Customer Reviews

The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales (The Oxford Book of . . . Series)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

I wanted to combine a good gothic book with the gothic romance I intended to read and had been on my TBR pile for a while and found this collection at a bookstore. The Oxford Book of Gothic Tales has a large collection stories by authors from times that vary from Georgian period to recent years. Some are dark and sinister, others have a mystery to discover while there are those that have only the gothic atmosphere down pat. There are quite a few popular authors here -- William Faulkner, Edgar Allan Poe, Angela Carter and Joyce Carol Oates, to name a few. There are also some stories written by "Anonymous." My favorite stories are "The Lady of the House of Love," by Angela Carter, Eden Glasgow's "Jordan's End," and Ray Russell's "Sardonicus." The stories are quite dark and are some of the best in the gothic genre. I've already read some of the stories from the authors I've enjoyed over the years (like Poe and Oates), but the ones I hadn't read made this a very enjoyable read for me. I cannot recommend this unique collection enough.

This is a wonderful anthology, giving a full historical spectrum of Gothic tales from silly early ones to chilling modern ones. I've used this as a textbook in two courses I teach in college, and students have been both amused (at blatantly Freudian overtones in 18th century stories) and horrified (especially at Pizarnek's account of Erzebet Bathory's perversions). My favorites are Carter's "Lady of the House of Love" and Cowles' "The Vampire of Kaldenstein," both of which combine eerieness with ironic humor.

This is a very interesting collection of literature. It includes writing from the late 1700s extending to the present. What makes this collection so amazing is that it not only includes stories from Poe, Lovecraft, and Hawthorne, but it also has stories taken from periodicals and anthologies long out of print. You'd never find some of this writing anywhere else, and it is truly amazing.
All of the stories do have somewhat of a dark and twisted theme, but they are all very rich.
If seriously considering this book, I highly recommend purchasing it in a hardback edition. It will last you much longer, and you'll be glad for this after reading it.

Rating a collection of tales by various authors is somewhat complicated. Here, what is offered to the reader is a wonderful selection of stories from various centuries that were written in the Gothic tradition. Anyone who is interested in studying intertextuality or motifs in various pieces will cherish this volume, as well as people who simply appreciate this genre of literature.

There are some great tales in this book.by such authors as-
poe,le fanu.hawthorne,g.w.cable,charlotte perkins stetson(weird psychological tale), nesbit,lovecraft,faulkner(this is not a gothic tale but pure faulknew; enjoyable),thomas hardy( Barbara of the house of grebe; loved this one), ellen glasgow (jordan's end; I do wish she had written more ghost tales) and many more fine
tales.

As a fan of gothic literature, I love this wonderful anthology. It begins with an introduction to classic gothic and its writers; and goes on to offer over 30 blood-chilling short stories by authors like Poe, Hardy, Hawthorne, Faulkner, and Borges. My favorite was A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner. It's exciting to have so much rich variety in one place. A bit eerie and unnerving, this volume is not for the faint-hearted. It's the perfect book to read on a stormy night! I highly recommend it.

I bought this book on a whim. It changed my life. Well not really but it is an incredible book. This book is loaded. From the first tale by someone named Anna Laetitia Aikin (1773) to the last by Isabel Allende (1991)this book is pure quality. Names such as Hawthorne, Hardy, Poe, Lovecraft, Bierce, Faulkner, Ray Russell, Le Fanu, Arthur Conan Doyle, and some chap named Anonymous who shows up frequently in the early stories. Come on you read the names BUY THE BOOK. It will change your life forever.

I'm only half-way through this book, and it is just completely terrific! It captivates the soul and excites the mind to horrific levels. This collection is the perfect thing for all of your moods! (Now I sound like a solicitor, don't I?) I usually like to read it in the bath tub, but it's the perfect thing for any time you need a quick reading-fix.

Another reviewer said this collection of stories changed their lives. It changed mine as well. It elevated my understanding of gothic literature and art and made me think critically about the popular manifestations of "goth" culture. And the most shocking tale, the one about "Countess Dracula", just happens to be true. But as Angela Carter's wonderful story "The Lady of the House of Love" shows, the gothic legacy has less to do with death and brooding and more to do with a totally different view on the world and living.

This book is not gothic at all, and it is very consertive.