I can’t thank you enough for what your life and videos have done for me. Truly, I wish I could fully testify to my personal transformation having encountered your videos and by extension classic literature for the First time and I’m in my 40’s…simply thank you will have to do for now but it’s a BIG thank you 😊
Beautifully said. I have had the very same experience since finding Ben, and joining the Hardcore Literature Bookclub. Life affirming and transformative, and I will be forever grateful.
I am seeing that so many of us have had the same experience. I was going through a rough time when I found this channel, and just a day or two before I found it, I had actually prayed for some sort of help/guidance. Now, I do truly believe that it was God answering my prayers when this channel showed up on my recommended
Here are some I’d recommend: Lukundo by Ed Lucas White They Bite by Anthony Boucher The Well by W.W. Jacobs Colour Out of Space by HP Lovecraft Next In Line by Ray Bradbury The Jar by Ray Bradbury
This must be the best video of its kind. I am in awe of your knowledge and ability not only to persuade us to read new books but also, reread those we already know in a completely new light.
I’m so happy that ‘The Sandman’ was the first work you listed! Being German, I often find that on the international stage, our literature doesn’t quite get the acclaim it deserves, although Germany has produced countless top-notch writers (that go beyond the likes of Mann, Goethe and Hesse). When I first read The Sandman about one and a half years ago, I distinctly remember feeling sick in my stomach as I read the final words. Truly disturbing stuff, but a brilliant, dark tale nonetheless. Also - thank you so much for the consistently great videos! Every time you upload, it is a delight!
'tis the season! I'd love to see a 'How to Read the Great Books' video on The Canterbury Tales!😊🙏 Just picked it up for the first time and quickly falling in love with it.
happy to see another video out! I love your videos. They've guided me in my reading journey and have inspired my passion for classic literature. I'm a young man, and only really started reading about a year ago. But I can say with confidence that it's been one of the most enriching years of my life. I've learned so much, and the great literature that I read has shaped who I am in a big way. They've had an amazing influence on me. I'm planning on taking an English degree in university, and I hope to have a life full of constant learning. Without your videos, I wouldn't be reading enough, nor I would be reading deeply and properly. Thanks so much Benjamin!
OH BOY! OH BOY! OH BOY!Happy to have found your channel. At 57 I realize how much I miss reading daily. Thanks for the kick in the pants. I have Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dr. J & Mr. H all lined up for the season🎃 👻 Will fit some of these in as the nights get longer.
I've enjoyed many of these stories throughout my life. The Lottery is one I read in middle school and shared with my children when they were about the same age, opening a door to the macbre and dark side of personhood for them to examine. It was an opportunity to talk to my young people about the dark parts of a person's heart and has sparked a love of horror stories in all my now adult children. We often sit at the firepit telling scary stories with their children listening in. And I loved the wine references. It added a bit of interesting flavor to the video.
I've too many ghosts to count. Ghosts within other ghosts. To complete such an inventory will take, I am content, some number more lifetimes. In the meantime I instead meet them one on one, on the road as it were, of dreams. Thank you as always for this Benjamin.
I never want you to go away - you are the BEST! great voice, great subject, Just perfect! Easy to understand for those of us not as astute in literature- You have motivated me to become a real reader! I have sent your link to many many of my friends & professors...You are one of a kind...For real!
A Rose for Emily illustrates your idea of terror devolving into horror, Had to read it in high school. Enjoy Dickinson and will now reread her works looking for the gothic.
One of the great writers of horror, and indeed terror, was Algernon Blackwood. His great tale of edgy terror was called The Willows. I have read it a number of times and it never ceases to terrify me.
In 2019 I traveled with my daughter to Italy and one place we went to while in Rome was the Keats-Shelley House next to the Spanish Steps. It was fascinating and awesome to be there. My daughter is big fan of the book Frankenstein and she got me to read it. I have read Dracula, Frankenstein, Rebecca, and Jekyll and Hyde. I had planned to revisit them again, even more so now that I have seen your videos and have learned your ways of “owning” a book by annotating it. I am currently reading The Crucible, it’s the first book I’ve annotated after watching your annotations video and it really has changed my reading comprehension. I really appreciate the way you give information on your book recommendations in this video without spoiling any of the stories. This is a great list and will be fun to check out some other titles. Love your channel and I’ve been sharing it with all my book loving family and friends!
Hello Benjamin, thank you for another fascinating video. 6 of these short stories are available on Project Gutenberg. These will make a great Autumn/Winter read on my Kindle! I am 76 with 70 years of reading behind me, but I bow to your superior knowledge and skill in explicating literature. The spirit of Harold Bloom lives on!
Thank you, Alan. You've truly made my day with your lovely comment. To say that the spirit of Harold Bloom lives on is extraordinarily high praise indeed! Also, wonderful to know that you're a Kindle fan too. Project Gutenberg is one of the best resources on the internet. So much great literature housed there :)
@@BenjaminMcEvoy Strange to say, but I am not a big horror fan now ( I was in my younger days) or a big Kindle reader either, (I love REAL books!), but I do download the odd book or two from Project Gutenberg occasionally, especially the older stuff.
omgosh such fabulous recommendations! And ,the Solzhenitsyn quote is one of my all time favorite quotes ! “If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
I feel like I found a gold mine, after listening to a few minutes of your video on Jane Eyre, now I have to listen to them all!!! I keep replaying the Jane Eyre one, I think that will be my favourite for a long while.
The Lottery has traumatized generations of high school students in the US and Canada. For me it spoke directly to the dark vein in my heart, and I loved it. 😈 It set me off on a journey of finding every ghost story and creepy short story I could find. It’s been in many collections, but for anyone who hasn’t read it I recommend The Burial of the Rats by Bran Stoker. I also love Ambrose Bierce, particularly An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.
Oh, dear, they got you too, Chuck! I miss them as well. Used to love ordering platters of different kinds of oyster. I fear the smell or sight alone would result in some projectiles now though...
@@BenjaminMcEvoy That sucks man. Mine was from canned oysters. Maybe you'd have better luck with the fresh kind. Take Care, as an Aspiring Writer, I love the channel.
@@BenjaminMcEvoy Hey, what books would you recommend that have good quality modern proses. Pros that are not purple, and still able to still convey plot and description in a modern style that the modern TV binging reader could enjoy? It's hard to find list of modern books based on her prose style. Thanks
I love the variety of the selections I think the ones I am most familiar with is of course “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” so darn good!! 🩺Also very interested in Freudian psychology and how that would freak us all OUT! 😱😳
I adore Stevenson's story! One that I've reread every Halloween for years now. It seems to get better every year :) And there's definitely much to explore when it comes to Freud!
