Ghost Stories & Supernatural Tales
From ghoulies and ghosties
And long-leggedy beasties
And things that go bump in the night,
Good Lord, deliver us! — Scots prayer
Well, wouldn’t you rather have advance warning? My father, who was a superb ghost-storyteller, taught me to appreciate and love a good ghost story. I have found ghost stories around the world, from Japan to England and Scotland, from Persia to Argentina. The United States from its colonial days has been good for “hants,” despite Nathaniel Hawthorne’s fear that we were not old enough (he wrote some terrific ones himself).
This page, because my bias and my suddenly remembering a writer who would qualify, will be frequently updated.
Enjoy! Hope you find something to give you the shivers!
Lafcadio Hearn: Short Stories
Lafcadio Hearn: Short Stories
Born in Greece, Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904) was educated in France and England, became a journalist in America, but truly came into his own in 1890 when he moved to Japan and immersed himself in the nation's culture. Ranging from the legends of the West Indies to the mysteries of the Far East, Hearn blurs the line between myth and reality with these atmospheric adaptations of traditional Japanese legends and ghost stories. Featuring 65 of his favorite stories—among them, "All in White" and "The Little Red Kitten"—this is a comprehensive introduction to a unique writer whose unbounded imagination and cultural sensitivity set him apart.