M.R.James

Nickjsmith · 14th December 2001, 01:52 PM

Has anyone read M.R.James? A gifted writer. Very English in style and outlook- academic. Builds up suspense gradually.

Nick Smith

**Alfonso Casal** · 3rd January 2002, 01:42 AM

I, for one, would be very eager to see if the series of M.R. James short stories Mr. Lee hosted last Christmas ever shows up on these shores.

**Uwe Sommerlad** · 10th January 2002, 11:02 PM

James is, of course, the greatest of the ghost story writers - I still shudder at "A School Story", which I read as a child, and the scene at the shore in "Oh, Whistle, and I come to you, my lad" is (for me) one of the spookiest images in literature. To my personal taste, and regarding to ghost stories, only E. F. Benson and H. R. Wakefield come close to M.R. James.

Nickjsmith · 2nd February 2002, 02:32 PM

I am fond of Ambrose Bierce. Many of his stories are quite chilling. I remember reading The Red Room, by H.G.Wells (I think) as a child. Again very good. Of Poe, The Tell-Tale Heart is one of his most chilling stories, though The Black Cat is nearly as good. All of the above deal with the nature of fear for this is after all what lies at the heart of horror.

Nick Smith

**Uwe Sommerlad** · 3rd February 2002, 08:48 PM

Re. the nature of fear - you should try Wakefield`s story "Blind Man`s Buff" ...