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Death Makes a Holiday: A Cultural History of Halloween
From acclaimed cultural critic David J. Skal, an in-depth look at one of the most popular-and perplexing-holidays in America.
Using a mix of personal anecdotes and brilliant social analysis, Skal examines the amazing phenomenon of Halloween, exploring its dark Celtic history and illuminating why it has evolved-in the course of a few short generations-from a quaint, small-scale celebration into the largest seasonal marketing event outside of Christmas.
Traveling the country, Skal profiles a wide cross-section of America-hard-nosed business men who see Halloween in terms of money; fundamentalists who think it is blasphemous; practicing witches who view it as sacred; and more ordinary men and women who go to extraordinary lengths, on this one night only, to transform themselves and their surroundings into elaborate fantasies. Firmly rooted in a deeper cultural and historical analysis, these interviews seek to understand what the various rituals and traditions associated with the holiday have to say about our national psyche.
Using a mix of personal anecdotes and brilliant social analysis, Skal examines the amazing phenomenon of Halloween, exploring its dark Celtic history and illuminating why it has evolved-in the course of a few short generations-from a quaint, small-scale celebration into the largest seasonal marketing event outside of Christmas.
Traveling the country, Skal profiles a wide cross-section of America-hard-nosed business men who see Halloween in terms of money; fundamentalists who think it is blasphemous; practicing witches who view it as sacred; and more ordinary men and women who go to extraordinary lengths, on this one night only, to transform themselves and their surroundings into elaborate fantasies. Firmly rooted in a deeper cultural and historical analysis, these interviews seek to understand what the various rituals and traditions associated with the holiday have to say about our national psyche.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
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2065 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 - 30 of 112 reviews
July 21, 2015
There are parts of this book that are actually quite interesting. It starts strong, with an in-depth examination of the old "tampered Halloween candy" urban legend. And there are bits and pieces throughout the book that are very informative, Skal's history of trick-or-treating, for example. But he also tends to meander, and he gets off track with things that don't really have much of anything to do with Halloween. Still, there's a fair bit of good information in here, and Skal seems to have done some serious work in unearthing it.
October 21, 2021
Me encanta Halloween y todo lo que lo rodea, así que os podéis imaginar que este libro fue todo un acierto cuando me lo regalaron. Además no estoy acostumbrada a leer ensayos, así que era también una oportunidad de salir de mi zona de confort.
Halloween es un acercamiento tanto a las raíces de la festividad como a su influencia en la sociedad y en la cultura popular de distintas décadas. Para ello, David J. Skal hace un recorrido por temas como el clásico trick or treat, la brujería, las casas encantadas y varios más.
Además es de muy fácil lectura, y contiene numerosas fotografías, anuncios y carteles para ilustrar el viaje a través del libro. Si no se lleva las cinco estrellas es, básicamente, porque en algunas ocasiones he sentido que el autor se iba por las ramas, no por otra cosa.
Lectura casi obligada para la spooky season.
La esencia de Halloween es, en definitiva, «bailar en la cara de la muerte. Halloween consiste en llevarte hasta el borde de ese precipicio para que puedas darte cuenta de lo que significa estar vivo de verdad».
Halloween es un acercamiento tanto a las raíces de la festividad como a su influencia en la sociedad y en la cultura popular de distintas décadas. Para ello, David J. Skal hace un recorrido por temas como el clásico trick or treat, la brujería, las casas encantadas y varios más.
Además es de muy fácil lectura, y contiene numerosas fotografías, anuncios y carteles para ilustrar el viaje a través del libro. Si no se lleva las cinco estrellas es, básicamente, porque en algunas ocasiones he sentido que el autor se iba por las ramas, no por otra cosa.
Lectura casi obligada para la spooky season.
La esencia de Halloween es, en definitiva, «bailar en la cara de la muerte. Halloween consiste en llevarte hasta el borde de ese precipicio para que puedas darte cuenta de lo que significa estar vivo de verdad».
April 22, 2010
Skal packs a lot into this brisk volume, most often at the expense of substance. He glances over historical mythology, pop culture and modern political responses to Halloween, as per the cover, but seems to wander off into ruminations on the nature of the macabre in general, as opposed to Halloween in particular. He doesn't synthesize as much as merely compile, constantly hinting at the deeper sociological implications of our fascination with fear and ultimately failing to bring his anecdotal reporting to bear on the issue. I wish he had; this was wasted potential.
December 1, 2019
En este compendio de seis extensos artículos, David Skal desmonta la fiesta de Halloween y la cuenta desde varias facetas. Su origen y su evolución hasta la actualidad, su vínculo con la brujería y el satanismo, la fiesta post 11S... Alguno se me ha hecho un poco largo, pero al menos dos son fantásticos: el fenómeno de la caracterización de casas con vistas a la fiesta y el de las guerras culturales. Un libro bien documentado y, salvo esos momentos que digo, ameno.
November 19, 2021
Un libro muy informativo y divertido que cubre los aspectos de la fiesta y su historia de manera muy completa. Me encantaron los capítulos sobre las atracciones de casas encantadas, el analisis de las peliculas de la saga de Halloween y los crimenes y curiosidades que se han producido en estas fechas a lo largo del tiempo. Las fotografias son muy buenas y añaden un plus.
October 5, 2024
An excellent history of my favorite holiday. David Skal is always entertaining and this subject seems especially dear (or maybe dreadful) to his heart. Written in the 90s, it could stand an update (there may be one -- the copy I read is from 1992) but what's here is terrific reading from start to finish.
The book begins with the 1974 Pixie Stick poisoning that cemented the Halloween legend of deadly treats. I was at college, but my parents lived just a mile or so from that awful incident and I vividly recall the tremors it sent through a sedate blue collar neighborhood. Without bogging down in digressions, Skal brilliantly traces that incident and its effect on Halloween and America.
The rest of the volume -- chapters on Halloween in film, the evolution of the holiday from tricks to treats, haunted attractions, ephemera like vintage postcards, culture wars over San Francisco celebrations, and other topics -- is incredibly entertaining. HIs friendship with people like Bob Burns gives the reader a front row seat for the transformation of a kids' holiday into one that threatens to supplant Xmas in popularity.
The book begins with the 1974 Pixie Stick poisoning that cemented the Halloween legend of deadly treats. I was at college, but my parents lived just a mile or so from that awful incident and I vividly recall the tremors it sent through a sedate blue collar neighborhood. Without bogging down in digressions, Skal brilliantly traces that incident and its effect on Halloween and America.
The rest of the volume -- chapters on Halloween in film, the evolution of the holiday from tricks to treats, haunted attractions, ephemera like vintage postcards, culture wars over San Francisco celebrations, and other topics -- is incredibly entertaining. HIs friendship with people like Bob Burns gives the reader a front row seat for the transformation of a kids' holiday into one that threatens to supplant Xmas in popularity.
January 17, 2011
I love Skal's commentaries and documetaries for Universal's classic monster movies, so I was very happy to get this book. He gives a nice overview of the roots of the holiday and its practices, influences (on and from Halloween) through the 20th century. He also touches on the urban myths of poisoned candy (for the record, it bears repeating: There has never been a reported instance of anyone tampering with the candy they gave out, even though tales of razor-blades-in-candied-apples dates back at least to my childhood).