OnIy peopIe who are struggIing to keep their repressions in check fear Freud. He and Einstein were the two most briIIiant minds of the past century. Freud aIso wrote beautifuIIy. He was given the Goethe Prize for Iiterature for his essay "On Transience." If you wouId Iike to discuss this further you may ask me anything you Iike as regards psychoanalysis.
The first thing that came to mind when I saw the title - other than The Turn of the Screw - was the four novellas in Stephen King's Different Seasons. It's been almost 40 years since I've read them, but they've provided good materials for film adaptations.
I read the Monkey's Paw in high school over 40 year ago and its is still one that stands out in my mind. One of your authors you mentioned also wrote Moonfleet, another high school book. Though not short story or a book of terror, it was one that I remember as being dark and scary. I'm currently reading Frankenstein. Thank you for providing some great reading choices.
Loved these recommendations and the way you described the core themes of each story in the abstract. If gothic horror wasn't already my favourite genre of literature, I'd be seriously tempted. Thank you :)
Great topic and video. I find myself drawn again and again to the tales of M.R. James; “Whisper and I’ll Come to You” is chilling, full of that delightful creeping dread
Great episode! I actually have read most of the stories. I agree with the description of “The Lottery.” The story still haunts me after all the years I’ve first read it. I would recommend reading it, considering the current situation of our society.
Thank you, my friend. Oh, absolutely, and there's one line in particular in 'The Lottery' that never fails to get me... Very creepy stuff! Shirley Jackson definitely remains insightful!
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I just wanted to point out that "The Lottery" was first published in 'The New Yorker', a magazine, rather than the newspaper 'The New York Times'. It's a true classic among twentieth-century short stories, and can be read as a kind of science fiction, in the sense that the story is set in some kind of alternate universe where Christianity never developed (though there is one reference to a family named 'Delacroix'). But notice how there is never any reference to churches or pastors, underscoring how the annual ritual provides for the blood atonement that for Christians was encompassed once and for all in the sacrificial death of Jesus.
Yes alas, I’m so happy! Thank you once again for everything you do, you have changed my life and if I ever become a successful writer I owe a large amount of it to you. I’m currently beginning James’ The Turn of The Screw and reading it based off the original serialised publication schedule- I thought you would appreciate knowing. I was wondering, will you do any videos on writing in the future? Perhaps on planning poems or novels or simply on how one may take an obviously worthy idea and make it structured and fully formed rather than it forever living as nothing more than just an idea. I also wanted to add that I adore your infectious love for literature. I myself am 18 years of age and feel to be very similar to yourself and yet in real life I’m essentially misunderstood and can’t find anyone who resonates with me. My passion for literature is sort of viewed as a negative. For example, ‘you talk too much about…’ or ‘you’re too obsessed…’ and nobody ever wants to discuss anything for that matter not just literature. Thank you for making the feeling of loneliness less prominent in my life :)
I also loved The Sad Story of a Vampire by Count Eric Stenbok, practically no blood, though. A good deal of psychological horror and melancholy, though. It really resonated with me as good stories ought to.
I would highly recommend the following stories for the season; The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, N. By Stephen King, The Windego by Algernon Blackwood, The Body-Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Judge's House by Bram Stoker and The Thirteenth Tree by R. H. Malden.
Great video, something you said reminded me of something said by noted critic Edmund Wilson, when comparing Poe to Lovecraft - (paraphrasing) - "What is ultimately more terrifying, a creature with tentacles from outer space, or knowing that you are losing your mind?"
Another good one he had, when talking about Lovecraft, was saying that he "felt he had outgrown it at the age of twelve" 🤣 Interesting though, that you came to the same conclusion. Great minds think alike! You'd prob enjoy Edmund Wilson, loving literature like you do. I highly recommend him. Very inspiring, though you don't seem short of that! Speaking of which, love your channel! Inspiring me to read a book a week again. There's too much! I can't keep up! 🙂
This is a great list and I can't wait to get started. I tried reading Arthur Machen The Three Impostors long long ago and found it very tedious but I'm glad to know he wrote a short story that will probably do the trick for me. I was surprised you didn't have any Edgar Allan Poe. I was sure that you would have a Telltale Heart.
I'd never thought i would encounter someone so bloomian and profoundly read as yourself, McEvoy. Sincerely thank you, for keeping that spiritual tradition alive. I'm watching and rewatching your videos non-stop. Again: thank you. In the present moment, I'm articulating that system you taught in the video about 'an Oxford education for free' with a greater system to study literature alongside with others disciplines. But, Im having difficulties with the overload of information
Sir, I have just come across your channel and I have to say, not only your intense analysis of literature but also your articulate presentation of your views is just a wonderful treat. I also personally love the older horror works which dealt a lot with philosophy and thought hard about the human condition and the mysteries of reality. I really love "The Monkey's Paw". Subscribed to your channel and getting ready to enjoy more of your videos.🙏
Thank you Benjamin for these great suggestions. I also appreciate your mention of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlottes Perkins Gilman. I read this story months ago and am still haunted by it. I always love listening to you lectures, again thank you.
Your video helped me, a 16 year old, complete Anna Karenina, which I had put on hold. Thanks! And for short horror stories, I'd also suggest potential readers looking into Japanese folklore - it's got a great collection.
Congratulations on completing Anna Karenina! And great recommendation of Japanese folklore. I would personally recommend the writings of Lafcadio Hearn, who did a great job introducing the legends and ghost stories of Japan to the West!
I love the passion you share with your videos. One I would add the your list is The Yellow Wallpaper. I thought about it for weeks after I finished it 😬
Thank you, Bec. I really appreciate that :) I actually had The Yellow Wallpaper on a longer list when putting this video together - incredible work. It really stays with you, doesn't it?
I would recommend some Gogol! "The Nose" and "The Overcoat" are both great short stories with a unique mix of hyperrealism and the supernatural. Perfect for cold days. They're also bitterly funny. You can't beat the Russian greats when it comes to irony.
When I first time read the Monkey's Paw, I had a high blood pressure episode; my heart was coming out of my chest. It is the best. Great video, as usual. I always look forward for the next one. Thank you for your time!
Great selection of horror classics, I'd recommend some all-time favourites like The Call of Cthulhu, Pickman's Model, At The Mountains of Madness by the great H.P. Lovecraft, The Averoigne stories of Clark Ashton Smith, Poe's The Black Cat, Masque of the Red Death of course, The Beetle by Richard Marsh. Any of the stories of Thomas Ligotti. King's The Shining or IT. House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, William Hope Hodgson's The House on The Borderland, absolute classic of Cosmic horror. Blackwood's Ancient Sorceries. In graphic novels, Black Hole by Charles Burns.
