The Haunting of Lamb House [Hardcover]

Joan Aiken (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1993

A fictional account of the haunting of one of the most literary houses in history speculates on the supernatural dimensions of the house that inspired Henry James to write The Turn of the Screw.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In three interlocking ghost stories spanning two centuries, the veteran British novelist ( Jane Fairfax ) places a fictional haunting within the history of a real English house, displays a masterly way with several contrasting narrative styles and sympathetically evokes some ghostly presences. The main spirit is the lame, sickly man-child Toby Lamb, who lives with his family in Lamb House in the English town of Rye during the 18th century. His sad, eloquently rendered diary shows Toby being bullied by his father, intimated by an older brother and emotionally broken by the fate of his sister Alice, who is effectively sold into slavery. Toby's chronicle also depicts his fluctuating health, his one close friendship and the two sad deaths that touch his family. The diary later falls into the hands of a late-19th-century tenant of Lamb House: Henry James, whose own lesser tragedies are made to parallel Toby's, and whose fragile ego demands that the journal be published, carefully doctored by James himself--until a subtle form of demonic visitation persuades the exiled writer to change his mind. The third owner and second author is E. F. Benson, who also senses the wayward spirit of the house and the growing number of literary demons quietly taking possession. Aiken starts much stronger than she finishes: Toby's tale has a somber, understated power, but while the two shorter sections on James and Benson demonstrate an admirable fluidity with language, they dilute the effectiveness of the book and the author's surprisingly hopeful message.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- Aiken's blending of historical and fictional characters and her restrained but uncanny skill at bringing to life the past while instilling a present sense of dread and horror make this book a treat for fans of the supernatural. Three separate tales are related, loosely connected by the fact that the characters in each lived, at some time, in Lamb House. By far the longest, and most interesting, is that of Toby Lamb, the lame younger son of an 18th-century brewer. He is devoted to his gentle older sister Alice, who is sent away to live with relatives. He faithfully writes to her, but she never replies. When she returns home years later, Alice is a bitter and changed woman. What evil has befallen her? Could there be a connection with the mysterious stranger Toby has seen in the garden? The other inhabitants of Lamb House are William and Henry James, philosopher and novelist brothers; and, later, the British author E. F. Benson. They, too, experience mysterious visitors in the old house. A haunting and compelling account.
- Diana C. Hirsch, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, MD
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 200 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Pr (January 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312090609
• ISBN-13: 978-0312090609
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #952,622 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joan Aiken (1924-2004) was the daughter of Pulitzer prize winning poet Conrad Aiken and started writing herself from the age of five. During her lifetime she published over one hundred books for children and adults, including the acclaimed Wolves of Willoughby Chase series. In the UK she received an MBE from the Queen for her services to Children's Literature.

This year sees the publication of a brand NEW story collection - The Monkey's Wedding - with previously unpublished material that shows Aiken on top form. This collection of funny, spooky, unexpected but classic Aiken stories has received wonderful reviews and will delight her readers. See below for details.

Her work continues to be adapted for film and television; she is established as a consummate storyteller,and recognized as one of the best loved authors of the twentieth century.

"The Wonderful World of Joan Aiken" is at www.joanaiken.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a unique and literary tale, August 18, 2000

By 

Amelia Sunderland "tesslouise" (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Haunting of Lamb House (Hardcover)

This book describes the intertwined lives of the persons who live in Lamb House over the course of many years: a crippled boy whose greatest desire never comes true; Henry James and his infatuation with various younger men; and other characters. And I do mean characters! These are not run-of-the-mill folks. They are interesting and quirky and unique. I also sensed some tongue-in-cheek pokes at sexuality, which were amusing. The entire book is enjoyable.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars History Of A Haunted House., November 19, 2006

By 

Betty Burks "Betty Burks" (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Haunting of Lamb House (Paperback)

Toby Lamb has suffered through a troubled and difficult family life in 18th century England and kept a detailed diary of how he was treated. He kept it hidden in a nook and was not found until a hundred years after his mysterious death in Lamb House. The noted author, Henry James, purchased the graceful Georgian mansion in the lovely English village and experienced supernatural entities and happenings during his short stay. He found the manuscript and had planned to publish this unusual report of the happenings in that historic house, but died under mysterious circumstances before he could do so.

The place stayed haunted after Fred Benson moved in and took over the manuscript as he delved into ancient history of that era. He talked and wrote messages to this entity and asked why it continued to hang around. He was told that Mr. James had promised to publish the diary, and he responded that Henry James had been dead for nine years. He came to understand where Toby's spirit was coming from and what really happened there through the correspondence. Finally, he is able to put the past and the ghost to rest.

Joan Aiken was a master storyteller (she died in 2004 at the age of eighty); she had permission from the owners in 1990, the Martins, to explore the attics and cellars of Lamb House for her research. She acknowledged that the characters of the book are real as she used biographies about Henry and Alice James and E. F. Benson, AS HE WAS by Geoffrey Palmer. The ghostly happenings came from her vivid imagination and the use of her magic wand and her way with words. Her way with words is powerful, so don't gild the lily. If you lay on the charm too thick, you'll come across as insincere when that's far from the truth. Instead, let your actions and your speech do the necessary work. Two of my favorite of her fiction were written twenty years apart: THE WEEPING ASH in 1982 and MIDNIGHT IS A PLACE in 2002. She also wrote a volume of stories about horror, suspense and fantasy, A TOUCH OF CHILL in 1985. Several of her books have been transcribed and published in the German language.

5.0 out of 5 stars haunting of lamb house, September 7, 2009

By 

R. L. Griffith - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Haunting of Lamb House (Hardcover)

Hard-to-find book, but timeless story of real place. Once you have read it you can go visit, or vice versa. ASIN