The Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories - Softcover

"An excellent selection, with an excellent bibliography included. the stories move smoothly through the decades--bringing in the modern and harkening back to the ancient."--Marjorie J. Burns, Portland State University "A splendid book."--The Chicago Tribune "Those who enjoy what Wharton called 'the fun of the shudder'...should shudder over The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories."--The St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Superb."--The Cincinnati Post "The forty-two stories gathered here are luminous examples of how affecting an immaculately wrought ghost story can be....A bounty of wonderful authors."--Booklist "Cox and Gilbert deserve praise for their scholarship and selection....The volume provides an education along with reading pleasure....Only the bravest will read The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories after dark."--Studies in Short Fiction "An excellent selection, with an excellent bibliography included. the stories move smoothly through the decades--bringing in the modern and harkening back to the ancient."--Marjorie J. Burns, Portland State University "A splendid book."--The Chicago Tribune "Those who enjoy what Wharton called 'the fun of the shudder'...should shudder over The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories."--The St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Superb."--The Cincinnati Post "The forty-two stories gathered here are luminous examples of how affecting an immaculately wrought ghost story can be....A bounty of wonderful authors."--Booklist "Cox and Gilbert deserve praise for their scholarship and selection....The volume provides an education along with reading pleasure....Only the bravest will read The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories after dark."--Studies in Short Fiction "An excellent selection, with an excellent bibliography included. the stories move smoothly through the decades--bringing in the modern and harkening back to the ancient."--Marjorie J. Burns, Portland State University "A splendid book."--The Chicago Tribune "Those who enjoy what Wharton called 'the fun of the shudder'...should shudder over The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories."--The St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Superb."--The Cincinnati Post "The forty-two stories gathered here are luminous examples of how affecting an immaculately wrought ghost story can be....A bounty of wonderful authors."--Booklist "Cox and Gilbert deserve praise for their scholarship and selection....The volume provides an education along with reading pleasure....Only the bravest will read The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories after dark."--Studies in Short Fiction "An excellent selection, with an excellent bibliography included. the stories move smoothly through the decades--bringing in the modern and harkening back to the ancient."--Marjorie J. Burns, Portland State University "A splendid book."--The Chicago Tribune "Those who enjoy what Wharton called 'the fun of the shudder'...should shudder over The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories."--The St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Superb."--The Cincinnati Post "The forty-two stories gathered here are luminous examples of how affecting an immaculately wrought ghost story can be....A bounty of wonderful authors."--Booklist "Cox and Gilbert deserve praise for their scholarship and selection....The volume provides an education along with reading pleasure....Only the bravest will read The Oxford Book of Ghost Stories after dark."--Studies in Short Fiction

This selection of 42 stories written between 1829 and 1981 presents the full range of the English tradition of literary ghost fiction by demonstrating its historical development as well as its major themes and characteristics. It combines a serious literary purpose with the intention of arousing fear at the doings of the dead and the important contribution of women writers is indicated by the eight stories included, from Amelia Edward's "The Phantom Ghost" to Elizabeth Bowen's "Hand in Glove". The fictional ghost story is dominated by English authors, from J.S.Le Fanu and M.R.James to Walter de la Mare and Robert Aickman, and by American authors, such as Edith Wharton, writing in the English tradition.