My grandmother taught music and literature in college and the underlined text briefly seen in your video reminded me of her because she was aghast when the purity of the page was violated BUT she had "working" volumes, usually cheap paperbacks, cluttered with highlights, margin notes and dog eared corners 🤣
Nice video. Thanks. Good to see Maupassant's La Horla on your list. Terrifying, and more so given we know Maupassant was beginning his own descent into madness at the time. My own favourites include Dickens' The Signal-Man, M.R. James' 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad', and Poe's Buried Alive.
If you want to read creepy horror, make it easy on yourself and get short story anthologies of three authors: M.R. James, E.F. Benson, and Algernon Blackwood. If they don't give you the chills, nothing will.
Dear Ben, I enjoyed your video immensely! I’m a huge Daphne du Maurier fan, so I was very pleased that you recommended The Birds. During the Halloween season, I like to revisit her other short stories as well, particularly Don’t Look Now and Kiss Me Again, Stranger. I also highly recommend Joan Lindsay’s haunting and unforgettable Picnic At Hanging Rock as well as the excellent 1977 film adaptation, which you can stream on the Criterion channel. Thank you for your wonderful and inspiring content. Your service to literature lovers around the world is a godsend. We are deeply grateful! Bless you and Happy Halloween 🎃!
Guy de Maupassant's wonderful, isn't he? I'd love to hear what you make of The Horla, Matt. And thank you for the great recommendation of Robert Aickman!
While watching this, I was squirreling around, grabbing all my books, similarly titled books, gothic tales, late Victorian gothic tales, the vampyre and other tales. The list goes on lol The point was making notes on the stories you suggested and seeing which ones I already had and it's so exciting to have these suggestions at my fingertips. Perfect video that encompasses my idea of lovely spooky literature that sparked my love of the gothic. From this, I started reading The Great God Pan and I'm squealing over it! Thanks for all your videos! You've become part of my morning routine and constantly inspiring me to read. Thank you
Thank you, Professor, for another chapter of your informative and fascinating literary course. BTW, it’s interesting that Lovecraft didn’t make your list. Thanks again! 🙏🙏🙏
Thank you, Michael :) I adore Lovecraft! I made a bigger list when putting this video together and Lovecraft was on it. I’ve been binging his stories the last couple of weeks! He’s always great to read 😊
I have been binge watching your channel and have been enjoying your videos, alone at night, on my nights off. I have always loved to read, but you add a depth to these stories that I do not possess. And my cronies are not into literature. Or books for that matter. Thank you. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" has been one of my favorites since I was a kid and read it for English class. I feel a lot of people have a duo/ duel personality. I know I do at times.
Really enjoyed those these videos make me feel like a better reader. I immediately downloaded The Birds. I had no idea it came from a short story. So many good stories to work through.
Thank you, Miki :) That's so lovely of you to say. I'd love to hear what you make of 'The Birds'! I'm finding myself in the mood to throw on the Hitchcock film this month!
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I was able to get from my library and listened to the story. It was amazing. It was so suspenseful and I can see the post war messages. And how it ends open for interpretation. Loved it!
I've always loved the feelings of awe and the mysterious associated with Edward Bulwer-Lytton's "The Haunted and the Haunters" as well as H.G. Wells ' "The Red Room." Dickens' "The Signal-Man" still gives me shivers to this day. But my favorite short horror is the great "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Irving, one of the most atmospheric explorations of folklore ever. "The Lost Stradivarius" has been on my radar for a while, though I swear I read this storyline as a shorter work somewhere else.
As a new subscriber , my comments are a bit off topic as I'm just catching up. I made a pretty lengthy comment on your fifty book algorithm list which was great ( I read all but four). But more to the point your reference to Harold Bloom in that post and the post specific to Bloom as equally wonderful. At age 66, I've been reading Bloom for 30 years or so - he too , is my literally touchstone, my literary hero , and I took have read most of the larger books , in including his best book on Shakespeare. But to this post . Another very good post ; I've read most of these as well. What a fantastic chanel!
Great list with some of my favourites (Hoffman, Du Maurier, Jackson, etc.). Apart from M.R. James, I also love A Terribly Strange Bed’ by Wilkie Collins. So many good ones...
Great video Ben! Love the distinction between horror and terror. The Monkeys Paw is definitely true terror, and is probably my favourite tale of horror. Another work that haunts me is Franz Kafkas 'In the penal colony'. Something very frightening about the awe the officer feels for a killing machine, and how it feels like hes luring the protagonist to commit a crime, just so he can use the machine once more. It is also quite amusing how the protagonist just went along with everything because he wanted to be polite.
Yay, this is the first new upload since I found your channel! :) I've watched and enjoyed quite a few of your videos over the past few weeks, and my reading list has been getting longer and longer in the process. Also, just today I watched the keynote speech by Ray Bradbury you linked under your video on his 1000-night reading programme. Listening to this man is such an inspiration, thank you for directing me there! As for "spooky" literature, I'm currently reading The Castle of Otranto, and now I really want to read The Sandman. I've been reading way too little in my native language (German) lately, and I even have this on my shelf... The Lost Stradivarius sounds intriguing, too. As does everything else, really. And the reading list expands again. ;) Thank you for another great video and happy reading to you, too!
Some great horror stories, masterworks all; Count Magus by M. R. James Enoch by Robert Bloch Bianca's Hands by Theodore Sturgeon Sandkings by George R. R. Martin They Bite by Anthony Boucher Second Variety by Philip K. Dick August Heat by W. F. Harvey The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe The House the Blakeneys Built by Avram Davidson Green Thoughts by John Collier
This was definitely one of your best presentations, especially since I am currently reading weird short fiction right now. I am glad to hear E.T.A Hoffmann get attention paid to him. "The Sandman" is a disturbing story, but my favorite by him was "Ritter Gluck" that is more of a surprise ending. For recommendations, I'd start with Flannery O'Connor. Her worldview is the opposite of my own, but I feel boundless love for her magic with words and the gift for making the grotesque seem "normal." Next is Robert Aickman, who wrote horror stories with no monsters. Or if there are vampires, etc., they don't mean much. Weirdness just happens in Aickman and there's no explanation. Try "Ringing the Changes" and "The Hospice" for a start! Brian Evenson is a recent discovery for me. He is a cross between Aickman and J.G. Ballard. Evenson employs horror, science fiction, and ghost stories. I am working through a collection called Songs for the Unraveling of the World and look forward to reading more!
The turn of the 20th century utterly fascinates me! The occult revival; spiritualism; and the rise of groups like the Theosophical Society, the Societies for Psychical Research, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (which Yeats even participated in). It's the era that spawned the classics of Weird fiction that would go on to inspire authors like Lovecraft. The fiction from the period is really such a delight to read! My personal favorite shorts from the period (in addition to the ones you mentioend) include An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce, The King in Yellow cycle by Robert W. Chambers, and the Willows by Algernon Blackwood.