As expected, he gives more than a passing nod to its depictions in film (indeed, the slasher film series Halloween gets its own chapter).
Skal also covers parades, parties, community celebrations I was surprised and disappointed that the Rutland, VT Halloween parade was not mentioned at all. (Information can be found - forgive me - here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutland_... ) The city's annual parade began in 1960, and has a very rich history. Sadly, parade organizer, comic book fan (and character!) Tom Fagan died in 2008, days before the 49th parade, at age 78. An interview with him would have been great.
As with many things, Halloween hasn't recovered from the events of 9/11/1 (I never get any creatures looking for candy), which I find sad. Trick-or-treating was always so much fun to me as a child (and occasionally as an adult), and it seems odd the the second-biggest commercial holiday has lost the community decorations and door-to-door fun.
I remember that among the houses we went to in Maumee, OH when I was little, there was an an apartment complex that had one very scary inhabitant: a big, growly polar bear gave out the candy. Now, I knew that it was just a guy under a bear skin rug, but I also just knew that he was a real bear and he was going to eat me if I went to the door. Every year was going to be the year that I was brave enough to face the bear. I eventually did, but he still scared the (figurative) crap out of me!
As expected, he gives more than a passing nod to its depictions in film (indeed, the slasher film series Halloween gets its own chapter).
Skal also covers parades, parties, community celebrations I was surprised and disappointed that the Rutland, VT Halloween parade was not mentioned at all. (Information can be found - forgive me - here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rutland_... ) The city's annual parade began in 1960, and has a very rich history. Sadly, parade organizer, comic book fan (and character!) Tom Fagan died in 2008, days before the 49th parade, at age 78. An interview with him would have been great.
As with many things, Halloween hasn't recovered from the events of 9/11/1 (I never get any creatures looking for candy), which I find sad. Trick-or-treating was always so much fun to me as a child (and occasionally as an adult), and it seems odd the the second-biggest commercial holiday has lost the community decorations and door-to-door fun.
I remember that among the houses we went to in Maumee, OH when I was little, there was an an apartment complex that had one very scary inhabitant: a big, growly polar bear gave out the candy. Now, I knew that it was just a guy under a bear skin rug, but I also just knew that he was a real bear and he was going to eat me if I went to the door. Every year was going to be the year that I was brave enough to face the bear. I eventually did, but he still scared the (figurative) crap out of me!
November 4, 2019
Hmm, maybe 2.5 stars.
I read this more-or-less back-to-back with Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween, and my impression, walking away, is that I preferred Trick or Treat. The two cover a lot of the same ground, though Skal goes deeper into some things (not always to the benefit of the book).
It struck me at one point that Skal's book is sort of negative in tone... not to the point that I think he dislikes Halloween: considering his usual subject matter, I'm sure that's not the case! And yet he never misses an opportunity to bring up the worst case scenarios of Halloween. The book opens with the story of Ronald Clark O'Bryan poisoning his son (and attempting to poison others), later on we get to hear of Halloween costumes or stunts gone wrong which resulted in death, and a haunted house that burned down with people inside, the escalating gay bashing at parades/parties... It's not relentless, and I assume it's done in service to juicy sensationalism, but it was certainly a pattern. It's not that I want those incidents ignored, either, as they are part of the history of the celebrations of Halloween, but there wasn't a feeling of enchantment in the other parts of the text to compensate. Pages 144-5 outright irritated me with the heavy dismissal of "PC culture" discouraging costumes that belittle or steal a culture. 2002 was a long time ago now, sure, but...ick. ("Loved" the defense of an unnamed -- emphasis: unnamed! -- Native American store owner feeling honored if people rented the handmade, authentic Ojibwa costumes she provided. I don't know which logical fallacy this is, but that is not what people protest generally. How's the totally-exists-for-real woman feel about Sexy Indian Princess costumes made in China of cheap polyester?) (See below for another example from this place in the book.)
The chapter near the end on horror films was meh, and spent way too much time rehashing the plots of Halloween and its various sequels. Perhaps that was Skal's compromise in exploring horror and slasher films in this book? I know Halloween occupies this weird space of not having a very solid history: haunted houses pop up in October, but horror movies are released throughout the year. Halloween embraces the macabre, but is everything macabre related to Halloween? I would argue not (ooh, ooh, maybe there's my future thesis topic in Halloweenology).
Trick or Treat wasn't super scholarly, but it was more so than this one in both tone and citation. To check the sources here, you have to flip back to the notes, find the chapter, and then look for the phrase of the sentence or passage that has a citation. That's still more than many popular nonfiction books will do, mind. I just think it's worth highlighting how sources are documented when evaluating nonfiction works.
Speaking of tone...language...word choice... the author rather abuses cute turns of phrase to create transitions between topics. Some actually do work, others are a bit tryhard, and then there was:
No, author! Why? What even is that?
Also, I just straight-up disagree with:
Nope, Nightmare Before Christmas was really explicit about Jack's Christmas efforts being all wrong, and there was no place in Christmas for Halloween creepy things. Also, pretty bold move to tie one Halloween-Christmas movie, tie it to a still relatively obscure Central European Christmas demon, and then broadly extrapolate to "all holidays" having a light/dark, death/rebirth dynamic. I guess e.g. Valentine's Day counts because the mob killed some other members of the mob, or Labor Day because of the bloody struggle of labor rights?
Time Marches
Parts of this book are now possibly a bit dated.
- His discussion of Salem hints that the Peabody Essex Museum is in on the spooktacular vibes of the town, which is the exact opposite message Ocker got in A Season with the Witch: The Magic and Mayhem of Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts. Now, again, 2002ish versus 2015. Okay, have looked it up now. Per Ocker: 1992, PEM got a new director and a 10-year plan (i.e. wrapping up in 2002) to change the direction -- far away from witches and spooky stuff. Soooo, who do I trust, Ocker or Skal? More research needed.
- See above about his railing against "treating people with respect run amok" -- sorry, political correctness and PC "culture cops." I mean, plus ca change in some ways, yes, but that bit of editorializing hasn't aged well and/or doesn't set well with this millennial (if it's a generational thing).
-- Also! From that same cursed pair of pages, he recounts University of Alabama students dressing up for Halloween as Klansmen and staging a mock lynching -- this in 2001. Ah, the things that have become relevant yet again (how long until some of them are running for office and that resurfaces?). Anyway, Skal's choice of wording in seems to suggest that the only reason anyone was upset was due to the Southern Poverty Law Center sharing photos online and "creat[ing] the predictable media uproar." There's an innocent way of parsing that phrasing, but I'm not inclined to it due to the preceding huffing and puffing about political correctness, and also our current news and political climate. "Created" the uproar? Maybe accuse the SPLC of "virtue signalling" while you're at it, author. Even if you buy anyone's argument that e.g. blackface wasn't frowned upon in the 80s (it was), everyone(-ish, sigh) gets that KKK terrorism is bad, and recreating it is not some clever send-up or macabre, spooky event. This author, in another part of the book, even does recount some of the KKK history in connection to blacks being stereotyped as extra-superstitious and easily frightened, so...yeah. Pack that opinion away.
