Arthur Gray (2)

I found this via [a:Rosemary Pardoe|15283|Rosemary Pardoe|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]’s book of essays on thr ghostly tradition: [b:The Black Pilgrimage & Other Explorations: Essays on Supernatural Fiction|40164900|The Black Pilgrimage & Other Explorations Essays on Supernatural Fiction|Rosemary Pardoe|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1527016669s/40164900.jpg|62305804]. These are two collections of stories by different authors brought together. These are not pastiches of [a:M.R. James|2995925|M.R. James|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1254798756p2/2995925.jpg] but stories that partake of the same ghostly tradition of the early 20th century. The [a:E.G. Swain|1648907|E.G. Swain|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/m_50x66-82093808bca726cb3249a493fbd3bd0f.png] stories are the best, being closer to the James’ tradition, while the Tedious Brief Tales by “Ingulphus” are more like odd goings on in the distant past of Jesus College. There is no attempt in the latter to any sort of scare. Lots of the stories feature lost treasures with various revenants either pointing things out or maliciously preventing acquisition of said treasure, or meteing out punishment for the treasure finders. There is also one touching tale that breaks this mold right at the end.

These stories while not great actually rise above the bulk of the late Victorian ghost stories where anyone that could lift a pen seemed to be compelled to write a collection. But hey, they didn’t have the Kardashian’s to distract them back then so entertainment had a different meaning than it has today.… (mehr)