The Readers Review: Literature from 1714 to 1910 discussion

Once again, we are planning a short story read on a Christmas theme for the month of December. There are both short stories and a couple of excerpts from longer works, and I’ve tried to have a combination of well- and lesser-known authors.

Nov. 30-Dec 6th: The Phantom Coach by Amelia B. Edwards and The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood

Dec. 7-13: Christmas at Thompson Hall by Anthony Trollope

Dec 14-20: The Pickwickians Celebrate (an excerpt from The Pickwick Papers) and The Story of the Goblins who Stole a Sexton by Charles Dickens

Dec 21-27: The Shop of Ghosts by G K Chesterton and Mole End (an excerpt from The Wind in the Willows) by Kenneth Grahame

I believe these are all obtainable through Project Gutenberg and are in the public domain-please let me know if there are difficulties obtaining any.

The short stories are designed as a read one or all month, so come join the discussion for any that you read, and the threads will all remain open into the New Year for those who can finally relax and read after the holiday rush is over.

Sounds great!

I have managed to track down the first two stories. Luckily, The Phantom Coach is in Ghostly Tales: Spine-Chilling Stories of the Victorian Age, found in my local library system. I found a pdf of The Kit Bag in Gutenberg Australia.

Ginny wrote: "I have managed to track down the first two stories. Luckily, The Phantom Coach is in Ghostly Tales: Spine-Chilling Stories of the Victorian Age, found in my local library system. I ..."
Thank you so much.

I realize that both the Dickens reads are from The Pickwick Papers, chapters 28 and 29, although I have the Goblin story in a collection of short stories as well.

Grahame's The Wind in the Willows extract is from the second half of chapter 5, Dulce Domum .

Frances wrote: "I realize that both the Dickens reads are from The Pickwick Papers, chapters 28 and 29, although I have the Goblin story in a collection of short stories as well.

Grahame's [book:Th..."

Thanks for clarifying the Wind in the Willows extract. I'm really looking forward to reading all of these.

Ginny wrote: "I have managed to track down the first two stories. Luckily, The Phantom Coach is in Ghostly Tales: Spine-Chilling Stories of the Victorian Age, ... I found a pdf of The Kit Bag in Gutenberg Australia."

The Phantom Coach can also be found on Gutenberg Australia.

You can also have several of them read to you on YouTube. I'm probably going to do that for the first week's stories.

Jaylia3 wrote: "Frances wrote: "I realize that both the Dickens reads are from The Pickwick Papers, chapters 28 and 29

Lucky for me I have the Pickwick Papers stored in my loft, on retrieving them (there’s two volumes) I noticed that we will be reading the last chapter of volume one and the first chapter of volume two which will cause my bookshelf to deflect even more!

Neil wrote: "Lucky for me I have the Pickwick Papers stored in my loft, on r..."
How wonderful.

Winter Solstice ghost stories predate the Christian era.
The history of Christmas ghost stories:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n6oS...

Does anyone know where in Wind and the Willows to find "Mole End"? My copy has 12 chapters but none by that name.

It's the second half of chapter 5, Dulce Domum.

Frances wrote: "It's the second half of chapter 5, Dulce Domum."

Great, thanks! (And just noted that this was already covered in previous comments; guess I should have read them first!)