- Final chapter looks at how people handled Halloween in the wake of 9/11: incredibly topical for this book's original publication date, but now just a bit of a curiosity.
I read this more-or-less back-to-back with Trick or Treat: A History of Halloween, and my impression, walking away, is that I preferred Trick or Treat. The two cover a lot of the same ground, though Skal goes deeper into some things (not always to the benefit of the book).
It struck me at one point that Skal's book is sort of negative in tone... not to the point that I think he dislikes Halloween: considering his usual subject matter, I'm sure that's not the case! And yet he never misses an opportunity to bring up the worst case scenarios of Halloween. The book opens with the story of Ronald Clark O'Bryan poisoning his son (and attempting to poison others), later on we get to hear of Halloween costumes or stunts gone wrong which resulted in death, and a haunted house that burned down with people inside, the escalating gay bashing at parades/parties... It's not relentless, and I assume it's done in service to juicy sensationalism, but it was certainly a pattern. It's not that I want those incidents ignored, either, as they are part of the history of the celebrations of Halloween, but there wasn't a feeling of enchantment in the other parts of the text to compensate. Pages 144-5 outright irritated me with the heavy dismissal of "PC culture" discouraging costumes that belittle or steal a culture. 2002 was a long time ago now, sure, but...ick. ("Loved" the defense of an unnamed -- emphasis: unnamed! -- Native American store owner feeling honored if people rented the handmade, authentic Ojibwa costumes she provided. I don't know which logical fallacy this is, but that is not what people protest generally. How's the totally-exists-for-real woman feel about Sexy Indian Princess costumes made in China of cheap polyester?) (See below for another example from this place in the book.)
The chapter near the end on horror films was meh, and spent way too much time rehashing the plots of Halloween and its various sequels. Perhaps that was Skal's compromise in exploring horror and slasher films in this book? I know Halloween occupies this weird space of not having a very solid history: haunted houses pop up in October, but horror movies are released throughout the year. Halloween embraces the macabre, but is everything macabre related to Halloween? I would argue not (ooh, ooh, maybe there's my future thesis topic in Halloweenology).
Trick or Treat wasn't super scholarly, but it was more so than this one in both tone and citation. To check the sources here, you have to flip back to the notes, find the chapter, and then look for the phrase of the sentence or passage that has a citation. That's still more than many popular nonfiction books will do, mind. I just think it's worth highlighting how sources are documented when evaluating nonfiction works.
Speaking of tone...language...word choice... the author rather abuses cute turns of phrase to create transitions between topics. Some actually do work, others are a bit tryhard, and then there was:
The witch trials effectively exploded the blocked-up septic tank that was Salem's collective soul.
No, author! Why? What even is that?
Also, I just straight-up disagree with:
"The weird, abusive pranks [Jack] Skellington ultimately inflicts upon Christmas celebrants strongly echo...Krampus... a basic acknowledgement that all holidays have a dark side, rooted in the death / rebirth dynamic..."
Nope, Nightmare Before Christmas was really explicit about Jack's Christmas efforts being all wrong, and there was no place in Christmas for Halloween creepy things. Also, pretty bold move to tie one Halloween-Christmas movie, tie it to a still relatively obscure Central European Christmas demon, and then broadly extrapolate to "all holidays" having a light/dark, death/rebirth dynamic. I guess e.g. Valentine's Day counts because the mob killed some other members of the mob, or Labor Day because of the bloody struggle of labor rights?
Time Marches
Parts of this book are now possibly a bit dated.
- His discussion of Salem hints that the Peabody Essex Museum is in on the spooktacular vibes of the town, which is the exact opposite message Ocker got in A Season with the Witch: The Magic and Mayhem of Halloween in Salem, Massachusetts. Now, again, 2002ish versus 2015. Okay, have looked it up now. Per Ocker: 1992, PEM got a new director and a 10-year plan (i.e. wrapping up in 2002) to change the direction -- far away from witches and spooky stuff. Soooo, who do I trust, Ocker or Skal? More research needed.
- See above about his railing against "treating people with respect run amok" -- sorry, political correctness and PC "culture cops." I mean, plus ca change in some ways, yes, but that bit of editorializing hasn't aged well and/or doesn't set well with this millennial (if it's a generational thing).
-- Also! From that same cursed pair of pages, he recounts University of Alabama students dressing up for Halloween as Klansmen and staging a mock lynching -- this in 2001. Ah, the things that have become relevant yet again (how long until some of them are running for office and that resurfaces?). Anyway, Skal's choice of wording in seems to suggest that the only reason anyone was upset was due to the Southern Poverty Law Center sharing photos online and "creat[ing] the predictable media uproar." There's an innocent way of parsing that phrasing, but I'm not inclined to it due to the preceding huffing and puffing about political correctness, and also our current news and political climate. "Created" the uproar? Maybe accuse the SPLC of "virtue signalling" while you're at it, author. Even if you buy anyone's argument that e.g. blackface wasn't frowned upon in the 80s (it was), everyone(-ish, sigh) gets that KKK terrorism is bad, and recreating it is not some clever send-up or macabre, spooky event. This author, in another part of the book, even does recount some of the KKK history in connection to blacks being stereotyped as extra-superstitious and easily frightened, so...yeah. Pack that opinion away.
- Final chapter looks at how people handled Halloween in the wake of 9/11: incredibly topical for this book's original publication date, but now just a bit of a curiosity.
November 4, 2021
⭐4⭐
No sabía si ponerle 3 o 4. Pero me explicaré mejor
⭐3⭐ por varias razones. A pesar de haberle lo leído tan rápido ha habido momentos en la lectura que la han hecho aburrida. Los capítulos, a mi gusto, son demasiado largos y no quedan claros los temas. Empieza comentando un tema en particular y de repente acaba hablado de otra cosa diferente, tienes que volver atrás para saber cómo ha hilado dichos temas.
Además los temas o los capítulos son muy interesantes pero el estudio o la descripción es muy superficial me ha faltado información. Deseo saber MÁS y me quedo con las ganas.
⭐4⭐ el tema en su concepto total. Halloween. Lo adoro, es un tema, una fiesta lúgubre que me encanta desde que soy niña, la niña rara que le gustaban las cosas de miedo y a la que no le daba miedo. Eso es lo que hizo que lo comprará. Como primer libro sobre la temática está muy bien, no me arrepiento de haberlo comprado, además nombra otros libros y autores y esto despierta en mi aún más interés.
Así que si te gusta Halloween y quieres saber un poco más, está bien, si ya eres conocedor del género que engloba Halloween, se te va a quedar corto.
No sabía si ponerle 3 o 4. Pero me explicaré mejor
⭐3⭐ por varias razones. A pesar de haberle lo leído tan rápido ha habido momentos en la lectura que la han hecho aburrida. Los capítulos, a mi gusto, son demasiado largos y no quedan claros los temas. Empieza comentando un tema en particular y de repente acaba hablado de otra cosa diferente, tienes que volver atrás para saber cómo ha hilado dichos temas.
