Halloween Reads
Do you like Halloween, but you're having trouble getting into that spooky spirit? Do what I do, and pick up a good book to read. Here are some classics, and some favorites, that are bound to get you in the mooooooooood.
Tales of Mystery and Madness
by Edgar Allen Poe
illustrated by Gris Grimly
Yeah, yeah, you know about Poe already--he is standard Halloween fare. Yes. But go find this version. The illustrations are SO worth it! It includes two of my favorite Poe stories: Fall of the House of Usher and The Masque of the Red Death, and two favorites since I received this book (Rebecca, thank you again and again for this, I LOVE IT), The Black Cat and Hop-Frog.
The Magic Circle
by Donna Jo Napoli
Napoli is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. The more I read of her, the more I love her. She tells beautiful stories.
This one is about a witch. Not just about a witch, but how she came to be a witch. And how and why she built a house of candy in the woods, and what really happened when Hansel and Gretel found it. Wonderful book about good versus evil, beautiful story about redemption. Oh, just go and read it already!
Something Wicked This Way Comes
by Ray Bradbury
Another classic. If you have never read this one before, perhaps this year is the year to go and pick it up from the library. It's a good read, plenty spooky, and though the ending falls a wee bit flat for some, it works for me.
Tamsin
by Peter S. Beagle
This is one of my favorite books of all time, but I feel I need to recommend it with a warning: people either love Beagle, or they can't stand him. I don't know why. But if you hated The Last Unicorn, probably skip this one. Also, the heroine is a thirteen-year-old snot who changes drastically throughout the book, in a good way. However, she starts off as a thirteen-year-old snot, and her actions and language reflect that. So be warned. Also, it takes a long time to actually get to the spooky stuff, 100 pages or so? Just so you know.
And now that the warning is out of the way--I LOVE THIS BOOK! You want ghosts? English folklore of things that go bump in the night? Ever heard of the Wild Hunt? Interested in a bit of darker English history? You can't read a book that will get you more in the mood, I don't think (I just finished it again).
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
by Washington Irving
(or any number of folk that have retold it)
Always a classic. Even if you prefer to watch it on film, there are a large variety of films to choose from (though I would stick to either the Disney version or the Tim Burton version, myself).
Why are you still here? Go to the library, already!
8 comments:
Uh yeah, sure. Go to the library? It's freaking 10:23 P.M.
I don't know about you, but we don't have an all night libary around these parts.
Oh, that's only because you're not trying hard enough, carrot. Don't you know what a crowbar and a black mask are good for?
I want to read everything that wynne reads. Will you buy me a nightlight and Depends in case I get too scared reading this? Maybe you should start a wynne Book Club and have those items along with your books.
Hey--you know I tried that already? For TWO YEARS there was an online book club, and it slowly died. I don't wanna do it again.
A nightlight? Sure, elastic. Email me your frickin' address and I'll send you a nightlight. See if I won't.
I don't have a frickin address. Will a street address do?
I haven't read actual books in a really long time because of the blog thing sucking up all my spare moments. I read the whole Twilight series in a week and now I'm working my way through the Neil Gaiman collection. Have you read Coraline? Creeeeeeppppppyyyy. I'm almost done and I love it. I'm halfway through Stardust too.
hmmmm
Okay Wynne... I must admit to you here and now: I hate being freaked out. Hubby travels and if I put spooky creepy stuff in my head while he's here, my overactive imagination pulls it out of my head when he's gone. It's not fun. So, um... don't hate me here, but, I, uh, yeah.
elastic--yeah, I have read Coraline. That, Stardust, and Good Omens are all the Gaiman I've done. Good Omens is REALLY worth it, especially if you don't know who Terry Pratchett is yet. Oh, I love him.
jean knee--oh yeah? Well, ooooo.
melissa--Please. Like I'm going to hate you 'cause you don't like scary. That's just fine by me. After all, I don't like gore. However, you are STILL OBLIGATED TO COME VISIT. This blog is just not scary.
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