Tis the season to be spooky and our most recent Genre
Reading Group certainly had some spookiness to offer! From fall reading classics to proms gone
horribly wrong, GRG members brought it all!
The Shining by Stephen King
(Barnes & Noble) First published in 1977,
The Shining quickly became a
benchmark in the literary career of Stephen King. This tale of a troubled man
hired to care for a remote mountain resort over the winter, his loyal wife, and
their uniquely gifted son slowly but steadily unfolds as secrets from the
Overlook Hotel's past are revealed, and the hotel itself attempts to claim the
very souls of the Torrance family. Adapted into
a cinematic masterpiece ofhorror by legendary director Stanley Kubrick - featuring an unforgettableperformance by a demonic Jack Nicholson -
The Shining stands as a cultural icon
of modern horror, a searing study of a family torn apart, and a nightmarish
glimpse into the dark recesses of human weakness and dementia.
Carrie by Stephen King
(Powells) Carrie White may have been unfashionable and unpopular, but she had a
gift. Carrie could make things move by concentrating on them. A candle would
fall. A door would lock. This was her power and her sin. Then, an act of
kindness, as spontaneous as the vicious taunts of her classmates, offered
Carrie a chance to be normal and go to her senior prom. But another act--of
ferocious cruelty--turned her gift into a weapon of horror and destruction that
her classmates would never forget.
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving
(Barnes & Noble) The quiet Dutch community of Sleepy Hollow lay in the
Adirondack mountains on the western shore of the mighty Hudson River in
America’s colonial period. The solitude of the woods was breathtaking, and not
even a schoolmaster was immune from the eerie miasma which everyone knew
permeated the dense forest. Written in 1820, Washington Irving’s
The Legend Of
Sleepy Hollow has become a classic of American literature, and has been retold
in many different ways.
The Small Hand & Dolly: Two Novels by Susan Hill
(Barnes & Noble)
The Small Hand
Antiquarian bookseller Adam Snow is returning from a client visit when he takes
a wrong turn and stumbles upon a derelict Edwardian house with a lush,
overgrown garden. As he approaches the door, he is startled to feel the
unmistakable sensation of a small, cold hand creeping into his own, almost as
though a child has taken hold of it. Shaken, he returns home to find himself
plagued by nightmares. But when he decides to investigate the house’s
mysteries, he is troubled by increasingly sinister visitations.
Dolly
After being orphaned at a young age, Edward Cayley is sent to spend the summer
with his forbidding Aunt Kestrel at Iyot house, her decaying estate on the
damp, lonely fens in the west of England. With him is his spoiled, spiteful
cousin Leonora. And when Leonora’s birthday wish for a beautiful doll is
denied, she unleashes a furious rage which will haunt Edward through the years
to come.
Three Quarters Dead by Richard Peck
(Powells) Being the new girl at school is rough. But when the popular girls
choose Kerry as the newest member of their ultra-exclusive clique, she thinks
her troubles are finally finished. When her three new friends are killed in a
horrifying car crash, her life seems over as well. But then the texts begin. .
. .Richard Peck returns to his contemporary teen- and ghost-story roots in this
suspenseful page-turner with a subtle commentary on peer pressure that fans of
television dramas such as
Pretty Little Liars and
Vampire Diaries will devour.
Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes: TheAuthorized Adaptation by Ron Wimberly
(Powells) Cooger and Darks Pandemonium Shadow Show howls into Green Town,
Illinois, at three in the morning a week before Halloween. Under its carnival
tents is a mirror maze that steals wishes; a carousel that promises eternal
life, in exchange for your soul; the Dust Witch, who unerringly foresees your
death; and Mr. Dark, the Illustrated Man, who has lived for centuries off the
misery of others. Only two boys, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, recognize
the dark magic at work and have a plan to stop this ancient evil, that is, if
it doesn't kill them first.
Something Wicked This Way Comes is Ray Bradbury's
incomparable work of dark fantasy, and the gifted illustrator Ron Wimberly has
stunningly captured its sinister magic in gorgeously realized black-and-white
art. Complete with an original introduction by Bradbury, Ray Bradbury's
Something Wicked This Way Comes: The Authorized Adaptation reintroduces this thrilling
classic.
The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier
(Powells) This much-anticipated follow-up to Jonathan Auxier’s exceptional
debut,
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, is a Victorian ghost story with
shades of Washington Irving and Henry James. More than just a spooky tale, it’s
also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.
The Night Gardener follows two abandoned Irish siblings who
travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the
house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are
confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their
very lives. With Auxier’s exquisite command of language, The Night Gardener is
a mesmerizing read and a classic in the making.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas manga adaptation
by Jun Asuka
(Powells) Jack Skellington's sick and tired of his hometown holiday, Halloween,
and is longing for something new. But when his soul searching leads to his
good-intentioned kidnapping of Santa, things start getting pretty hairy! In
this Japanese manga retelling of one of Disney's most enduring films, fans can
read how Jack almost ruined Christmas.