Además los temas o los capítulos son muy interesantes pero el estudio o la descripción es muy superficial me ha faltado información. Deseo saber MÁS y me quedo con las ganas.
⭐4⭐ el tema en su concepto total. Halloween. Lo adoro, es un tema, una fiesta lúgubre que me encanta desde que soy niña, la niña rara que le gustaban las cosas de miedo y a la que no le daba miedo. Eso es lo que hizo que lo comprará. Como primer libro sobre la temática está muy bien, no me arrepiento de haberlo comprado, además nombra otros libros y autores y esto despierta en mi aún más interés.
Así que si te gusta Halloween y quieres saber un poco más, está bien, si ya eres conocedor del género que engloba Halloween, se te va a quedar corto.
October 19, 2014
While it does offer an overview of Halloween's Samhain and All Souls/Saints Day origins, the bulk of this cultural history is situated in the United States from the 1920s to 2000. Skal covers urban legends about lethal treats (and one horrifying real example), the ridiculous racism of early costumes and art, the commercialization of witchcraft in modern-day Salem, the evolution of the haunted house business (including especially disturbing religious ones), the intersection of Halloween and gay rights, Hollywood Horror's love affair with the holiday starting with the independent film Halloween (which - sorry Skal - I still think is a crap film), the impact of September 11th on Halloween 2001, and the inevitable tension surrounding a technically unofficial holiday devoted to blurred boundaries, changed identities, memento mori, and the world turned upside down for the night.
August 24, 2025
he tardado bastante en leermelo porque creo que hacerlo del tirón empacha.
está bien si no tienes ni idea de halloween (como yo) porque hace un recorrido a muchos niveles (histórico, leyendas, cultura pop, cultura queer, etc) aunque está centrado exclusivamente en usa (hay una parte sobre el día de los muertos pero muy corta y muy centrada en la frontera méxico/usa).
sí que estoy de acuerdo con algunos comentarios que he leído... los capítulos a veces pasan de un tema a otro por la cara o dedica muchas páginas a cosas poco interesantes, pero en general lo he disfrutado mucho y he aprendido un montón. me gustaría que se hubiese centrado más en las casetas terroríficas que hacían los conservadores, el halloween queer de san francisco y los mensajes puritanos de los slashers.
hay una parte en la que habla sobre disfraces ofensivos y tal y hmmm ahí la verdad que no estoy nada de acuerdo. soy el amigo que es too woke.
está bien si no tienes ni idea de halloween (como yo) porque hace un recorrido a muchos niveles (histórico, leyendas, cultura pop, cultura queer, etc) aunque está centrado exclusivamente en usa (hay una parte sobre el día de los muertos pero muy corta y muy centrada en la frontera méxico/usa).
sí que estoy de acuerdo con algunos comentarios que he leído... los capítulos a veces pasan de un tema a otro por la cara o dedica muchas páginas a cosas poco interesantes, pero en general lo he disfrutado mucho y he aprendido un montón. me gustaría que se hubiese centrado más en las casetas terroríficas que hacían los conservadores, el halloween queer de san francisco y los mensajes puritanos de los slashers.
hay una parte en la que habla sobre disfraces ofensivos y tal y hmmm ahí la verdad que no estoy nada de acuerdo. soy el amigo que es too woke.
December 29, 2020
Excelente análisis sobre la festividad de Halloween, desde sus orígenes hasta las implicaciones culturales y sociales que ha ido adquiriendo a lo largo de los años.
Como siempre, David J. Skal realiza un exhaustivo ejercicio de documentación narrado de una forma muy entretenida y repleta de anécdotas.
Como siempre, David J. Skal realiza un exhaustivo ejercicio de documentación narrado de una forma muy entretenida y repleta de anécdotas.
November 19, 2023
Booooof chulísimo, muy divertido y aprendes muchas cosas históricas interesantes🎃👻💀
November 4, 2023
Skal’s writing flows effortlessly as he unveils the convoluted history of America’s most frightfully commercialized holiday.
October 24, 2016
This book is kind of like having a very long, one way conversation with someone who really loves Halloween. It's great if you're like me and you enjoy the holiday, and you are eager to learn about it's traditions and trivia related to it. But less great if you don't enjoy every. single. facet of the holiday or you aren't prepared to put up with some major nerding out.
Seriously sometimes the narrative can meander: One minute the author is talking about how the depiction of witches has changed over the years until the witches wear black robes and pointy hats, and then he'll brake off with something like, 'And speaking of dark colors it is also very dark at nighttime, which is historically when trick-or-treating takes place.'
(^^that is not a literal example, it's just the kind of thing this book would do repeatedly)
I stopped reading this book last year when he jumped from talking about every cool or interesting haunted house that he's every heard of to this deep discussion about "the death of a sense of community and meaningful social interaction". It was just really random and came off as pretentious.
Finishing it today, I think his point in this book is kinda: "Since Halloween is an unofficial holiday, it becomes whatever we want it to be. The way we observe it says a lot about how we view things like fear and death." I think that's a meaningful discussion to have, and I wish he would have started there before going off on the loosely connected tangents.
I recommend this book if you're a Halloween Nerd.
Seriously sometimes the narrative can meander: One minute the author is talking about how the depiction of witches has changed over the years until the witches wear black robes and pointy hats, and then he'll brake off with something like, 'And speaking of dark colors it is also very dark at nighttime, which is historically when trick-or-treating takes place.'
(^^that is not a literal example, it's just the kind of thing this book would do repeatedly)
I stopped reading this book last year when he jumped from talking about every cool or interesting haunted house that he's every heard of to this deep discussion about "the death of a sense of community and meaningful social interaction". It was just really random and came off as pretentious.
Finishing it today, I think his point in this book is kinda: "Since Halloween is an unofficial holiday, it becomes whatever we want it to be. The way we observe it says a lot about how we view things like fear and death." I think that's a meaningful discussion to have, and I wish he would have started there before going off on the loosely connected tangents.
I recommend this book if you're a Halloween Nerd.
November 23, 2015
I love cultural history and folklore. The combination of those in this book should have made me love it. I have trudged 6 weeks through this book without making much headway.
Skal flutters from topic to topic with only a thin connection between them. Take the introduction for instance. How does the criminal case of the "candy man" have to do with setting the tone of the book, central thesis, and organization to defend that thesis? Yes, that does lend to a drier kind of book. But, I would understand why and how all of the information, granted at times extremely interesting, was being shoveled at me.
Or, take chapter 1. What does Houdini have to do with the Anglo amalgamation of traditions Skal seems to be arguing for the creation of Halloween? My best guess at this is that it harkens back to the tradition of communicating with the dead and seances to do so. How does fit into the greater argument of the book? Which is...? A general history of Halloween? The evolution of Halloween in America? A criticism of Americans lack of coping mechanisms with death? All of these?
Maybe if I were smarter I could synthesize the information presented in the book and figure out things without being told. You know, since everyone else seems to have figured this out leaving me baffled and alone in my opinion.
Skal flutters from topic to topic with only a thin connection between them. Take the introduction for instance. How does the criminal case of the "candy man" have to do with setting the tone of the book, central thesis, and organization to defend that thesis? Yes, that does lend to a drier kind of book. But, I would understand why and how all of the information, granted at times extremely interesting, was being shoveled at me.
