of a few of these authors before--Ligotti, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, Edith Wharton, and a few others--but most of them were new to me. Although I’d never read either before, I knew both Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Walter De La Mare’s “Seaton’s Aunt” by reputation (lived up to by both, I'm happy to report.)
Some of the stories are chilling. Some are dark. And some are just plain strange. Decades ago, there was a local group of fans of horror, science fiction, and fantasy who used to hold readings, usually on Poe’s and Lovecraft’s birthdays, and most of what was read was from those two authors or along similar lines. There's a certain joy in reading such work aloud to an appreciative audience, and I regret that the group is long defunct because many of the stories in this book would have been perfect for them.
This is apparently the second anthology of such work curated by David Tibet. You can bet that I’m going to try to track down the first. Highly recommended!
Many of the stories date back to the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Original publication dates aren't given, but from the capsule biographies for each author I’d guess that the most recent is probably Thomas Ligotti’s “The Small People” and the oldest is unquestionably John Gower’s poem, “Slep Hath His Haus.” I had heard of a few of these authors before--Ligotti, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, Edith Wharton, and a few others--but most of them were new to me. Although I’d never read either before, I knew both Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” and Walter De La Mare’s “Seaton’s Aunt” by reputation (lived up to by both, I'm happy to report.)
Some of the stories are chilling. Some are dark. And some are just plain strange. Decades ago, there was a local group of fans of horror, science fiction, and fantasy who used to hold readings, usually on Poe’s and Lovecraft’s birthdays, and most of what was read was from those two authors or along similar lines. There's a certain joy in reading such work aloud to an appreciative audience, and I regret that the group is long defunct because many of the stories in this book would have been perfect for them.
This is apparently the second anthology of such work curated by David Tibet. You can bet that I’m going to try to track down the first. Highly recommended!
June 1, 2021
David Tibet is a strange bird indeed, but his taste is never in doubt. A wonderful collection of horror and tender ghost stories alongside some well-chosen pulpier thrills. There are a couple of horror compilation standbys ("The Yellow Wallpaper" and "Seaton's Aunt"), but for the most part these stories were otherwise hidden away in more obscure volumes. I must admit I have never been a great fan of Ligotti, but his "The Little People," came as a pleasant surprise here. The list of dedications is also worth reading, there are some choice names tucked away in there that will certainly raise a few eyebrows. The introduction itself could be a work of horror fiction, really cracking stuff.
The book itself is very handsome in both quality and design. Strange Attractions have done a great job here. They are a remarkable little press and I'm looking forward to hearing (and reading!) more from them.
The book itself is very handsome in both quality and design. Strange Attractions have done a great job here. They are a remarkable little press and I'm looking forward to hearing (and reading!) more from them.
July 9, 2023
David Tibet sure has impeccable taste in the weird fiction genre, as well as ghost stories and gothic horror in general, one of the best anthologies of the bizarre out there, or is it now unavailable and I am holding a treasure in my hands? Only time will tell...
July 11, 2025
A lovely collection of classic strange fiction.
February 8, 2022
Attracted by the artwork and it’s creator, the musician David Tibet, this is a second volume of ghost stories and the macabre compiled by Tibet and published by the always curious Strange Attractor press. Mostly written between 1890 and 1950, they possess a florid language that will either excite or aggravate. Either way, one becomes acutely aware of language’s evolution and it’s predilection to fashion and style. A couple of these did genuinely send some chills up my spine. The concluding short, a tear in the eye. Recommended for those who enjoy Poe more than Lovecraft and are interested in deepening their bench of authors to draw from.
January 26, 2023
A really superb collection of late 19th century and early-mid 20th century short stories that range from ghostly tales to haunted character studies—mysteries abound…relentlessly readable! I love the theme of stories told within stories—point of views always questioned and circled back upon—where sometimes we know more than the protagonists and sometimes we know just as much. A wide variety of stories too, featuring everything from ghosts and prophecies fulfilled to existential breakdowns and murder mysteries.
February 22, 2023
Some later stories suffered as some life stuff happened and I was unable to focus on them. I can always return though. Im a huge fan of David Tibet and Current 93 so this was a joy to find at a Barnes & Noble a little more than 2 years ago. Their are some recognizable stories like 'Yellow Wallpaper' which I remember from high school and a Thomas Ligotti story I've never read but have the Cadabra Records audio-book for: 'The Small People'. If you're also a C93 fan there's lots of references taken there from stories in this collection.
May 7, 2022
A very good collection of some well-known and minorly-known ghost and weird stories. The collection hangs together well with common themes and eeriness throughout. As always with collections, you will find you like some stories more or less than others; and you may have several stories in other collections like the Blackwood or the Gilman, but otherwise a beautiful object (the cover is gorgeous) and a well done collection.
March 19, 2023
No stars, one given just to balance the bizarre number of people who are giving it good reviews. Did not & could not finish.
Judged it primarily by the cover, which has been quite a mistake. A flat, uninspired collection of vintage supernatural tales. Two living authors, one the pretentious editor and his the worst of the bad lot.
Possibly of limited interest to literary historians and obsessive collectors.
Judged it primarily by the cover, which has been quite a mistake. A flat, uninspired collection of vintage supernatural tales. Two living authors, one the pretentious editor and his the worst of the bad lot.
Possibly of limited interest to literary historians and obsessive collectors.
December 4, 2020
This second collection of strange and illuminary tales grabbed me somewhat less than the first, 'The Moons At Your Door'. Nevertheless, there are some amazing stories in here, and overall the anthology is absolute quality material. A nice addition to this volume is the steadfast amount of female voices. Very good.
July 4, 2022
I was not impressed. Many of the stories felt almost like generic copies of Poe or other classic horror writers. It felt like the first 5 or 6 stories were just trying to mimic a certain style without adding anything new. As a big fan of short stories and horror, I was disappointed with this and couldn't even bring myself to finish all of the stories.
April 8, 2021
Somewhat uneven curation of early 20th century stories of the macabre. A few of them were sincerely unsettling and many more were creepy in that particularly British ‘Turn Of The Screw’ mode. My only real critique is the lack of original publishing dates for the individual stories.
August 5, 2021
Another fantastic collection of stories expertly curated by Tibet. If vintage horror is your thing, you would be doing yourself a great favor in reading both this collection and The Moons at Your Door.
November 25, 2022
Although its predecessor, The Moons at Your Door, was an overall stronger collection, this follow-up is still quite good. I also can't praise the physical product enough. The fonts, the binding, even the feel of the front and back covers, made reading this book a pleasure from beginning to end.
January 5, 2023
I LOVE collections of stories, especially when those stories are designed to leave me haunted and paranoid. Overall, some really great stories in this collection. My favorites were Paymon’s Trio, The Other Wing, The Room in the Tower, and The Yellow Wallpaper.
July 13, 2021
Lots of classic scary authors!!
October 5, 2022
Another excellent collection of horror rarities. Full review: https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/202...
April 20, 2023
Raccolta molto buona. Qualche autore mai letto e qualche capolavoro (tipo Gilman) quindi tutto ok.
December 28, 2023
lost keep is probably the best short story ive ever read. the mood and tone of this book is so on point love you david tibet
January 16, 2025
Incredible collection of gothic fairy tales, with plays on sadness, death etc. The illustrations are also beautiful
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews