asenath
Crab On The Rampage
The Thing on the Doorstep
Posts: 32
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Post by asenath on Mar 6, 2012 21:03:06 GMT
Tales to Tremble by was part of the Whitman Classics imprint, targeted to a gradeschool/early teen audience. My mom bought this for me when I was probably in the 2nd or 3rd grade (1967). I was into all things scary and this fit the ticket, although in retrospect the contents are hardly what you would expect in a book aimed at young readers. The Hand - Guy de Maupassant
The Middle Toe of the Right Foot - Ambrose Bierce
No. 1 Branch Line, The Signalman - Charles Dickens
Adventure of the German Student - Washington Irving
The Sutor of Selkirk - Anonymous
The Upper Berth - F. Marion Crawford
The Judge's House - Bram Stoker Edited and with a short introduction by Stephen P. Sutton Most of these stories are heavily anthologized and are familiar to everyone at Vault. However, in 2nd grade most of the authors were total strangers to me, except for maybe Charles Dickens (mostly due to seeing an old b/w version of A Christmas Carol on tv). Needless to say, I didn't "get" most of the stories either. "The Upper Berth" I remember dragging on forever. "The Hand" was memorable to me because of the creeping hand crawling around on the furniture. And how could I forget the woman's head falling off at the end of "The Adventure of the German Student"? And the cover? That would give any kid nightmares for a month--at least in the late 60's. Today's kids seem a bit more jaded than I was. When I was older, I reread the book and was able to better appreciate the horrors within. Whitman was owned by the Western Publishing Company, or so it says inside the front cover. I never heard of them and the Whitman imprint seems to have disappeared after the mid-70's. I will post up the companion volume, More Tales to Tremble by tomorrow. Oh, and if I didn't insert the cover pic correctly, I sincerely apologize. Attachments:
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Post by monker on Mar 7, 2012 11:40:07 GMT
Whitman were also God Key Comics and they published comic adaptations of just about every TV show known to man and some that weren't; not to mention comics featuring cartoon characters from every major film studio bar the characters that were owned exclusively by Harvey comics.
They even managed a few horror theme titles. ;D
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asenath
Crab On The Rampage
The Thing on the Doorstep
Posts: 32
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Post by asenath on Mar 7, 2012 14:54:41 GMT
I didn't know they were affiliated with Gold Key comics. I have a few of those tucked away in storage; pretty sure they're horror titles or else I wouldn't have bought them. Whitman also had a line of Nancy Drew-type mysteries featuring teen sleuth Trixie Belden. I used to have one, but it has long since disappeared.
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asenath
Crab On The Rampage
The Thing on the Doorstep
Posts: 32
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Post by asenath on Mar 9, 2012 1:42:49 GMT
This is the follow-up volume, More Tales to Tremble by, featuring 8 tales of horror and the supernatural. The Red Lodge- H.R. Wakefield
Sredni Vashtar- Saki
Thurnley Anney- Perceval Landon
"God Grante That She Lye Stille"- Cynthia Asquith
The Voice in the Night- William Hope Hodgson
The Extra Passenger- August Derleth
Casting the Runes- M.R. James
The Book- Margaret IrwinEdited and featuring a brief introduction by Stephen P. Sutton Another crop of familiar tales to Vault members, I'm sure, but unknown to me at age 12. Again, this seems a lofty selection for gradeschoolers or young teens, but I'm glad I was introduced to the writers in both volumes at that age even though the writing was a bit over my head at times. The Saki tale was beyond me at that age as was the James. "The Red Lodge" registered with me no doubt due to the creepy seaweed creature roaming around. "The Voice in the Night" and "The Extra Passenger" were also two of my favorites. I'm surprised I can still eat mushrooms after reading the Hodgson tale. I wish there had been more in the series, but alas, there were only two, both of which I credit for introducing me to the classic English ghost story. Attachments:
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Post by dem bones on Mar 9, 2012 13:25:42 GMT
Stephen P. Sutton certainly knew what he was about. These make for an excellent introduction to the genre. I particularly like that there's not a single story over the two volumes that hasn't featured in collections published for the adult market. Vol 2 is just about as good as it gets. The Red Lodge was the first story H. R. Wakefield ever wrote and, much as i am a huge admirer of his subsequent work, i don't think he topped it. Thurnley Abbey, genuinely unsettling even when you know what's coming. and God Grante That She Lye Stille is Lady Cynthia on her best form ..... who could read this stuff and not become a fan?