Or, take chapter 1. What does Houdini have to do with the Anglo amalgamation of traditions Skal seems to be arguing for the creation of Halloween? My best guess at this is that it harkens back to the tradition of communicating with the dead and seances to do so. How does fit into the greater argument of the book? Which is...? A general history of Halloween? The evolution of Halloween in America? A criticism of Americans lack of coping mechanisms with death? All of these?
Maybe if I were smarter I could synthesize the information presented in the book and figure out things without being told. You know, since everyone else seems to have figured this out leaving me baffled and alone in my opinion.
October 27, 2012
There were a couple of interesting facts IN this book. There weren't enough to make the entire book interesting, however. There were aspects of Halloween that I thought would've been paid more attention in it and there were things written about it (he connected these things to Halloween) in this book that I didn't get their inclusion at all.
All-in-all, for me, a very dull and disappointing book. I wish I would've made a better choice for my Halloween read this year. I thought a book about the holiday would've been better than another "scary" story, but it looks like I was wrong.
Everyone has a right to their opinions, but I honestly can't understand why people have given this as high a rating as it has gotten. Maybe I am just missing something here.
All-in-all, for me, a very dull and disappointing book. I wish I would've made a better choice for my Halloween read this year. I thought a book about the holiday would've been better than another "scary" story, but it looks like I was wrong.
Everyone has a right to their opinions, but I honestly can't understand why people have given this as high a rating as it has gotten. Maybe I am just missing something here.
April 2, 2019
I did enjoy this book- but I dId feel that the Chapter about the history of haunted houses ( Home Is Where The Hearse Is) was EXCEPTIONAL.
Hands down it was more informative and enjoyable then a documentary I recently saw on Netflix on the subject.
In addition I found Skal's work on explaining the multiple roots of Halloween, and how those roots will continue to grow and spread as Western society's views on death, superstition and religion change exciting.
As a Halloween fan ( to put it mildly) I am glad to hear that my favorite holiday is actually alive and will continue to grow and surprise me...BOO😉
Hands down it was more informative and enjoyable then a documentary I recently saw on Netflix on the subject.
In addition I found Skal's work on explaining the multiple roots of Halloween, and how those roots will continue to grow and spread as Western society's views on death, superstition and religion change exciting.
As a Halloween fan ( to put it mildly) I am glad to hear that my favorite holiday is actually alive and will continue to grow and surprise me...BOO😉
August 30, 2020
This was a comprehensive collection of facts, myths, stories, Celtic roots and pop culture connections. David J. Skal certainly collected quite a bit of information about celebrations of death and the occult. The construction is very good but it does drag at times because the author goes off on tangents. Still, this is a valuable resource for those who want to get to the root of this American ' holiday' obsession and its related cultural practices in all its forms: holidays, films, music and beliefs.
June 18, 2015
Interesting look at the social and cultural history of Halloween. Very detailed, and lags a bit in the middle, but enjoyable nonetheless.
October 4, 2012
This was a very informative book about the history of how we celebrate Halloween. I found out a few surprising things about the holiday. I recommend it.
April 22, 2012
Incorporating anthropology, pop culture, history, and anecdotes, this narrative spans the appeal of a celebrated holiday with a dubious past.
September 25, 2016
Interesting details, flawed thesis, disorganized. The details are better than the whole.
September 8, 2024
A MARVELOUS HISTORY OF ALL OF THE HISTORY AND TRADITIONS OF HALLOWEEN
Author David J. Skal is also the author of books such as 'The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror,' 'Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning,' 'Vampires: Encounters With the Undead,' 'Screams of Reason: Mad Science and Modern Culture,' etc.
The first chapter of this 2002 book notes that in 1974, "the New York Times gave its distinguished imprimatur to the Halloween terrorist legend," by warning of apples with "a razor blade hidden inside... bubble gum may be sprinkled with lye, the popcorn balls may be coated with camphor..." and quoting a psychiatrist who suggested that it was "the permissiveness in today's society" that was responsible. Nevertheless, "By October 1974, there was still no substantiated account of a single Halloween-candy poisoning." (Pg. 5-7) However, on Halloween in 1974, Ronald Clark O'Bryan, deliberately and fatally poisoned with potassium cyanide a "Pixy Stix" he gave to his son (he gave Pixy Stix to several other children, but they fortunately did not eat them), on whom he had taken out an insurance policy. O'Bryan was convicted of murder, and executed. (Pg. 10-13) Skal observes, "the media revisited the case each subsequent Halloween season, and the legend grew. The fact that the crime was a calculated crime for profit, not a random menace, did nothing to stop the Halloween sadist myth." (Pg. 13)
He points out that "Modern, mass-media histories of Halloween... often leave the impression that the holiday has been handed down, more or less intact, from Celtic antiquity... In reality, contemporary Halloween is a patchwork holiday, a kind of cultural Frankenstein stitched together quite recently from a number of traditions, all fused beneath the cauldron-light of the American melting pot." (Pg. 20) Later, he argues that "[Gerald B.] Gardner was much indebted to the work of Margaret Alice Murray... whose book The Witch-cult in Western Europe put forth the theory that witchcraft had its pagan origins in highly organized goddess and fertility rituals... Both Gardner and Murray have since been discredited by serious historians, who find neither documents nor archaeological evidence to support their claims." (Pg. 72)
He observes, "In his crusade to convert Ireland to Christianity in the fifth century, Saint Patrick appropriated many of the customs and symbols of the Celts, including the use of bonfires to celebrate church holy days and the superimposition of the pagan sun symbol onto the Christian cross... In the ninth century, Pope Gregory IV established the Feast of All Saints on November 1, another calculated move to align traditional pagan festivals with Christian holidays. November 2 was designated All Souls' Day around 1006... and thus a miniseason of observances was established, known in medieval times as Hallowtide." (Pg. 22)
He states that "The word 'Halloween' derives from the Middle English ... and the progressive contraction of 'evening' to 'even' to 'e'en.' 'All Hallows' Eve,' 'Hallowmas... Eve'... were some of the variations." (Pg. 25) Later, he adds, "The vegetable symbol most associated with Halloween is, of course, the jack-o'-lantern... Although every modern chronicle of the holiday repeats the claim that vegetable lanterns were a time-honored component of Halloween celebrations in the British Isles, none gives any primary documentation. In fact, none of the major nineteenth-century chroniclers of British holidays and folk customs makes any mention whatsoever of carved lanterns in connection with Halloween. Neither do any of the standard works of the early twentieth century." (Pg. 31-32)
He suggests, "In the last few decades, the Halloween machine has been especially driven by boomers, a generation noted for a marked reluctance to give up the things of childhood. Halloween has now become its own economic paradigm, the largest holiday behind Christmas, and still growing... [billions of dollars] are spent on costumes... the holiday decorations, theme-park revenues, seasonal movie, TV, and home video tie-ins, with all the attendant spending on advertising and promotion." (Pg. 56-57)
For anyone seriously wanting to study this holiday, this book will be "must reading." (Other helpful books are Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History and The Book of Halloween.