Watching this video and realizing I own a copy of most of the stories mentioned made me realize just how much I love the gothic (and) horror. Not in movies though... that's something to ponder about.
That's awesome. It certainly does sound like you love the genre! My taste diverges when it comes to literature vs film too. Love gothic literature, but definitely have other preferred genres when it comes to the movies.
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I read or heard about some of the authors you talked about while studying English and American literature in college. Got a really good overview of the major works and even took an elective where we exclusively read horror, fantasy and SF. Coming back to those stories now when I'm older has proven to be a rewarding experience. I should note that English is my second language. Reading in English now is second nature, but I still think I miss some nuances. It was especially true in college.
Getting out my copies of Dracula and Frankenstein for Halloween and found that I have more old Cormac McCarthy books than I remember having, bad habit of putting things in front of the books in the glass front case. Looking forward to the new ones. I read the Danse Macabre and I have finished Fairy Tale. Happy Halloween! I placed the Machen on Kindle for a Halloween read. Thank you.
I read this genre extensively in my 20s. I was living in East London and there were a lot of second hand bookstores around and I always found good collections of horror storries on the shelves out on the pavement, going for 20 or 30p. That was all I could afford for books then, anyway. I was on a story a night, before bed, which is kind of weird I guess but I got away with it.
I've recently discovered your channel and I love it so so much. I have a degree in Spanish Philology but I would have loved to study English Philology too, so your channel is a wonderful way to learn more about English literature :-) Gothic literature is one of my favorite genres and Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorite novels. I didn't know that difference between terror and horror, thank you so much for explaining it :-) I'm currently reading Salem's Lot and I'm feeling that sense of dread you mentioned as the tension builds up. It keeps me glue to the pages. Thank you so much for your videos and I apologize for any grammar mistakes (Spanish is my first language).
I love Nikolai Gogol's "The Viy". The part where the monk looks up from his prayerbook straight into the eyes of the dead maiden/witch, who has for some time been standing right in front of him, is a perfect example of how reading horror can be so much more effective than seeing it (thinking of the fine 1968 movie the Russians made of the story).
Thank you for your insight and content. I've only been aware of your channel for a couple of days. You have given me some confidence to read some of the giants. I read thrillers mainly, some political espionage etc. Now I feel differently and not so stupid. I've often thought about reading something classic, something important but they have always seemed a little out of my league, not any more. Yesterday I bought 6 books, none of them are by James Patterson. Thanks again.
I just recently discovered your channel. I absolutely love it! I’m very interested in joining your book club, but I have a few questions- how interactive is it? Are there regular live video club meeting with other members? How difficult is the work that comes with joining?
Thank you, Olivia! The club's super interactive and the discussion threads are incredibly lively. The group is wonderful and everyone's so lovely and insightful. We're not currently running live video meetings at the moment, just the discussion threads, video lectures, and bookish content. I would say the difficulty of the work depends on how much you would personally like to read/your preferred pace and depth of reading, but it's very accessible and we have lovers of literature from all walks of life. We'd be delighted to have you reading with us, and you'd be very warmly welcomed :)
M.R James had some splendid offerings of this type. I'd recommend "The Casting of the Runes" or "Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book" or "The Mezzotint", but he wrote many others. Great video, a couple of suggestions that I'm not familiar with for me to check out. Thanks. 🙂
If you ever come across a collection of short stories by the late author Robert Aickman, read them. He’s mostly ours of print, but you might find a copy of “cold Hand in Mine’ hidden away in a corner of a used bookstore. He is strange and entertaining.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was one of my first classic reads when I was a teenager. I remember being terrified but in a wholesome, nutritious way owing to the great writing. Definitely my recommendation for young folks trying to get into classics.
I have these recurring nightmares of a haunted house that represents what a Wes Anderson character called the absurd slaughterhouse of history, but I usually escape it with the other characters in my dream. The house is a bit like Beckett's 'Endgame', but then I realize it's a dream and wake up, or the dream gives way to lucidity and free-will.
I can’t thank you enough for what your life and videos have done for me. Truly, I wish I could fully testify to my personal transformation having encountered your videos and by extension classic literature for the First time and I’m in my 40’s…simply thank you will have to do for now but it’s a BIG thank you 😊
That is so incredibly kind of you to say :) Thank you so much, and thank you for being here and reading with me! I appreciate you 😊
So well said. I share your experience.
Beautifully said. I have had the very same experience since finding Ben, and joining the Hardcore Literature Bookclub. Life affirming and transformative, and I will be forever grateful.
I can add my well said as well! I’m learning so much. Most of all how to read and enjoy it!
I am seeing that so many of us have had the same experience. I was going through a rough time when I found this channel, and just a day or two before I found it, I had actually prayed for some sort of help/guidance. Now, I do truly believe that it was God answering my prayers when this channel showed up on my recommended
Here are some I’d recommend:
Lukundo by Ed Lucas White
They Bite by Anthony Boucher
The Well by W.W. Jacobs
Colour Out of Space by HP Lovecraft
Next In Line by Ray Bradbury
The Jar by Ray Bradbury
This must be the best video of its kind. I am in awe of your knowledge and ability not only to persuade us to read new books but also, reread those we already know in a completely new light.
Thank you so much. That's really kind of you to say. I appreciate you watching :)
I can't summon the words to tell you how valuable you are in this quotidian, 21st century nightmare. Please don't go away.
“Quotidian” “nightmare”?? 24:16
Honestly as a lover of all things spooky and shivery, i wouldn't mind if Ben turned this into a fully horror channel. 😊
I’m so happy that ‘The Sandman’ was the first work you listed! Being German, I often find that on the international stage, our literature doesn’t quite get the acclaim it deserves, although Germany has produced countless top-notch writers (that go beyond the likes of Mann, Goethe and Hesse). When I first read The Sandman about one and a half years ago, I distinctly remember feeling sick in my stomach as I read the final words. Truly disturbing stuff, but a brilliant, dark tale nonetheless. Also - thank you so much for the consistently great videos! Every time you upload, it is a delight!
Greetings from a fellow native German now living in the USA.
'tis the season! I'd love to see a 'How to Read the Great Books' video on The Canterbury Tales!😊🙏 Just picked it up for the first time and quickly falling in love with it.
happy to see another video out! I love your videos. They've guided me in my reading journey and have inspired my passion for classic literature. I'm a young man, and only really started reading about a year ago. But I can say with confidence that it's been one of the most enriching years of my life. I've learned so much, and the great literature that I read has shaped who I am in a big way. They've had an amazing influence on me. I'm planning on taking an English degree in university, and I hope to have a life full of constant learning. Without your videos, I wouldn't be reading enough, nor I would be reading deeply and properly. Thanks so much Benjamin!