Jeffrey's Favorite 13 Ghost Stories by Kathryn Tucker
Windham
(Powells) The 13 stories in this volume are drawn from previous volumes of
Alabama, Lousiana, Georgia, Missippi, and Tennessee ghost tales. Those previous
volumes, most of them originally published by the University of Alabama Press,
are now out of print, except for her first,
13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey.-
Jeffrey, who features in the introduction to this volume, is the "friendly
poltergeist" who haunts the author's family home in Selma, AL. The
"Jeffrey" series began in 1969.
Haunted Birmingham by Alan Brown
(Powells) From the eerie vestiges of the Sloss Furnaces to the unexplained (and
un-booked) performances in the Alabama Theatre and rather otherworldly room
service at the Tutwiler Hotel, Birmingham is truly one of the South's
supernatural hotbeds. Renowned author and ghost expert Alan Brown delivers a
fascinating, downright spine-chilling collection of haunts from around the city
and surrounding neighborhoods such as Bessemer, Columbiana, Jasper and
Montevallo. Residents and tourists alike will cherish this exclusive glimpse
into the city's inexplicable occupants, and even the skeptics can enjoy the
book's historical framework.
Haunted Shelby County, Alabama by Kim Johnston
(Barnes & Noble) Shelby County, Alabama is at the heart of the state. The
area is home to Alabama’s forgotten plantations, a deep history of the Creek
Indians who died during the Trail of Tears and dark secrets from areas such as
Harpersville, Calera, Chelsea, Montevallo and Leeds. From eerie images of Civil
War ghosts at Shelby Springs Manor to the downright sinister happenings in the
Devil’s Corridor of Chelsea, the scars of the past have left Shelby County a
major hot spot of paranormal activity. Author and paranormal researcher Kim
Johnston delivers a fascinating collection of haunts and legends from around
Shelby County.
The Waste Land by T.S. Eliot
(Powells) As Paul Muldoon writes, "It's almost impossible to think of a
world in which
The Waste Land did not exist. So profound has its influence been
not only on twentieth-century poetry but on how we’ve come to view the century
as a whole, the poem itself risks being taken for granted." Famously
elliptical, wildly allusive, at once transcendent and bleak, The Waste Land
defined modernity after the First World War, forever transforming our
understanding of ourselves, the broken world we live in, and the literature
that was meant to make sense of it. In a voice that is arch, ironic, almost
ebullient, and yet world-weary and tragic, T. S. Eliot mixes and remixes,
drawing on a cast of ghosts to create a new literature for a new world. In the
words of Edmund Wilson, "Eliot…is one of our only authentic poets…[The
Waste Land is] one triumph after another."
The Encyclopedia of Gothic Literature: The Essential Guideto the Lives and Works of Gothic Writers by Mary Ellen Snodgrass
(Barnes & Noble) Gothic literature has been described as the expression
through story of the deepest human dread. This A-to-Z guide to Gothic
literature covers everything from the origins of the movement in the 18th
century with novels such as
The Castle of Otranto and
The Mysteries of Udolpho
to the movement's flowering in the 19th century with the poetry and prose of
such writers as the Bronte sisters and Edgar Allan Poe to its continuing
influence today.
The Encyclopedia of Gothic Literature is a must for teachers,
students, and anyone who wants to explore this fascinating and enduring
literary movement.
The Annotated Supernatural and Horror in Literature by H.P.
Lovecraft
(Barnes & Noble) H. P. Lovecraft's "Supernatural Horror in
Literature," first published in 1927, is widely recognized as the finest
historical survey of horror literature ever written. The product of both a keen
critical analyst and a working practitioner in the field, the essay affords
unique insights into the nature, development, and history of the weird tale.
Beginning with instances of weirdness in ancient literature, Lovecraft proceeds
to discuss horror writing in the Renaissance, the first Gothic novels of the
late 18th century, the revolutionary importance of Edgar Allan Poe, the work of
such leading figures as Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ambrose Bierce, and William Hope
Hodgson, and the four "modern masters"-Arthur Machen, Lord Dunsany,
Algernon Blackwood and M. R. James.
In this annotated edition of Lovecraft's seminal work,
acclaimed Lovecraft scholar S. T. Joshi has supplied detailed commentary on
many points. In addition, Joshi has supplied a comprehensive bibliography of
all the authors and works discussed in the essay, with references to modern
editions and critical studies. For this new edition, Joshi has exhaustively
revised and updated the bibliography and also revamped the notes to bring the
book in line with the most up-to-date scholarship on Lovecraft and weird
fiction. The entire volume has also been redesigned for ease of reading and
reference. This latest edition will be invaluable both to devotees of Lovecraft
and to enthusiasts of the weird tale.