Author David J. Skal is also the author of books such as 'The Monster Show: A Cultural History of Horror,' 'Dark Carnival: The Secret World of Tod Browning,' 'Vampires: Encounters With the Undead,' 'Screams of Reason: Mad Science and Modern Culture,' etc.
The first chapter of this 2002 book notes that in 1974, "the New York Times gave its distinguished imprimatur to the Halloween terrorist legend," by warning of apples with "a razor blade hidden inside... bubble gum may be sprinkled with lye, the popcorn balls may be coated with camphor..." and quoting a psychiatrist who suggested that it was "the permissiveness in today's society" that was responsible. Nevertheless, "By October 1974, there was still no substantiated account of a single Halloween-candy poisoning." (Pg. 5-7) However, on Halloween in 1974, Ronald Clark O'Bryan, deliberately and fatally poisoned with potassium cyanide a "Pixy Stix" he gave to his son (he gave Pixy Stix to several other children, but they fortunately did not eat them), on whom he had taken out an insurance policy. O'Bryan was convicted of murder, and executed. (Pg. 10-13) Skal observes, "the media revisited the case each subsequent Halloween season, and the legend grew. The fact that the crime was a calculated crime for profit, not a random menace, did nothing to stop the Halloween sadist myth." (Pg. 13)
He points out that "Modern, mass-media histories of Halloween... often leave the impression that the holiday has been handed down, more or less intact, from Celtic antiquity... In reality, contemporary Halloween is a patchwork holiday, a kind of cultural Frankenstein stitched together quite recently from a number of traditions, all fused beneath the cauldron-light of the American melting pot." (Pg. 20) Later, he argues that "[Gerald B.] Gardner was much indebted to the work of Margaret Alice Murray... whose book The Witch-cult in Western Europe put forth the theory that witchcraft had its pagan origins in highly organized goddess and fertility rituals... Both Gardner and Murray have since been discredited by serious historians, who find neither documents nor archaeological evidence to support their claims." (Pg. 72)
He observes, "In his crusade to convert Ireland to Christianity in the fifth century, Saint Patrick appropriated many of the customs and symbols of the Celts, including the use of bonfires to celebrate church holy days and the superimposition of the pagan sun symbol onto the Christian cross... In the ninth century, Pope Gregory IV established the Feast of All Saints on November 1, another calculated move to align traditional pagan festivals with Christian holidays. November 2 was designated All Souls' Day around 1006... and thus a miniseason of observances was established, known in medieval times as Hallowtide." (Pg. 22)
He states that "The word 'Halloween' derives from the Middle English ... and the progressive contraction of 'evening' to 'even' to 'e'en.' 'All Hallows' Eve,' 'Hallowmas... Eve'... were some of the variations." (Pg. 25) Later, he adds, "The vegetable symbol most associated with Halloween is, of course, the jack-o'-lantern... Although every modern chronicle of the holiday repeats the claim that vegetable lanterns were a time-honored component of Halloween celebrations in the British Isles, none gives any primary documentation. In fact, none of the major nineteenth-century chroniclers of British holidays and folk customs makes any mention whatsoever of carved lanterns in connection with Halloween. Neither do any of the standard works of the early twentieth century." (Pg. 31-32)
He suggests, "In the last few decades, the Halloween machine has been especially driven by boomers, a generation noted for a marked reluctance to give up the things of childhood. Halloween has now become its own economic paradigm, the largest holiday behind Christmas, and still growing... [billions of dollars] are spent on costumes... the holiday decorations, theme-park revenues, seasonal movie, TV, and home video tie-ins, with all the attendant spending on advertising and promotion." (Pg. 56-57)
For anyone seriously wanting to study this holiday, this book will be "must reading." (Other helpful books are Halloween: An American Holiday, an American History and The Book of Halloween.
October 5, 2023
SUMMARY: Halloween is an amalgamation of pagan and Christian myths, rituals, and customs spanning centuries, continents, and cultures. Some customs, like the jack o' lantern, date back centuries, while others, such as decorating one's yard like a haunted house, are relatively new. In Death Makes a Holiday, David Skal, through excellent storytelling and wry commentary, briefly touches on the history of the holiday before focusing on four subjects (witches, haunted houses, parades and the gay community, and cinema) that have shaped Halloween in America.
The first chapter is devoted to the mishmash nature of the history of Halloween. It has both pagan and Christian roots. Some Irish lore and Scottish lore. But most significantly, it is an ever-evolving holiday. What passed as Halloween in the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries is vastly different from the 21st-century spectacle.
"Modern, mass-media histories of Halloween -- the kind that proliferate, sound-bite-style, every October -- often leave the impression that the holiday has been handed down more or less intact, from Celtic antiquity," Skal writes. "In reality, contemporary Halloween is a patchwork holiday, a kind of cultural Frankenstein stitched together quite recently from a number of traditions, all fused beneath the cauldron light of the American melting pot."
Skal spends a considerable amount of time on the Salem witch trials in chapter 2 looking at the obsession the Puritans had with cleansing their town of witches before pivoting to the commercialization of witches and witchcraft by the town of Salem, Massachusetts in modern times. Chapter 3 covers haunted houses, wax museums, and yard haunting with Skal tying some of the allure of haunted houses, and other scary Halloween traditions, to the loss of community.
"As American communities become more transient and impersonal, more virtual than visceral, and as civic participation wanes at all levels, the appeal of Halloween rituals may not be so mysterious after all," Skal writes. "However empty your neighborhood may appear, at least in a haunted house, there's always somebody home."
Chapter 4 focuses on the gay community, costumes, parades, and its relationship with Halloween while the final chapter pivots to cinema and Halloween. Skal takes a deep dive into John Carpenter's slasher Halloween which ushered in the overly gruesome and overtly sexual aspects of Halloween. The social upheaval of the 60s and 70s coupled with the proliferation of television (9% of Americans owned a television in 1950 while 90% owned a television in 1960) left many Americans disillusioned with the world and wary of their neighbors. Halloween, Skal argues, provided a perfect outlet for the anxieties and fears Americans were experiencing.
"Baseless urban legends about random candy booby-trapping were already taking root, and nearly two decades of television had transformed the culture, isolating members of previously interactive communities," Skal says. "The news brought home by television did its part to engender social mistrust: the Kennedy assassinations, the divisive politics of the Vietnam War, and the weird media spectacle of hippies, and loving children curdling into Charles Manson and his macabre, homicidal 'family.'"
As Halloween continues to shed its pagan and Christian roots, generate billions in revenue, and morph as society changes the debate on whether Halloween is a sacred or secular holiday rages on. Perhaps, that is the nature of the one unofficial major American holiday?
A quick note when approaching Death Makes a Holiday - this is a cultural history, not a historical look. If you have that expectation then Death Makes a Holiday is an informative read. If you are looking for a historical record of Halloween we recommend Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night by Nicholas Rogers followed by Trick or Treat? by Lisa Morton.
