3stringcat3
3. Paradiso - Dante
4stringcat3
4. The American Revolution - Gordon S. Wood
5stringcat3
5. The Giant Book of Ghost Stories - Richard Dalby, ed.
6stringcat3
6. Cousin Bette - Honore de Balzac
7. Strange Tales - Rudyard Kipling.
8. This Mortal Coil - Cynthia Asquith. So-so collection of overlong stories with no real scares and predictable turns. The best story, The Lovely Voice, is not supernatural at all.
9. The Death Mask and Other Ghosts - Mrs. H.D. Everett. Middling collection. Many of the stories end rather abruptly.
10. The Master and Margarita - Bulgakov. A wild ride.
7. Strange Tales - Rudyard Kipling.
8. This Mortal Coil - Cynthia Asquith. So-so collection of overlong stories with no real scares and predictable turns. The best story, The Lovely Voice, is not supernatural at all.
9. The Death Mask and Other Ghosts - Mrs. H.D. Everett. Middling collection. Many of the stories end rather abruptly.
10. The Master and Margarita - Bulgakov. A wild ride.
7stringcat3
11. Cumbrian Ghost Stories - Tony Walker
8stringcat3
12. Monseigneur Quixote - Graham Greene
Charming, often very funny.
Charming, often very funny.
9stringcat3
13. Out of the Past: Tales of Haunting History - Aaron Worth, editor.
Meh ghost story collection.
Meh ghost story collection.
10stringcat3
14. Disturbing the Water: Thirteen Original Ghost Stories Concerning Fish, Fishing, and Fishy Places - Peter Wise
Okay collection.
15. Eight Ghosts: The English Heritage Book of Ghost Stories - Sarah Perry, editor
Okay collection.
15. Eight Ghosts: The English Heritage Book of Ghost Stories - Sarah Perry, editor
11stringcat3
16. The Beginning and the End - Naguib Mahfouz
another of Mahfouz' superb tales of the Egyptian lower middle class
another of Mahfouz' superb tales of the Egyptian lower middle class
12stringcat3
17. The Betrothed - Alessandro Manzoni
Can't decide whether this novel is indeed great or just really a potboiler
Can't decide whether this novel is indeed great or just really a potboiler
13stringcat3
18. Life Among the Savages - Shirley Jackson
16stringcat3
21. Six Ghost Stories - Montague Summers
The Governess was the best of the lot, with Romeo and Juliet good if a trifle heavy-handed.
22. Cry, the Beloved Country - Alan Paton
A beautiful book, with more depth than just a criticism of South African apartheid.
The Governess was the best of the lot, with Romeo and Juliet good if a trifle heavy-handed.
22. Cry, the Beloved Country - Alan Paton
A beautiful book, with more depth than just a criticism of South African apartheid.
17stringcat3
23. The Wimbourne Book of Victorian Ghost Stories - Volume 6 - Alastair Gunn, editor
18stringcat3
24. The House of Silence: Ghost Stories, 1887-1920 - E Nesbit
19stringcat3
26. A Night in the Lonesome October - Roger Zelazny
Somewhat amusing. Got repetitive and so a bit tedious. Not sure why this is a cult fave.
Somewhat amusing. Got repetitive and so a bit tedious. Not sure why this is a cult fave.
20rocketjk
>16 stringcat3: It's been a long time since I read Cry, the Beloved Country, but I do remember thinking it was outstanding. Paton's novel Too Late the Phalarope is also terrific (sez me).
21stringcat3
>20 rocketjk: I haven't read Too Late the Phalarope. I had read Cry, the Beloved Country back in high school (so, 50 years ago!) and didn't remember anything about it except that I hadn't liked it. What a difference half a century makes. Paton's language is beautiful.
22stringcat3
27. All This Richness: Short Stories by Barbara Pym and Her Readers - Kathy Achley, editor
As one would expect, the Pym stories are excellent, the fan fic okay to good enough.
28. The Tenth Man - Graham Greene
Another great, heart wrenching plot from Greene.
As one would expect, the Pym stories are excellent, the fan fic okay to good enough.
28. The Tenth Man - Graham Greene
Another great, heart wrenching plot from Greene.
23stringcat3
29. The Castle - Franz Kafka
A few amusing bits but weird just to be weird. Should not have been published in this unpolished state.
30. The Red Room - August Strindberg. Lush descriptions and amusing satirical portrayals of various silly or unpleasant characters, but too episodic. Lost interest about halfway through.
31. The Danger Tree - Olivia Manning
First installment of The Levant Trilogy. Riveting.
32. The Battle Lost and Won - Olivia Manning
Even better than The Danger Tree.
33. The Sum of Things - Olivia Manning
Last of The Levant Trilogy. Some excellent twists but the ending seemed abrupt and unsatisfying.
A few amusing bits but weird just to be weird. Should not have been published in this unpolished state.
30. The Red Room - August Strindberg. Lush descriptions and amusing satirical portrayals of various silly or unpleasant characters, but too episodic. Lost interest about halfway through.
31. The Danger Tree - Olivia Manning
First installment of The Levant Trilogy. Riveting.
32. The Battle Lost and Won - Olivia Manning
Even better than The Danger Tree.
33. The Sum of Things - Olivia Manning
Last of The Levant Trilogy. Some excellent twists but the ending seemed abrupt and unsatisfying.
24stringcat3
34. Creepy Classics: Ghost Stories from Ancient Rome - Juliette Harrisson
The novelty is using ancient texts for inspiration. Some of the stories are very slight, a few very good indeed (The Witch of Thessaly) but all are engaging.
The novelty is using ancient texts for inspiration. Some of the stories are very slight, a few very good indeed (The Witch of Thessaly) but all are engaging.
