The Willows [Hardcover]

Algernon Blackwood (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006

Algernon Blackwood (1869-1951) was one of the all-time great supernatural writers, and "The Willows" is his masterpiece, praised as one of the greatest horror stories ever written. This edition adds a new introduction by John Gregory Betancourt. H. P. Lovecraft, in his essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature," wrote: "Less intense than Machen in delineating the extremes of stark fear, yet infinitely more closely wedded to the idea of an unreal world constantly pressing upon ours is the inspired and prolific Algernon Blackwood, amidst whose voluminous and uneven work may be found some of the finest spectral literature of this or any age. Of the quality of Mr. Blackwood's genius there can be no dispute; for no one has even approached the skill, seriousness, and minute fidelity with which he records the overtones of strangeness in ordinary things and experiences, or the preternatural insight with which he builds up detail by detail the complete sensations and perceptions leading from reality into supernormal life or vision. Without notable command of the poetic witchery of mere words, he is the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere; and can evoke what amounts almost to a story from a simple fragment of humourless psychological description. Above all others he understands how fully some sensitive minds dwell forever on the borderland of dream, and how relatively slight is the distinction betwixt those images formed from actual objects and those excited by the play of the imagination."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 108 pages
• Publisher: Wildside Press (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155742537X
• ISBN-13: 978-1557425379
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,929,702 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Edition, and for Free!, May 5, 2009

By 

B. I SIMPSON "beckoningchasm" (Asheville, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Willows (Kindle Edition)

As a recent purchaser of a Kindle, I naturally wanted some content, but felt somewhat bewhildered by the vast range of pricing--from free to relatively expensive--for what appeared to be identical works. In order to test the "free" works, I decided to download Algernon Blackwood's short novel, "The Willows," fully cognizant of the old adage that one gets what one pays for.

Well, the edition here is superb. No misspellings or misplaced punctuation that I saw; the only flaws were a handful of missing paragraph indentations, and they did not interfere with the flow of the story. I heartily commend those who took the time to transcribe this story for their excellent work.

As for the story itself, it remains a very unnerving read. Like Lovecraft, Blackwood spends most of the time building up a near palpable atmosphere of dread, with only a few fitful sightings to give shape to that dread. "The Willows" remains one of his best tales, and this edition is highly recommended.

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Different Edition, Different Publisher, March 26, 2008

By 

Copper Penny - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Willows (Paperback)

The review by Nick Estes is for a different edition from another publisher, not the Copper Penny Press edition, ISBN 978-0615182414, released in February 2008.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Patricia Watson Barrington Hills, Ill, November 24, 2010

By 

A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Willows (Kindle Edition)

Found this to be a wonderful and quick read for those who enjoy classic horror of times now past. There is no gore, no slashing, no blood: just pure exciting and well done storytelling.