OH BOY! OH BOY! OH BOY!Happy to have found your channel.
At 57 I realize how much I miss reading daily. Thanks for the kick in the pants.
I have Frankenstein, Dracula, and Dr. J & Mr. H all lined up for the season🎃 👻
Will fit some of these in as the nights get longer.
Found this channel this week amazing analysis in every video and always a great video.
Thank you so much, my friend :) I really appreciate that!
I've enjoyed many of these stories throughout my life. The Lottery is one I read in middle school and shared with my children when they were about the same age, opening a door to the macbre and dark side of personhood for them to examine. It was an opportunity to talk to my young people about the dark parts of a person's heart and has sparked a love of horror stories in all my now adult children. We often sit at the firepit telling scary stories with their children listening in. And I loved the wine references. It added a bit of interesting flavor to the video.
I've too many ghosts to count. Ghosts within other ghosts. To complete such an inventory will take, I am content, some number more lifetimes. In the meantime I instead meet them one on one, on the road as it were, of dreams. Thank you as always for this Benjamin.
Thank you for helping me to become a well-rounded reader. Your videos have encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone.
I never want you to go away - you are the BEST!
great voice, great subject, Just perfect!
Easy to understand for those of us not as astute in literature- You have motivated me to become a real reader! I have sent your link to many many of my friends & professors...You are one of a kind...For real!
A Rose for Emily illustrates your idea of terror devolving into horror, Had to read it in high school. Enjoy Dickinson and will now reread her works looking for the gothic.
Ben, you’re the best I’ve found out there, enjoy your stuff so much, hope you keep going for a long time.
Thank you so much, my friend. I really appreciate that. You've completely made my day :)
One of the great writers of horror, and indeed terror, was Algernon Blackwood. His great tale of edgy terror was called The Willows. I have read it a number of times and it never ceases to terrify me.
Oh, agreed! The Willows should really be talked about more.
In 2019 I traveled with my daughter to Italy and one place we went to while in Rome was the Keats-Shelley House next to the Spanish Steps. It was fascinating and awesome to be there. My daughter is big fan of the book Frankenstein and she got me to read it.
I have read Dracula, Frankenstein, Rebecca, and Jekyll and Hyde. I had planned to revisit them again, even more so now that I have seen your videos and have learned your ways of “owning” a book by annotating it. I am currently reading The Crucible, it’s the first book I’ve annotated after watching your annotations video and it really has changed my reading comprehension.
I really appreciate the way you give information on your book recommendations in this video without spoiling any of the stories. This is a great list and will be fun to check out some other titles.
Love your channel and I’ve been sharing it with all my book loving family and friends!
Hello Benjamin, thank you for another fascinating video. 6 of these short stories are available on Project Gutenberg. These will make a great Autumn/Winter read on my Kindle! I am 76 with 70 years of reading behind me, but I bow to your superior knowledge and skill in explicating literature. The spirit of Harold Bloom lives on!
Thank you, Alan. You've truly made my day with your lovely comment. To say that the spirit of Harold Bloom lives on is extraordinarily high praise indeed! Also, wonderful to know that you're a Kindle fan too. Project Gutenberg is one of the best resources on the internet. So much great literature housed there :)
@@BenjaminMcEvoy Strange to say, but I am not a big horror fan now ( I was in my younger days) or a big Kindle reader either, (I love REAL books!), but I do download the odd book or two from Project Gutenberg occasionally, especially the older stuff.
omgosh such fabulous recommendations! And ,the Solzhenitsyn quote is one of my all time favorite quotes !
“If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?”
I feel like I found a gold mine, after listening to a few minutes of your video on Jane Eyre, now I have to listen to them all!!! I keep replaying the Jane Eyre one, I think that will be my favourite for a long while.
Benjamin, every word you speak, is a gem I keep. Keep it up, you’re amazing.
Thank you so much :) I really appreciate you being here!
The Lottery has traumatized generations of high school students in the US and Canada. For me it spoke directly to the dark vein in my heart, and I loved it. 😈 It set me off on a journey of finding every ghost story and creepy short story I could find.
It’s been in many collections, but for anyone who hasn’t read it I recommend The Burial of the Rats by Bran Stoker. I also love Ambrose Bierce, particularly An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.
Impeccable timing. I was just starting my halloween readings
Hey, the same thing happened to me. First time I ever get food poisoning was from oysters. I've never ate them since. I miss them.
Oh, dear, they got you too, Chuck! I miss them as well. Used to love ordering platters of different kinds of oyster. I fear the smell or sight alone would result in some projectiles now though...
@@BenjaminMcEvoy That sucks man. Mine was from canned oysters. Maybe you'd have better luck with the fresh kind. Take Care, as an Aspiring Writer, I love the channel.
@@BenjaminMcEvoy Hey, what books would you recommend that have good quality modern proses.
Pros that are not purple, and still able to still convey plot and description in a modern style that the modern TV binging reader could enjoy?
It's hard to find list of modern books based on her prose style.
Thanks
I love the variety of the selections I think the ones I am most familiar with is of course “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” so darn good!! 🩺Also very interested in Freudian psychology and how that would freak us all OUT! 😱😳
I adore Stevenson's story! One that I've reread every Halloween for years now. It seems to get better every year :) And there's definitely much to explore when it comes to Freud!
OnIy peopIe who are struggIing to keep their repressions in check fear Freud. He and Einstein were the two most briIIiant minds of the past century. Freud aIso wrote beautifuIIy. He was given the Goethe Prize for Iiterature for his essay "On Transience." If you wouId Iike to discuss this further you may ask me anything you Iike as regards psychoanalysis.
Perfect timing for Halloween. Fantastic list.
Thank you, Gary! 🧛
The first thing that came to mind when I saw the title - other than The Turn of the Screw - was the four novellas in Stephen King's Different Seasons. It's been almost 40 years since I've read them, but they've provided good materials for film adaptations.
I read the Monkey's Paw in high school over 40 year ago and its is still one that stands out in my mind. One of your authors you mentioned also wrote Moonfleet, another high school book. Though not short story or a book of terror, it was one that I remember as being dark and scary. I'm currently reading Frankenstein. Thank you for providing some great reading choices.
Loved these recommendations and the way you described the core themes of each story in the abstract. If gothic horror wasn't already my favourite genre of literature, I'd be seriously tempted. Thank you :)
Thank you, Elene :) I'm so thrilled to have another lover of gothic horror literature here - my favourite genre too!
