Medieval Ghost Stories: An Anthology of Miracles, Marvels and Prodigies (Paperback)

by Andrew Joynes (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
A collection of stories that have stood the test of time. HISTORY MAGAZINE (US)(An) excellent compendium of medieval folklore. FORTEAN TIMESTruly ... a landmark work. This impeccably researched and very readable book should appeal to a wide audience. MEDIEVAL REVIEWEvery reader is sure to find something new and many readers may find something to treasure in this sprightly anthology. ARTHURIANAStrongly recommended. A convenient compendium indeed! MR JAMES NEWSLETTERAssembles dozens of ghostly tales from an impressive array of original sources ranging from Iceland to Florence. BBC HISTORY

Product Description
Strongly recommended. M R JAMES NEWSLETTER Stories of restless spirits returning from the afterlife are as old as storytelling. In medieval Europe ghosts, nightstalkers and unearthly visitors from parallel worlds had been in circulation since before the coming of Christianity. Here is a collection of ghostly encounters from medieval romances, monastic chronicles, sagas and heroic poetry. These tales bore a peculiar freight of spooks and spirituality which can still make the hair stand on end. Look at the story of Richard Rowntree's stillborn child, glimpsed by his father tangled in swaddling clothes on the road to Santiago, or the sly habits of water sprites resting as golden rings on the surface of the river, just out of reach. Writer and broadcaster Andrew Joynes brings together a vivid selection of these tales, with a thoughtful commentary that puts them in context and lays bare the layers of meaning in them.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Boydell Press (October 19, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843832690
• ISBN-13: 978-1843832690
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,091,275 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ghosties, Ghoulies and Things That Go Bump in the Night, February 11, 2004

By	Elle Ackers "Dulce_Quod_Utile" (Somewhere in time) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Medieval Ghost Stories: An Anthology of Miracles, Marvels and Prodigies (Paperback)

If you like ghost stories, you'll love the anthology MEDIEVAL GHOST STORIES compiled and edited by Andrew Joynes. Joynes compiled European tales that range from the 8th to the 14th centuries. The book is divided into four sections. Part One is Miracula and the Monastic Vision of Ghosts. Part Two is Mirabilia and Ghosts in Court Writing. Part Three is entitled Revenants, Prodigies and the Restless Dead. Part Four is Ghosts in Medieval Vernacular Literature. Each section has an overall introduction and each author or literary text also has information before it. The information links the stories from widely different periods together and shows that these tales, although quite different from the modern ghost story, are its literary ancestors.
I enjoyed all the stories, but find that I was quite fond of the stories regarding the Wild Hunt, The Tale of King Herla and Bisclavret by Marie de France.
If you are interested in the mindset of Middle Ages or enjoy legends and tales of the supernatural, you will definitely enjoy this lovely anthology. A selected bibliography and index are included.