KEY QUOTE: "The cultural collisions, controversies, and occasional catastrophes attending Halloween may simply be hardwired into a holiday forged from the tug of war between glitter and grave dust, the sacred and the profane, order and lawlessness, the mainstream and the marginalized. Conflict and consternation are likely unavoidable in a celebration based on pranks, reversals, and the ritual suspension of propriety. Despite the best (and sometimes worst) efforts of people on all sides of the sociopolitical spectrum, Halloween is a holiday that refuses to play by anyone's rules. Unpredictable and unrepentant, Halloween also remains stubbornly unofficial and underground, and this may be the key to understanding the tumult that regularly erupts in its name. Despite the considerable cultural space Halloween now occupies, despite the billions of dollars it annually spins, and despite the passionate commitment millions devote to the holiday, no legislative body has ever seriously considered making it legal."
MORE: Visit SundaytoSaturday.com where we curate topics for a disillusioned church.
The first chapter is devoted to the mishmash nature of the history of Halloween. It has both pagan and Christian roots. Some Irish lore and Scottish lore. But most significantly, it is an ever-evolving holiday. What passed as Halloween in the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries is vastly different from the 21st-century spectacle.
"Modern, mass-media histories of Halloween -- the kind that proliferate, sound-bite-style, every October -- often leave the impression that the holiday has been handed down more or less intact, from Celtic antiquity," Skal writes. "In reality, contemporary Halloween is a patchwork holiday, a kind of cultural Frankenstein stitched together quite recently from a number of traditions, all fused beneath the cauldron light of the American melting pot."
Skal spends a considerable amount of time on the Salem witch trials in chapter 2 looking at the obsession the Puritans had with cleansing their town of witches before pivoting to the commercialization of witches and witchcraft by the town of Salem, Massachusetts in modern times. Chapter 3 covers haunted houses, wax museums, and yard haunting with Skal tying some of the allure of haunted houses, and other scary Halloween traditions, to the loss of community.
"As American communities become more transient and impersonal, more virtual than visceral, and as civic participation wanes at all levels, the appeal of Halloween rituals may not be so mysterious after all," Skal writes. "However empty your neighborhood may appear, at least in a haunted house, there's always somebody home."
Chapter 4 focuses on the gay community, costumes, parades, and its relationship with Halloween while the final chapter pivots to cinema and Halloween. Skal takes a deep dive into John Carpenter's slasher Halloween which ushered in the overly gruesome and overtly sexual aspects of Halloween. The social upheaval of the 60s and 70s coupled with the proliferation of television (9% of Americans owned a television in 1950 while 90% owned a television in 1960) left many Americans disillusioned with the world and wary of their neighbors. Halloween, Skal argues, provided a perfect outlet for the anxieties and fears Americans were experiencing.
"Baseless urban legends about random candy booby-trapping were already taking root, and nearly two decades of television had transformed the culture, isolating members of previously interactive communities," Skal says. "The news brought home by television did its part to engender social mistrust: the Kennedy assassinations, the divisive politics of the Vietnam War, and the weird media spectacle of hippies, and loving children curdling into Charles Manson and his macabre, homicidal 'family.'"
As Halloween continues to shed its pagan and Christian roots, generate billions in revenue, and morph as society changes the debate on whether Halloween is a sacred or secular holiday rages on. Perhaps, that is the nature of the one unofficial major American holiday?
A quick note when approaching Death Makes a Holiday - this is a cultural history, not a historical look. If you have that expectation then Death Makes a Holiday is an informative read. If you are looking for a historical record of Halloween we recommend Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night by Nicholas Rogers followed by Trick or Treat? by Lisa Morton.
KEY QUOTE: "The cultural collisions, controversies, and occasional catastrophes attending Halloween may simply be hardwired into a holiday forged from the tug of war between glitter and grave dust, the sacred and the profane, order and lawlessness, the mainstream and the marginalized. Conflict and consternation are likely unavoidable in a celebration based on pranks, reversals, and the ritual suspension of propriety. Despite the best (and sometimes worst) efforts of people on all sides of the sociopolitical spectrum, Halloween is a holiday that refuses to play by anyone's rules. Unpredictable and unrepentant, Halloween also remains stubbornly unofficial and underground, and this may be the key to understanding the tumult that regularly erupts in its name. Despite the considerable cultural space Halloween now occupies, despite the billions of dollars it annually spins, and despite the passionate commitment millions devote to the holiday, no legislative body has ever seriously considered making it legal."
MORE: Visit SundaytoSaturday.com where we curate topics for a disillusioned church.
October 22, 2017
I wish I could say I liked this book. I wish I could say that it scratched the itch I'd hoped it would, that it would be an immersive and fascinating look at Halloween from its ancient origins all the way to the commercialized funhouse it is today.
It's none of these things.
Oddly, I can't really articulate what exactly it is about this book that didn't hit the nail on the head for me. There ARE interesting facts and anecdotes here, and most of the subject matter is stuff I'd like to read about.
With that in mind, it can only be Skal's writing that fails to please. Well, maybe that in junction with my own perpetually-too-high expectations. This book - split into five chapters, each relating to one element of Halloween - reads like a handful of too-long newspaper articles. None of them seem to have an apparent thesis or even a sense of cohesion in regards to their individual topics. It's all quantity without much quality. He just picks a topic and rambles about it for 35 pages. And don't get me wrong - this book is well-researched, and like I said, some of this stuff is actually quite interesting - but Skal seems more interested in squeezing as much of his hard-won research into the book than he is with producing something readable that feels appropriate for the season. With each of these chapters, there's a sense that he wants be broad and all-encompassing, but instead they come across as journalistic articles that the author was unexpectedly forced to expand to three times their intended worth count.
I again have to ponder whether it's my own expectations at fault here (although a quick search of Goodreads' review database for this title indicates I'm not alone here), and whether the historical Halloween book for me might in fact be a big fully-illustrated picture book aimed at explaining Samhain to grade-schoolers.
[Tip for Prospective Readers: Quit the book after chapter 3. The first chapter is actually a rather nice summary of the history of Halloween - this is the stuff you're likely here to read. The second chapter relates the Salem Witch Trials with the modern-day commercialization of that event in Salem. The third discusses haunted house attractions. These are all interesting reads. The fourth chapter, which largely uses gay rights issues of the late 20th century as a way to illustrate Halloween's often-controversial reputation, was a bore that bogged down the book. And the fifth - about horror movies - is a too-short-to-be-worthwhile summarizing of the history of horror flicks, intercut with paragraphs-long summaries of the John Carpenter Halloween films]
It's none of these things.
Oddly, I can't really articulate what exactly it is about this book that didn't hit the nail on the head for me. There ARE interesting facts and anecdotes here, and most of the subject matter is stuff I'd like to read about.
With that in mind, it can only be Skal's writing that fails to please. Well, maybe that in junction with my own perpetually-too-high expectations. This book - split into five chapters, each relating to one element of Halloween - reads like a handful of too-long newspaper articles. None of them seem to have an apparent thesis or even a sense of cohesion in regards to their individual topics. It's all quantity without much quality. He just picks a topic and rambles about it for 35 pages. And don't get me wrong - this book is well-researched, and like I said, some of this stuff is actually quite interesting - but Skal seems more interested in squeezing as much of his hard-won research into the book than he is with producing something readable that feels appropriate for the season. With each of these chapters, there's a sense that he wants be broad and all-encompassing, but instead they come across as journalistic articles that the author was unexpectedly forced to expand to three times their intended worth count.