The joy of finding out that Ben has posted a new video 🎉🎉🎉
Thank you for being here, Paola! 😊
Great topic and video. I find myself drawn again and again to the tales of M.R. James; “Whisper and I’ll Come to You” is chilling, full of that delightful creeping dread
Glad to see you back! Thank you for this list!
Thank you, Gene :)
Excellent curation of terrifying tales! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much!! :)
Thank you for another great list! I can’t wait to get started
Thank you, Rick! Happy reading, my friend!
Great episode! I actually have read most of the stories. I agree with the description of “The Lottery.” The story still haunts me after all the years I’ve first read it. I would recommend reading it, considering the current situation of our society.
Thank you, my friend. Oh, absolutely, and there's one line in particular in 'The Lottery' that never fails to get me... Very creepy stuff! Shirley Jackson definitely remains insightful!
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I just wanted to point out that "The Lottery" was first published in 'The New Yorker', a magazine, rather than the newspaper 'The New York Times'. It's a true classic among twentieth-century short stories, and can be read as a kind of science fiction, in the sense that the story is set in some kind of alternate universe where Christianity never developed (though there is one reference to a family named 'Delacroix'). But notice how there is never any reference to churches or pastors, underscoring how the annual ritual provides for the blood atonement that for Christians was encompassed once and for all in the sacrificial death of Jesus.
I never get tired of that quote. It’s never been truer either.
Yes alas, I’m so happy! Thank you once again for everything you do, you have changed my life and if I ever become a successful writer I owe a large amount of it to you. I’m currently beginning James’ The Turn of The Screw and reading it based off the original serialised publication schedule- I thought you would appreciate knowing. I was wondering, will you do any videos on writing in the future? Perhaps on planning poems or novels or simply on how one may take an obviously worthy idea and make it structured and fully formed rather than it forever living as nothing more than just an idea.
I also wanted to add that I adore your infectious love for literature. I myself am 18 years of age and feel to be very similar to yourself and yet in real life I’m essentially misunderstood and can’t find anyone who resonates with me. My passion for literature is sort of viewed as a negative. For example, ‘you talk too much about…’ or ‘you’re too obsessed…’ and nobody ever wants to discuss anything for that matter not just literature. Thank you for making the feeling of loneliness less prominent in my life :)
All M. R. James' short stories, especially Whistle, and I'll come to you
I also loved The Sad Story of a Vampire by Count Eric Stenbok, practically no blood, though. A good deal of psychological horror and melancholy, though. It really resonated with me as good stories ought to.
I simply love listening to you talking.... It is like reading a good book.
I recently discovered your channel and it is wonderful! Thank you for taking the time to produce informative and very enjoyable videos 📚📖
Aw, thank you so much :) I really appreciate that, and am so happy you're here watching!
I would recommend Algernon Blackwood
Thank you for producing content like this. Although horror short tales are not my cup of tea, I appreciate the care and love put into thesevideos.
Thank you, René! I really appreciate that :)
Thanks for sharing, Benjamin! Cheers from Brazil!
Thank you, Eduardo :) Happy reading in Brazil!
I would highly recommend the following stories for the season; The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker, N. By Stephen King, The Windego by Algernon Blackwood, The Body-Snatcher by Robert Louis Stevenson, The Judge's House by Bram Stoker and The Thirteenth Tree by R. H. Malden.
Great video, something you said reminded me of something said by noted critic Edmund Wilson, when comparing Poe to Lovecraft - (paraphrasing) - "What is ultimately more terrifying, a creature with tentacles from outer space, or knowing that you are losing your mind?"
Wow! That's such a great quote! I love that :)
Another good one he had, when talking about Lovecraft, was saying that he "felt he had outgrown it at the age of twelve" 🤣 Interesting though, that you came to the same conclusion. Great minds think alike! You'd prob enjoy Edmund Wilson, loving literature like you do. I highly recommend him. Very inspiring, though you don't seem short of that! Speaking of which, love your channel! Inspiring me to read a book a week again. There's too much! I can't keep up! 🙂
This is a great list and I can't wait to get started. I tried reading Arthur Machen The Three Impostors long long ago and found it very tedious but I'm glad to know he wrote a short story that will probably do the trick for me. I was surprised you didn't have any Edgar Allan Poe. I was sure that you would have a Telltale Heart.
I'd never thought i would encounter someone so bloomian and profoundly read as yourself, McEvoy. Sincerely thank you, for keeping that spiritual tradition alive.
I'm watching and rewatching your videos non-stop. Again: thank you. In the present moment, I'm articulating that system you taught in the video about 'an Oxford education for free' with a greater system to study literature alongside with others disciplines. But, Im having difficulties with the overload of information
Sir, I have just come across your channel and I have to say, not only your intense analysis of literature but also your articulate presentation of your views is just a wonderful treat. I also personally love the older horror works which dealt a lot with philosophy and thought hard about the human condition and the mysteries of reality. I really love "The Monkey's Paw". Subscribed to your channel and getting ready to enjoy more of your videos.🙏
Thank you Benjamin for these great suggestions. I also appreciate your mention of The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlottes Perkins Gilman. I read this story months ago and am still haunted by it. I always love listening to you lectures, again thank you.
Your video helped me, a 16 year old, complete Anna Karenina, which I had put on hold. Thanks! And for short horror stories, I'd also suggest potential readers looking into Japanese folklore - it's got a great collection.
Congratulations on completing Anna Karenina! And great recommendation of Japanese folklore. I would personally recommend the writings of Lafcadio Hearn, who did a great job introducing the legends and ghost stories of Japan to the West!
Holy crow Ben, 50K subs? Where did that come from? Congrats man, your channel is brilliant and very passionate and positive
Thank you so much! I really appreciate that :) 50k subs blows my mind 😲🙏
I love the passion you share with your videos. One I would add the your list is The Yellow Wallpaper. I thought about it for weeks after I finished it 😬
Thank you, Bec. I really appreciate that :) I actually had The Yellow Wallpaper on a longer list when putting this video together - incredible work. It really stays with you, doesn't it?
Absolutely love The Yellow Wallpaper. It stays with you forever.
I would recommend some Gogol! "The Nose" and "The Overcoat" are both great short stories with a unique mix of hyperrealism and the supernatural. Perfect for cold days. They're also bitterly funny. You can't beat the Russian greats when it comes to irony.
When I first time read the Monkey's Paw, I had a high blood pressure episode; my heart was coming out of my chest.
It is the best.
Great video, as usual. I always look forward for the next one. Thank you for your time!
