Usborne Guides To Scary Stuff

[Swampirella]

Just treated myself to the 1998 Tiger Books edition of the Usborne Ghost book beloved, it seems, by British schoolchildren in the 70s and probably 80s. Fantastic illustrations; it was cheaper to get the "Guide to The Supernatural: Ghosts" than the '78 version "All About Ghosts", they're supposedly the same except for the cover.

As many of you might already know, Usborne also came out with equally delightful Guides to "Vampires, Werewolves and Demons" (a bit too pricey at the moment for me) as well as Monsters and UFOs. I'm sure some Vault members have fond memories of some of them.....

[dem]

Eric Maple, Eliot Humberstone & Lynn Myring - Supernatural World (Usbourne, 1979)

This one is particularly lovely, a compilation of 'Vampires, Werewolves & Demons,' 'Haunted Houses, Ghosts & Spectres' and 'Mysterious Powers & Strange Forces.' Artists include Oliver Frey, Jenny Thorne, Ken Scott, Terry Gabbey, Elaine Lee. Seonald Mackenzie, Derick Brown. Usborne also published a volume of Victorian Horror Stories.

Lord Dufferin's "curse"

[valdemar]

I got mine many years ago as a present. I'm pretty sure they're in the loft somewhere. Thanks for posting the pictures - I'd forgotten how nicely they were illustrated. The 'Lord Dufferin's Ghost' has to be the basis for the 'Room for one more on top' segment of the still creepy as hell Ealing movie 'Dead Of Night' [1945].

[dem]

Here's the vampire fiction content. My copy is in such terrible shape have to keep it in a polythene bag. Each time it's opened, more pages fall free from the spine.

[Swampirella]

Oct 15, 2017 20:07:44 GMT dem said:

Here's the vampire fiction content. My copy is in such terrible shape have to keep it in a polythene bag. Each time it's opened, more pages fall free from the spine.

Sorry to hear it's in such bad shape, much like a vampire exposed to sunlight.....

[jamesdoig]

Oct 15, 2017 20:49:07 GMT Swampirella said:

Oct 15, 2017 20:07:44 GMT dem said:

The Varney column isn't quite right - it appeared first in weekly penny parts starting in 1845, and the single volume was published in 1847.

[mattofthespurs]

I've still got all four volumes (the original 3 plus the omnibus) in very good nick.
I even remember buying them in the Pearson's department store in Enfield.
I must have been about 12 or 13.
Loved these when I bought them.
Still do.

[jackball74]

Oh wow - I always loved the Scholastic (American?) edition of the ghost book when young (finally got a copy not long ago) but didn't know these existed! The illustrations are worth the price alone!

[dem]

Omnibus companion volume to Supernatural World.

Mysteries Of The Unknown: Monsters,Ghosts & UFO's (Usbourne, 1977, 1979)

Carey Miller - Monsters
Christopher Maynard - Ghosts
Ted Wilding White & Kenneth Garland - UFO's

Artists:
Roland Berry, Gordon Davies, John Francis, Brian Lewis, Malcolm McGregor, Micheal Roffe, Christine Howes, Mike Baber, Derek Bunce, Terry Hadler, John Marshall

Highlights of the volume on Ghosts include The Village With A Dozen Ghosts, Photographs Of The Dead, The Phantom Hound, The Legless Ghost, Ghost Hunting, Clever Fakes/ Ghost Faking Equipment, and a particularly beautifully illustrated tour of The Haunted House. Also a Creepy Quiz.

[bluetomb]

I remember Haunted Houses, Ghosts and Spectres. The note on the Afrit stands out still, and a process of contacting the dead through boiling blood in a brazier. I wanted the other books, but I believe my copy came from a charity shop and I never found them. Usborne did some great work, I remember the Usborne Illustrated Guide to Greek Myths and Legends (with illustrations by Rodney Matthews) fondly. They were important books to my interest in stories, spookiness and monsters.

[mauricebendrix]

I have a good condition copy of the Supernatural World omnibus. I still think it's the best of all the books on the unknown/paranormal aimed at young persons. The illustrations and the general layout are truly excellent.
I also have a copy of the Mysterious Powers volume.

[The Lurker In The Shadows]

Anna at Usborne is trying to get the company to reissue the World of the Unknown books. To this end, she's arranged a petition to show there's interest out there in seeing the books brought back for a new generation.

www.change.org/p/usborne-publishing-bring-back-usborne-s-world-of-the-unknown-ghosts?

[bluespectre]

Hi, first post.

I grew up with these beautifully illustrated (and disturbing) books, and have never forgotten them. "The World of the Unknown" and the "Supernatural Guides" series are childhood classics.

[bluespectre]

Change.org petition for reissue of USBORNE Guide to the Supernatural World: Vampires, Ghosts & Mysterious Powers.

[supernaturalworld]

Hi,
I'm the creator of the petition to get the Usborne Guide to the Supernatural World republished. I have the full support of Anna at Usborne and she says that she has it on good authority that if the petition reaches 1000 signatures we are in with a chance. I currently need 530 signatures to get there, but we are nearly half way! Please come and sign if you haven't already. Here is the link:-
Petition for Supernatural World