I again have to ponder whether it's my own expectations at fault here (although a quick search of Goodreads' review database for this title indicates I'm not alone here), and whether the historical Halloween book for me might in fact be a big fully-illustrated picture book aimed at explaining Samhain to grade-schoolers.
[Tip for Prospective Readers: Quit the book after chapter 3. The first chapter is actually a rather nice summary of the history of Halloween - this is the stuff you're likely here to read. The second chapter relates the Salem Witch Trials with the modern-day commercialization of that event in Salem. The third discusses haunted house attractions. These are all interesting reads. The fourth chapter, which largely uses gay rights issues of the late 20th century as a way to illustrate Halloween's often-controversial reputation, was a bore that bogged down the book. And the fifth - about horror movies - is a too-short-to-be-worthwhile summarizing of the history of horror flicks, intercut with paragraphs-long summaries of the John Carpenter Halloween films]
November 19, 2025
Este libro me lo ha regalado una persona que me conoce muchísimo y sabe que todo el año me encuentro esperando la llegada de Halloween, así que, por supuesto, me ha encantado.
Lo había visto anteriormente en una librería y me llamó mucho la atención este ensayo que podía darme más información sobre Halloween.
No habla sólo sobre el origen de Halloween y su evolución y transformación. También el impacto social según su contexto histórico (lo cual me parece súper interesante).
Desarrollando, a su vez, los diferentes elementos asociados a Halloween y una reflexión sobre el terror y la muerte.
Tanto que me he quedado con ganas de leer algo más de este autor y también investigar más sobre ello.
Estando de acuerdo o no con algunas cosas, lo cierto es que el autor hace su trabajo de investigación con sus consecuencias.
Por otro lado, las ilustraciones del libro... Son increíbles. Transportándome hacia aquello de lo que me habla.
Personalmente, me ha gustado mucho las reflexiones (no me imaginaba que incluso hablase del colectivo LGTB+). Y especial referencia a la película "La Noche de Halloween" y "Pesadilla antes de navidad".
Si sois personas que os guste estas fechas... Yo recomiendo leerlo.
Ahora le haré hueco en mi estantería para la próxima vez que vuelva a él, para seguir en la temporada spooky tantas veces como desee.
Lo había visto anteriormente en una librería y me llamó mucho la atención este ensayo que podía darme más información sobre Halloween.
No habla sólo sobre el origen de Halloween y su evolución y transformación. También el impacto social según su contexto histórico (lo cual me parece súper interesante).
Desarrollando, a su vez, los diferentes elementos asociados a Halloween y una reflexión sobre el terror y la muerte.
Tanto que me he quedado con ganas de leer algo más de este autor y también investigar más sobre ello.
Estando de acuerdo o no con algunas cosas, lo cierto es que el autor hace su trabajo de investigación con sus consecuencias.
Por otro lado, las ilustraciones del libro... Son increíbles. Transportándome hacia aquello de lo que me habla.
Personalmente, me ha gustado mucho las reflexiones (no me imaginaba que incluso hablase del colectivo LGTB+). Y especial referencia a la película "La Noche de Halloween" y "Pesadilla antes de navidad".
Si sois personas que os guste estas fechas... Yo recomiendo leerlo.
Ahora le haré hueco en mi estantería para la próxima vez que vuelva a él, para seguir en la temporada spooky tantas veces como desee.
March 25, 2023
Uno puede llegar a creer que Halloween es una festividad inocente, donde sólo importan los niños y sus dulces, pero leyendo este libro me di cuenta lo importantísimo que es este día en algunas culturas o identidades.
Este ensayo parte con una historia horrible para contarte lo grave (y lo serio) que se debe tomar a la Muerte en estas fechas, y la verdad es que sobran los casos macabros a lo largo del libro y que van directamente relacionados con algo tan mínimo como un chocolate o un caramelo. El autor nos invita a reflexionar sobre el más allá, sobre cómo el usar una máscara y actuar como demonio por una noche llega a der liberador y valida las identidades y expresiones de una comunidad completa, cómo esta misma libertad pasa a llevar a otra comunidad, el fenómeno del cine y cómo la saga de películas de Michael Miyers influyó en Hollywood para siempre.
Disfruté demasiado esta lectura, la precisión de las entrevistas y detalles expuestas por el autor, y su posfacio años después de su primera publicación fueron muy agradables, las imágenes con las que se acompañó la narración también eran muy buenas y muy llamativas, realmente una lectura que sí o sí deben leer los fantásticos del 31 de Octubre.
Este ensayo parte con una historia horrible para contarte lo grave (y lo serio) que se debe tomar a la Muerte en estas fechas, y la verdad es que sobran los casos macabros a lo largo del libro y que van directamente relacionados con algo tan mínimo como un chocolate o un caramelo. El autor nos invita a reflexionar sobre el más allá, sobre cómo el usar una máscara y actuar como demonio por una noche llega a der liberador y valida las identidades y expresiones de una comunidad completa, cómo esta misma libertad pasa a llevar a otra comunidad, el fenómeno del cine y cómo la saga de películas de Michael Miyers influyó en Hollywood para siempre.
Disfruté demasiado esta lectura, la precisión de las entrevistas y detalles expuestas por el autor, y su posfacio años después de su primera publicación fueron muy agradables, las imágenes con las que se acompañó la narración también eran muy buenas y muy llamativas, realmente una lectura que sí o sí deben leer los fantásticos del 31 de Octubre.
August 28, 2023
quite honestly a beautiful spooky history on the origins of halloween. chapters were a delight to read as stories came full circle after varying detours into histories of symbolism. i just wish it was longer (like 10 chapters more longer), and as a result, found the ending chapter and epilouge a bit hastily thrown together.
the final chapters on halloween depictions on the silver screen seemed sadly more of play by play plot description of the halloween franchise… which, ok? but so much more could’ve been talked about other than slasher films. the great pumpkin, for instance, was mentioned just once in passing… and the concept of films depicting the autumn season in film (not just halloween) seem to fly over skal’s head. i feel like even citing musical depictions of halloween in the 20s-40s could’ve been a topic delved into (or maybe this is just me wanting to know more about halloween’s early origins).
finally, the book’s also a BIT dated, concerning some language and perspectives. still provides an interesting view point of what halloween looked like 20 some years ago. all in all, a fun spooky time. the first couple chapters are delightfully dense and full of spooky stories that will have me rereading for years to come 🎃
the final chapters on halloween depictions on the silver screen seemed sadly more of play by play plot description of the halloween franchise… which, ok? but so much more could’ve been talked about other than slasher films. the great pumpkin, for instance, was mentioned just once in passing… and the concept of films depicting the autumn season in film (not just halloween) seem to fly over skal’s head. i feel like even citing musical depictions of halloween in the 20s-40s could’ve been a topic delved into (or maybe this is just me wanting to know more about halloween’s early origins).
finally, the book’s also a BIT dated, concerning some language and perspectives. still provides an interesting view point of what halloween looked like 20 some years ago. all in all, a fun spooky time. the first couple chapters are delightfully dense and full of spooky stories that will have me rereading for years to come 🎃
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