Book titles are sometimes misleading, perhaps no more so than in this instance, for the stories contained in this volume were not penned by Dahl, but selected by him as being exemplary pieces within the genre. That said, I was aware of this fact when I received this as a welcome Christmas present, so was not disappointed with its content. Dahl’s only contribution is in the form of an introductory essay, which outlines how he came to be tasked with selecting a number of ghost stories for adaptation for a US television series many years ago; this also outlines his thoughts on what makes a good ghost story.
As with any selection of tales, the reader’s enjoyment will, to at least a certain extent, be conditioned by the coincidence, or otherwise, of his or her taste with that of the editor. In this instance, Dahl lets us know that he’s a very picky reader by stating that he managed to find only two dozen genuinely good stories amongst the 749 that he read for this project, fourteen of which are published between these covers. Luckily for me, there seems to have been a considerable overlap between my taste and that of the editor in this instance, for of the fourteen, I found eleven of them quite gripping.
Strangely, not all of these tales are ghost stories, but they are nonetheless all possessed of a heavy dose of the uncanny. Two of the best are the introductory and closing tales, the first of which – W.S. by L.P. Hartley – features not a ghost, but an author’s creation come to life to seek an audience with his maker. It is a humorous piece, but unsettling all the same, and got me thinking as to which of my own characters I would not much relish meeting. Authors beware!
The Upper Berth by F. Marion Crawford, manages to elicit a frisson of nautical terror accompanied by the salty stench and decay of something that has momentarily escaped the depths of Davy Jones’s Locker. Other spirits that stalk the pages of this book are possessed of a most malign intent, such as the eponymous character in A.M. Burrage’s The Sweeper, and the felt-hatted visitor in Edith Wharton’s Afterward, but others – such as the shade in Cynthia Asquith’s The Corner Shop – are of a more benign disposition.
Overall, this book makes for a satisfying and rewarding read for those whose tastes incline more towards the traditional ghost story, but would probably not satisfy anyone who favours gore and breathless action-driven narrative. I would have given this volume five stars, but for the inclusion of Elias and Draug by Jonas Lie, which was not a ghost story, and by Dahl’s own admission, not a very good translation from the Norwegian.
In the mood for some fresh shivers? Here’s a more recent anthology of ghostly tales that you may find to your taste.
You must be logged in to post a comment.