Hop Frog by Edgar Allan Poe
(Barnes & Noble) "Hop-Frog" (originally
"Hop-Frog; Or, theEight Chained Ourangoutangs") is a short story by American writer Edgar
Allan Poe, first published in 1849. The title character, a dwarf taken from his
homeland, becomes the jester of a king particularly fond of practical jokes.
Taking revenge on the king and his cabinet for striking his friend and fellow
dwarf Trippetta, he dresses them as orangutans for a masquerade. In front of
the king's guests, Hop-Frog murders them all by setting their costumes on fire
before escaping with Trippetta.
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
(Powells) Written by an anonymous 19-year-old, rejected by two publishers, and
finally given a printing of only 500 copies, Mary Shelley's
Frankenstein would
go on to become one of the most influential novels in the science-fiction and
horror genres. But Shelley's work is much more than a Gothic tale of terror;
it's a classic piece of literature that raised many disturbing questions about
humankind that are just as relevant today as when they were written. On October
31, 1831, Shelley published a revised edition that has become the more widely
read version, not because of its textural superiority, but for its
availability. In fact, it has been argued that the original text, with its
darker undertones, may be the most definitive work. Whichever version you read,
Frankenstein is a masterpiece!
Recommended by Nate Ashley, Powells.com
Dracula by Bram Stoker
(Powells) "Count Dracula" has inspired countless movies, books, and
plays. But few, if any, have been fully faithful to Bram Stoker's original,
best-selling novel of mystery and horror, love and death, sin and redemption.
Dracula chronicles the vampire's journey from Transylvania to the
nighttime streets of London. There, he searches for the blood of strong men and
beautiful women while his enemies plot to rid the world of his frightful power.
Today's critics see
Dracula as a virtual textbook on Victorian
repression of the erotic and fear of female sexuality. In it, Stoker created a
new word for terror, a new myth to feed our nightmares, and a character who
will outlive us all.
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
(Powells) Lush, romantic, and wildly passionate: Emily Bronte's
Wuthering
Heights, the tale of two soul mates separated by class and society, has seduced
readers for generations and inspired countless adaptations. Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff--the gypsy boy her father
brought home to their estate of Wuthering Heights--have been inseparable since
childhood. But as Catherine grows up and becomes a lady, she spurns Heathcliff
for the wealthy and genteel Edgar Linton. She never stops loving him,
however…with a passion that not even death can diminish.
The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux
(Powells) Haunting readers since its first publication in 1911, the classic
story of the disfigured Erik who haunts the Paris Opera House and secretly
trains singer Christine Daa, leading to an obsessive love and pattern of fear
and violence, remains a riveting journey into the darkest regions of the human
heart.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo
(Powells) Set in medieval Paris, Victor Hugo's powerful historical romance has resonated with succeeding generations ever
since its publication in 1837. It tells the story of the beautiful gypsy
Esmeralda, condemned as a witch by the tormented archdeacon Claude Frollo, who
lusts after her. Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer of Notre-Dame Cathedral,
having fallen in love with the kindhearted Esmeralda, tries to save her by
hiding her in the cathedral's tower. When a crowd of Parisian peasants,
misunderstanding Quasimodos motives, attacks the church in an attempt to
liberate her, the story ends in tragedy.
Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice
(Powells) In a remote room in a large city, a young reporter sits face-to-face
with his most astonishing subject: a onetime New Orleans gentleman plantation
owner who, in vividly terrifying and haunting detail, recalls his centuries of
extraordinary life--beginning with his initiation into the ranks of the living
dead at the hands of the sinister, sensual vampire Lestat.
Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night by Nicholas
Rogers
(Powells) Every year, children and adults alike take to the streets dressed as
witches, demons, animals, celebrities, and more. They carve pumpkins and play
pranks, and the braver ones watch scary movies and go on ghost tours. There are
parades, fireworks displays, cornfield mazes, haunted houses and,
most important, copious amounts of bite-sized candy. The popularity of
Halloween has spread around the globe to places as diverse as Russia, China,
and Japan, but its association with death and the supernatural and its
inevitable commercialization has made it one of our most misunderstood
holidays. How did it become what it is today?
Doll Bones by Holly Black
(Powells) A doll that may be haunted leads three friends on a thrilling
adventure in this delightfully creepy novel from the New York
Times bestselling co-creator of the
Spiderwick Chronicles.
Zach, Poppy, and Alice have been friends forever. And for
almost as long, they’ve been playing one continuous, ever-changing game of
pirates and thieves, mermaids and warriors. Ruling over all is the Great Queen,
a bone-china doll cursing those who displease her.
But they are in middle school now. Zach’s father pushes him
to give up make-believe, and Zach quits the game. Their friendship might be
over, until Poppy declares she’s been having dreams about the Queen — and the
ghost of a girl who will not rest until the bone-china doll is buried in her
empty grave.