Great selection of horror classics, I'd recommend some all-time favourites like The Call of Cthulhu, Pickman's Model, At The Mountains of Madness by the great H.P. Lovecraft, The Averoigne stories of Clark Ashton Smith, Poe's The Black Cat, Masque of the Red Death of course, The Beetle by Richard Marsh. Any of the stories of Thomas Ligotti. King's The Shining or IT. House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski, William Hope Hodgson's The House on The Borderland, absolute classic of Cosmic horror. Blackwood's Ancient Sorceries. In graphic novels, Black Hole by Charles Burns.
My grandmother taught music and literature in college and the underlined text briefly seen in your video reminded me of her because she was aghast when the purity of the page was violated BUT she had "working" volumes, usually cheap paperbacks, cluttered with highlights, margin notes and dog eared corners 🤣
Anything by M.R. James, really...quite possibly a perfect 'vintage' ghost story writer
There is a UA-cam reading of The Lost Stradivarius
I’m a relatively new subscriber to your channel and I think it’s quite lovely because I do love knowing BookTubers and you’re doing a great job.
Nice video. Thanks. Good to see Maupassant's La Horla on your list. Terrifying, and more so given we know Maupassant was beginning his own descent into madness at the time. My own favourites include Dickens' The Signal-Man, M.R. James' 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad', and Poe's Buried Alive.
If you want to read creepy horror, make it easy on yourself and get short story anthologies of three authors: M.R. James, E.F. Benson, and Algernon Blackwood. If they don't give you the chills, nothing will.
Dear Ben, I enjoyed your video immensely! I’m a huge Daphne du Maurier fan, so I was very pleased that you recommended The Birds. During the Halloween season, I like to revisit her other short stories as well, particularly Don’t Look Now and Kiss Me Again, Stranger. I also highly recommend Joan Lindsay’s haunting and unforgettable Picnic At Hanging Rock as well as the excellent 1977 film adaptation, which you can stream on the Criterion channel.
Thank you for your wonderful and inspiring content. Your service to literature lovers around the world is a godsend. We are deeply grateful! Bless you and Happy Halloween 🎃!
There should also be a vedio on how to sound like Benjamin ....
Nice, I love Guy de Maupassant but haven't read The Horla yet. I also like to recommend Robert Aickman.
Guy de Maupassant's wonderful, isn't he? I'd love to hear what you make of The Horla, Matt. And thank you for the great recommendation of Robert Aickman!
Hello Ben, Thank you this lovely and teaching video from a library worker of 35 years who needs an upgrade on her reading in the new year.
While watching this, I was squirreling around, grabbing all my books, similarly titled books, gothic tales, late Victorian gothic tales, the vampyre and other tales. The list goes on lol
The point was making notes on the stories you suggested and seeing which ones I already had and it's so exciting to have these suggestions at my fingertips. Perfect video that encompasses my idea of lovely spooky literature that sparked my love of the gothic.
From this, I started reading The Great God Pan and I'm squealing over it! Thanks for all your videos! You've become part of my morning routine and constantly inspiring me to read. Thank you
Thank you, Professor, for another chapter of your informative and fascinating literary course.
BTW, it’s interesting that Lovecraft didn’t make your list.
Thanks again!
🙏🙏🙏
Thank you, Michael :) I adore Lovecraft! I made a bigger list when putting this video together and Lovecraft was on it. I’ve been binging his stories the last couple of weeks! He’s always great to read 😊
I have been binge watching your channel and have been enjoying your videos, alone at night, on my nights off. I have always loved to read, but you add a depth to these stories that I do not possess. And my cronies are not into literature. Or books for that matter. Thank you.
"Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" has been one of my favorites since I was a kid and read it for English class. I feel a lot of people have a duo/ duel personality. I know I do at times.
Really enjoyed those these videos make me feel like a better reader. I immediately downloaded The Birds. I had no idea it came from a short story. So many good stories to work through.
Thank you, Miki :) That's so lovely of you to say. I'd love to hear what you make of 'The Birds'! I'm finding myself in the mood to throw on the Hitchcock film this month!
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I was able to get from my library and listened to the story. It was amazing. It was so suspenseful and I can see the post war messages. And how it ends open for interpretation. Loved it!
I've always loved the feelings of awe and the mysterious associated with Edward Bulwer-Lytton's "The Haunted and the Haunters" as well as H.G. Wells ' "The Red Room." Dickens' "The Signal-Man" still gives me shivers to this day. But my favorite short horror is the great "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Irving, one of the most atmospheric explorations of folklore ever. "The Lost Stradivarius" has been on my radar for a while, though I swear I read this storyline as a shorter work somewhere else.
The Lost Stradivarius sounds absolutely fascinating! I’m ordering a copy tonight. Thank you so much!
Nice one, Edwin :) I'd love to hear what you make of it!
@@BenjaminMcEvoy Thanks again, Ben! It arrived in the mail last night along with The Sandman. 🙂
Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde were excellent. Dracula was a bit of a drag.
I remember comparing “Dulce Decorum est” to “the birds” in a high school essay. One of the few things I was proud of in high school.
As a new subscriber , my comments are a bit off topic as I'm just catching up. I made a pretty lengthy comment on your fifty book algorithm list which was great ( I read all but four). But more to the point your reference to Harold Bloom in that post and the post specific to Bloom as equally wonderful. At age 66, I've been reading Bloom for 30 years or so - he too , is my literally touchstone, my literary hero , and I took have read most of the larger books , in including his best book on Shakespeare. But to this post . Another very good post ; I've read most of these as well. What a fantastic chanel!
Great list with some of my favourites (Hoffman, Du Maurier, Jackson, etc.). Apart from M.R. James, I also love A Terribly Strange Bed’ by Wilkie Collins. So many good ones...
Great video Ben! Love the distinction between horror and terror. The Monkeys Paw is definitely true terror, and is probably my favourite tale of horror. Another work that haunts me is Franz Kafkas 'In the penal colony'. Something very frightening about the awe the officer feels for a killing machine, and how it feels like hes luring the protagonist to commit a crime, just so he can use the machine once more. It is also quite amusing how the protagonist just went along with everything because he wanted to be polite.
The Willows by Algernon Blackwood almost gave me a literary panic attack. So. Damn. Good.
Yes indeed but "The Wendigo" by Blackwood is even better, I think.
Yay, this is the first new upload since I found your channel! :) I've watched and enjoyed quite a few of your videos over the past few weeks, and my reading list has been getting longer and longer in the process. Also, just today I watched the keynote speech by Ray Bradbury you linked under your video on his 1000-night reading programme. Listening to this man is such an inspiration, thank you for directing me there!
As for "spooky" literature, I'm currently reading The Castle of Otranto, and now I really want to read The Sandman. I've been reading way too little in my native language (German) lately, and I even have this on my shelf... The Lost Stradivarius sounds intriguing, too. As does everything else, really. And the reading list expands again. ;)
Thank you for another great video and happy reading to you, too!
