Rosemary Pardoe - The James Gang

[dem]

Rosemary Pardoe (ed.) - The James Gang: A Bibliography Of Writers In The M. R. James Tradition (Haunted Library, 1991)

Front Cover, Dallas Goffin: Back, Rats, Nick Gadsby

Hugh Lamb - Introduction

Rosemary Pardoe - The James List

Rosemary Pardoe - Why The James Gang?
Hugh Lamb - A Final Note.

Credited for assistance in compiling the list: Mike Ashley, Richard Dalby, Hugh Lamb, David Rowlands, Maureen Speller and Colin Pink.


The following list includes writers in the M. R. James Tradition, together with those members of M. R. James' circle of friends who wrote ghost stories (not necessarily Jamesian ones).

I guess many people would argue that there are no circumstances under which a 14 page booklist could be described as "great fun", especially when said item is only minimally annotated, but I can only write as I find and The James Gang put a smile on my face at the time as, indeed, it has each time I've had occasion to renew the acquaintance, despite my interest in M. R. J. and his acolytes cooling over the intervening years.

The James Gang is as comprehensive a listing as you could find of MRJ influenced and related stories up to and including 1990, so plenty of E. G. Swain, Arthur Gray, A. N. L. Munby, H. R. Wakefield and everybody who ever contributed a story to Ghosts & Scholars make the cut, but that 'fun' aspect I mentioned comes into it with the less obvious inclusions: selections from Birkin's infamous-to-some Creeps series, Christopher Fowler's Rune ("a horror novel reworking Casting The Runes for the computer age"), Leslie Halliwell, Gordon Honeycombe, 'Thomas Muirson' (A Country Tale from Pan Horror #20), even Seabury Quinn - I repeat: Seabury Quinn - for the "marginally Jamesian" The Chapel Of Mystic Horror, The Bride Of Dewer and The Tenants Of Broussac)! Also of note: "ADRIAN, JACK - as J. R. Montague: Of Thee She'll Sing in The Valiant Book Of Mystery & Magic: a Jamesian pastiche cum parody in what is otherwise largely a comics annual" and, perhaps rather mischievously, "HARTLEY: J. R.: Fly Fishing (Walton, 1948); unusual piscine Jamesian ghost stories."

[Johnlprobert]

I've got this and I agree - it's loads of fun. It even mentions A Smell of Fresh Paint by 'Carl Schiffman' from Pan 20!

[dennistoun]

Just to note that the James Gang list was reprinted in the Campbell-edited Meddling with Ghosts (The British Library, 2001), which is itself a mighty collection of Jamesian tales.

[Michael Connolly]

Jul 2, 2008 10:16:09 GMT dem said:

Rosemary Pardoe (ed.) - The James Gang: A Bibliography Of Writers In The M. R. James Tradition (Haunted Library, 1991)

Front Cover, Dallas Goffin: Back, Rats, Nick Gadsby

Hugh Lamb - Introduction

Rosemary Pardoe - The James List

Rosemary Pardoe - Why The James Gang?
Hugh Lamb - A Final Note.

Credited for assistance in compiling the list: Mike Ashley, Richard Dalby, Hugh Lamb, David Rowlands, Maureen Speller and Colin Pink.


The following list includes writers in the M. R. James Tradition, together with those members of M. R. James' circle of friends who wrote ghost stories (not necessarily Jamesian ones).

I guess many people would argue that there are no circumstances under which a 14 page booklist could be described as "great fun", especially when said item is only minimally annotated, but I can only write as I find and The James Gang put a smile on my face at the time as, indeed, it has each time I've had occasion to renew the acquaintance, despite my interest in M. R. J. and his acolytes cooling over the intervening years.

The James Gang is as comprehensive a listing as you could find of MRJ influenced and related stories up to and including 1990, so plenty of E. G. Swain, Arthur Gray, A. N. L. Munby, H. R. Wakefield and everybody who ever contributed a story to Ghosts & Scholars make the cut, but that 'fun' aspect I mentioned comes into it with the less obvious inclusions: selections from Birkin's infamous-to-some Creeps series, Christopher Fowler's Rune ("a horror novel reworking Casting The Runes for the computer age"), Leslie Halliwell, Gordon Honeycombe, 'Thomas Muirson' (A Country Tale from Pan Horror #20), even Seabury Quinn - I repeat: Seabury Quinn - for the "marginally Jamesian" The Chapel Of Mystic Horror, The Bride Of Dewer and The Tenants Of Broussac)! Also of note: "ADRIAN, JACK - as J. R. Montague: Of Thee She'll Sing in The Valiant Book Of Mystery & Magic: a Jamesian pastiche cum parody in what is otherwise largely a comics annual" and, perhaps rather mischievously, "HARTLEY: J. R.: Fly Fishing (Walton, 1948); unusual piscine Jamesian ghost stories."

I can only find the first page of "Of Thee She'll Sing":



Here's one of the illustrations for it:

[helrunar]

Those are gorgeous scans, Michael. Thanks!

H.

[andydecker]

Wonderful, very good title.