Zach and Alice and Poppy set off on one last adventure to
lay the Queen’s ghost to rest. But nothing goes according to plan, and as their
adventure turns into an epic journey, creepy things begin to happen. Is the
doll just a doll or something more sinister? And if there really is a ghost,
will it let them go now that it has them in its clutches?
Antichrist (DVD)
(Rotten Tomatoes) A grieving couple retreat to 'Eden', their isolated cabin in
the woods, where they hope to repair their broken hearts and troubled marriage.
But nature takes its course and things go from bad to worse.
Critics Consensus: Gruesome,
explicit and highly controversial; Lars Von Triers' arthouse-horror, though
beautifully shot, is no easy ride.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (DVD)
(Rotten Tomatoes) Halloween 3 has nothing in common with the original Halloween
other than its title. Here, a deranged mask manufacturer (Dan O'Herlihy) makes
and sells millions of Halloween masks that will kill any child who wears them.
When his scheme is found out, he goes on a bloody rampage in order to escape
detection.
My Story by Elizabeth Smart with Chris Stewart
(Powells) For the first time, ten years after her abduction from her Salt Lake
City bedroom, Elizabeth Smart reveals how she survived and the secret to
forging a new life in the wake of a brutal crime
On June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the
daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle
of the night by religious fanatic, Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda
Barzee. She was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and
told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her
rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the
pieces of her life.
Now for the first time, in her memoir, she
tells of the constant fear she endured every hour, her
courageous determination to maintain hope, and how she devised a plan to
manipulate her captors and convinced them to return to Utah, where she was
rescued minutes after arriving. Smart explains how her faith helped
her stay sane in the midst of a nightmare and how she found the strength to
confront her captors at their trial and see that justice was served.
In the nine years after her rescue, Smart transformed from
victim to advocate, traveling the country and working to educate, inspire and
foster change. She has created a foundation to help prevent crimes against
children and is a frequent public speaker. In 2012, she married
Matthew Gilmour, whom she met doing mission work in Paris for her church, in a
fairy tale wedding that made the cover of People magazine.
Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed, a Memoirof the Cleveland Kidnappings by Michelle Knight with Michelle Burford
(Powells) Michelle was a young single mother when she was kidnapped by a local
school bus driver named Ariel Castro. For more than a decade afterward, she
endured unimaginable torture at the hand of her abductor. In 2003 Amanda Berry
joined her in captivity, followed by Gina DeJesus in 2004. Their escape on May
6, 2013, made headlines around the world.
Barely out of her own tumultuous childhood, Michelle was
estranged from her family and fighting for custody of her young son when she
disappeared. Local police believed she had run away, so they removed her from
the missing persons lists fifteen months after she vanished. Castro tormented
her with these facts, reminding her that no one was looking for her, that the
outside world had forgotten her. But Michelle would not be broken.
In Finding Me, Michelle will reveal the
heartbreaking details of her story, including the thoughts and prayers that
helped her find courage to endure her unimaginable circumstances and now build
a life worth living. By sharing both her past and her efforts to create a
future, Michelle becomes a voice for the voiceless and a powerful symbol of
hope for the thousands of children and young adults who go missing every year.
George Romero Quadrilogy Zombie-Thon:
A group of people hide from bloodthirsty zombies in a
farmhouse.
Following an ever-growing epidemic of zombies that have
risen from the dead, two Philadelphia S.W.A.T. team members, a traffic
reporter, and his television executive girlfriend seek refuge in a secluded shopping
mall.
A small group of military officers and scientists dwell in
an underground bunker as the world above is overrun by zombies.
The living dead have taken over the world, and the last humans
live in a walled city to protect themselves as they come to grips with the
situation.
(Amazon) Enter the bleak existence of a call girl haunted by
the atrocities of her childhood. In the spring of 1997, Shelley Hansard is a
drug addict with a heroin habit and crack psychosis. Her desirability as a top
London call girl is waning. When her client dies in a suite at The Lanesborough Hotel, Shelley’s complex
double-life is blasted deeper into chaos. In her psychotic state, the skills
required to keep up her multiple personas are weakening. Amidst her few
friends, and what remains of her broken family, she struggles to maintain her
wall of lies.
Three backpackers head to a Slovak city that promises to
meet their hedonistic expectations, with no idea of the hell that awaits them.
Three American college students studying abroad are lured to
a Slovakian hostel, and discover the grim reality behind it.
A newcomer to a fancy ballet academy gradually comes to
realize that the school is a front for something far more sinister and
supernatural amidst a series of grisly murders.
The next GENRE READING GROUP meeting will take place on
Tuesday, November 25th at 6:30pm and the topic will be Native & early
Americans. Mark your calendars and join us!
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