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asenath
Crab On The Rampage
The Thing on the Doorstep
Posts: 32
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Post by asenath on Mar 9, 2012 16:56:19 GMT
Yes, Dem, I agree with you about Wakefield and The Red Lodge. I'm currently reading The Clock Strikes Twelve, and while I'm enjoying the stories, none of them have that sense of unease and sheer creepiness of Wakefield's first and best tale. Casting the Runes didn't make much sense to me in gradeschool, I think due to the format of the story, told with letters, office memos and newspaper clippings.
I can't imagine the current crop of American kiddies slogging their way through these stories, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong.
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Post by doug on Mar 9, 2012 17:34:37 GMT
Yes, Dem, I agree with you about Wakefield and The Red Lodge. I'm currently reading The Clock Strikes Twelve, and while I'm enjoying the stories, none of them have that sense of unease and sheer creepiness of Wakefield's first and best tale. Casting the Runes didn't make much sense to me in gradeschool, I think due to the format of the story, told with letters, office memos and newspaper clippings. I can't imagine the current crop of American kiddies slogging their way through these stories, but I sincerely hope I'm wrong. I had this as a kid. I loved it along with the Robert Arthur editied Alfred Hitchcock horror anthologies for youngsters. This is the kinds of writing that I learned to read by. I doubt that grade scholl kids today would even know where to begin with this kind of stuff. I've seen several times in other forums statements (made by younger people) claiming that that this older stuff is unreadable!!!  Lord preserve us!!  I'm 50 and back in grade school during the very early 70's we were for example getting H.G. Wells, Poe, Lovecraft and Shirley Jackson books through the "Scholastic Book Club". I bet they don't have these goodies for the kids to cut their teeth on anymore!  I'm serious! They were supplying thses books to 9 year olds! That was wonderful! take care and enjoy the weekend. Doug |
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asenath
Crab On The Rampage
The Thing on the Doorstep
Posts: 32
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Post by asenath on Mar 12, 2012 1:42:26 GMT
You are the first person I've talked to who remembers the TTTB books! I also ordered Lovecraft and Poe from Scholastic. Today I imagine the reading fare is pretty lame.
Today's kids are used to fast-paced, action-packed entertainment. If something doesn't move fast enough, they are instantly bored. If only they knew what they were missing.
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Post by doug on Mar 12, 2012 7:52:11 GMT
You are the first person I've talked to who remembers the TTTB books! I also ordered Lovecraft and Poe from Scholastic. Today I imagine the reading fare is pretty lame. Today's kids are used to fast-paced, action-packed entertainment. If something doesn't move fast enough, they are instantly bored. If only they knew what they were missing. And I find that truly sad! Do you remember these also?    and now for a technical question. I tried linking thse directly from my picasa album and it didn't work. Is this even possible? take care. Doug |
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asenath
Crab On The Rampage
The Thing on the Doorstep
Posts: 32
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Post by asenath on Mar 12, 2012 10:44:39 GMT
Yes, I remember the 2nd two books. I think I had some anthologies edited by Bernhardt J. Hurwood. Love the cover on Chilling Ghost Stories! I can't see the first cover too well; I'm pretty far-sighted even with my glasses.
About your technical question: I'm not the person to ask being techno-challenged as I am. I've had to ask everyone else how to do quotes and use photobucket etc... I have no idea what Picasa is. Sorry, wish I could help.
Thanks for the great cover pics!
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Post by doug on May 20, 2012 16:53:17 GMT
You are the first person I've talked to who remembers the TTTB books! I also ordered Lovecraft and Poe from Scholastic. Today I imagine the reading fare is pretty lame. Today's kids are used to fast-paced, action-packed entertainment. If something doesn't move fast enough, they are instantly bored. If only they knew what they were missing. And I find that truly sad! Do you remember these also? and now for a technical question. I tried linking thse directly from my picasa album and it didn't work. Is this even possible? take care. Doug My blog this week is about Mr. Hurwood! uncledougsbunkerofhorror.blogspot.de/Take care. Doug |
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Post by gormenghast on Dec 29, 2017 5:44:38 GMT
Speaking of Scholastic books does anyone remember a title called simply "Ghosts". Cover had a pic of a bearded man with his face covered in blood. The only story I can remember from this book was The haunted and the Haunters by Lytton.
Pete
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I'm serious! They were supplying thses books to 9 year olds! That was wonderful!