Thank you so much for this!
Thank you for watching!
Fun Fact: We were assigned ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ in our short story collection in school. It was suspenseful and terrifying but it was just so good.
Some great horror stories, masterworks all;
Count Magus by M. R. James
Enoch by Robert Bloch
Bianca's Hands by Theodore Sturgeon
Sandkings by George R. R. Martin
They Bite by Anthony Boucher
Second Variety by Philip K. Dick
August Heat by W. F. Harvey
The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe
The House the Blakeneys Built by Avram Davidson
Green Thoughts by John Collier
Thank you again for another great video!
Thank you for being here, Jonathan!
This was definitely one of your best presentations, especially since I am currently reading weird short fiction right now.
I am glad to hear E.T.A Hoffmann get attention paid to him. "The Sandman" is a disturbing story, but my favorite by him was "Ritter Gluck" that is more of a surprise ending.
For recommendations, I'd start with Flannery O'Connor. Her worldview is the opposite of my own, but I feel boundless love for her magic with words and the gift for making the grotesque seem "normal."
Next is Robert Aickman, who wrote horror stories with no monsters. Or if there are vampires, etc., they don't mean much. Weirdness just happens in Aickman and there's no explanation. Try "Ringing the Changes" and "The Hospice" for a start!
Brian Evenson is a recent discovery for me. He is a cross between Aickman and J.G. Ballard. Evenson employs horror, science fiction, and ghost stories. I am working through a collection called Songs for the Unraveling of the World and look forward to reading more!
The turn of the 20th century utterly fascinates me! The occult revival; spiritualism; and the rise of groups like the Theosophical Society, the Societies for Psychical Research, the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn (which Yeats even participated in). It's the era that spawned the classics of Weird fiction that would go on to inspire authors like Lovecraft. The fiction from the period is really such a delight to read!
My personal favorite shorts from the period (in addition to the ones you mentioend) include An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce, The King in Yellow cycle by Robert W. Chambers, and the Willows by Algernon Blackwood.
LOL -You crack me up - - - > Dare I say, haunted me..." . Good stuff here. Thank you.
I just discovered the channel and it's just brilliant.
Thank you, Patrick :) I'm so happy you're here!
Watching this video and realizing I own a copy of most of the stories mentioned made me realize just how much I love the gothic (and) horror. Not in movies though... that's something to ponder about.
That's awesome. It certainly does sound like you love the genre! My taste diverges when it comes to literature vs film too. Love gothic literature, but definitely have other preferred genres when it comes to the movies.
@@BenjaminMcEvoy I read or heard about some of the authors you talked about while studying English and American literature in college. Got a really good overview of the major works and even took an elective where we exclusively read horror, fantasy and SF. Coming back to those stories now when I'm older has proven to be a rewarding experience. I should note that English is my second language. Reading in English now is second nature, but I still think I miss some nuances. It was especially true in college.
Getting out my copies of Dracula and Frankenstein for Halloween and found that I have more old Cormac McCarthy books than I remember having, bad habit of putting things in front of the books in the glass front case. Looking forward to the new ones. I read the Danse Macabre and I have finished Fairy Tale. Happy Halloween! I placed the Machen on Kindle for a Halloween read. Thank you.
I read this genre extensively in my 20s. I was living in East London and there were a lot of second hand bookstores around and I always found good collections of horror storries on the shelves out on the pavement, going for 20 or 30p. That was all I could afford for books then, anyway. I was on a story a night, before bed, which is kind of weird I guess but I got away with it.
I've recently discovered your channel and I love it so so much. I have a degree in Spanish Philology but I would have loved to study English Philology too, so your channel is a wonderful way to learn more about English literature :-) Gothic literature is one of my favorite genres and Jane Eyre is one of my all time favorite novels. I didn't know that difference between terror and horror, thank you so much for explaining it :-) I'm currently reading Salem's Lot and I'm feeling that sense of dread you mentioned as the tension builds up. It keeps me glue to the pages. Thank you so much for your videos and I apologize for any grammar mistakes (Spanish is my first language).
I love Nikolai Gogol's "The Viy". The part where the monk looks up from his prayerbook straight into the eyes of the dead maiden/witch, who has for some time been standing right in front of him, is a perfect example of how reading horror can be so much more effective than seeing it (thinking of the fine 1968 movie the Russians made of the story).
Thank you for your insight and content. I've only been aware of your channel for a couple of days. You have given me some confidence to read some of the giants. I read thrillers mainly, some political espionage etc. Now I feel differently and not so stupid. I've often thought about reading something classic, something important but they have always seemed a little out of my league, not any more. Yesterday I bought 6 books, none of them are by James Patterson. Thanks again.
I just recently discovered your channel. I absolutely love it! I’m very interested in joining your book club, but I have a few questions- how interactive is it? Are there regular live video club meeting with other members? How difficult is the work that comes with joining?
Thank you, Olivia! The club's super interactive and the discussion threads are incredibly lively. The group is wonderful and everyone's so lovely and insightful. We're not currently running live video meetings at the moment, just the discussion threads, video lectures, and bookish content. I would say the difficulty of the work depends on how much you would personally like to read/your preferred pace and depth of reading, but it's very accessible and we have lovers of literature from all walks of life. We'd be delighted to have you reading with us, and you'd be very warmly welcomed :)
Thank you so much for your reply. I’m definitely going to be joining! Probably close to the first of the year. 😊 I’m really looking forward to it!
M.R James had some splendid offerings of this type. I'd recommend "The Casting of the Runes" or "Canon Alberic's Scrap-Book" or "The Mezzotint", but he wrote many others. Great video, a couple of suggestions that I'm not familiar with for me to check out. Thanks. 🙂
Yes. All superb stories.
If you ever come across a collection of short stories by the late author Robert Aickman, read them. He’s mostly ours of print, but you might find a copy of “cold Hand in Mine’ hidden away in a corner of a used bookstore. He is strange and entertaining.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde was one of my first classic reads when I was a teenager. I remember being terrified but in a wholesome, nutritious way owing to the great writing. Definitely my recommendation for young folks trying to get into classics.
Brilliant video...great recommendations...thank you💕💕
Thank you, Shabir 😊
I have these recurring nightmares of a haunted house that represents what a Wes Anderson character called the absurd slaughterhouse of history, but I usually escape it with the other characters in my dream.
The house is a bit like Beckett's 'Endgame', but then I realize it's a dream and wake up, or the dream gives way to lucidity and free-will.
Wow. That's incredible. It sounds like your unconscious to trying to help you with something, Francisco!