All of my projects for class are turned in and I am free until September 20th when my fall class on digital preservation begins. Being free means I can read, read, read. Hooray!
This morning on the way to work I noticed a tree already turning red. And then I checked in at Carl’s to find out that it is time for the R.I.P. Challenge. Today is a good day. I am going for a combo platter of sorts this year of novels and short stories with no set goal of reading a certain number by October 31st. My time once school begins again becomes uncertain. So, here are a few things I plan to draw from:
- Dracula by Bram Stoker. My Bookman insisted I add this to my list this year when he discovered I had never read it. I’ll be partaking of the Norton Critical Edition.
- Various ghost stories by Edith Wharton. I’m still working my way through Hermione Lee’s mammoth biography of her and I would love to sample her ghost stories, especially since Wharton herself did not like to read ghost stories because they frightened her. Oh irony!
- I’d also like to try some ghost stories by M.R. James. I have never read him but I hear they are pretty good.
- The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. I think I might be the last person to read this one.
- The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. If time allows I would love to reread this. It has been a very long time since I first read it and Colm Toibin’s The Master has a fictionalized telling of the novella’s creation which has had me wanting to read it since Toibin’s book earlier this year.
That seems to be enough. I could add more but that would really be going overboard since I said at the beginning I didn’t know how much time I would have to devote to the pleasures of reading come mid-September.
Ooh! I loved Dracula. It took me awhile to get into the letter format but I ended up loving it. I’ll be interested in what you think of The Graveyard Book. It really grew on me, although I wasn’t over-the-top in love upon first read, but mostly because I loved Coraline so much and was expecting something like that.
In ghostly terms, you can’t beat Joseph Sheridan LeFanu. Camilla is a great vampire story. His best book is The House by the Churchyard. Not a ghost story, it’s a bit of everything in the way of crime, suspense, and comedy.
I’m much taken with audio books of Gaiman’s works. Anansi Boys read by Lenny Henry or Neverwhere read by Gaiman himself , and Good Omens by Martin Jarvis are memorable experiences.
Your choices are excellent, by the way.
I’m interested in learning more about M.R. James, so I’m hoping you’ll have the time to read a few of his stories and can fill me in.
I’m still working on my RIP list.
I’ve never read Dracula either! I should totally put that on my list. Ah, so many books right
Have fun with the challenge!
Don’t you love that feeling of turning in the last paper–it’s such a relief and you feel totally free (for a while anyway…). I really liked Dracula and wouldn’t mind rereading it sometime, but I think I’ve got a few new books to read for my RIP choices. I want to read a few short stories, too. I read one by Wharton a few years ago–I should find the title and maybe you’ll read it and can explain it to me! If I recall correctly it was very ambiguous–but I guess that’s a ghost story for you. Have fun reading during your break from school!
Congrats on finishing up! Enjoy the break. How fun to have Dracula lined up to read — I hope you enjoy it! I thought it was great fun. I’ve never read any Gaiman, so you are not the last one to read The Graveyard Book. What a nice list you have!
You aren’t the last…. I am going to put Graveyard Book on my list simply because I thought I was the last one too:) I hope we both enjoy it. Happy Spooky Reading:)
Yay for Dracula! I only ask that you just read it and go with the flow of the story, save any commentary that may be in your version about the story until you’ve experienced it for yourself.
Graveyard Book is great, though I doubt you’re the last one. And I second the comment about the audio version. It is extra special.
This is a good list. I also hope to explore MR James this year. And I’ll be listening to The Graveyard Book on audiobook because I’ve heard that it’s fantastic that way. I’ve already read it once and really liked it and hope you do too!
I haven’t read The Graveyard Book either, although I’m just discovering Gaiman. Great list, here, Stefanie. I need to come up with some spooky reading for October as well, Wharton might be a great place to start.
Daphne, I remember when you read the Graveyard Book and weren’t enthusiastic but still liked it. Don’t know why I’ve never gotten around to Dracula, maybe because I feel like I have already read it?
Bob, oh I didn’t know Le Fanu did gothic/ ghosts. I thought he was a mystery-type writer. I will have to check him out if not this year then definitely next year. Thanks! I am not much of an audiobook listener, but should the mood strike I will keep your recommendations in mind
Susan, I’ll do my best with M.R. James. Can’t wait to see your list!
Iliana, I feel better that you haven’t read Dracula either. It has been getting to be one of those books I am ashamed to adimit I haven’t read.
Danielle, it is so nice to turn in the last assignment and look around and not have anything I have to do. When I finally graduate next year I’m not going to know what to do with mysel and I love it! If you remember what the Wharton story is let me know!
Dorothy, I remember when you read Dracula so I have hope that I will like it. I’d encourage you to read Gaiman sometime but I want you to read Margaret Atwood more so I will just let that go
Jessica, what a relief. We can compare notes! Happy spooky reading to you too!
Carl, thanks for the tip! I will just read the story first and save introductions and all the other stuff for afterwards.
Kristen, thanks! I have read an excerpt from Graveyard Book that appeared in a book of Gaiman’s short stories and it seemed good so I expect I will like it. And glad there will be andother MR James reader!
Good for you to finally have some time to read! I loved, loved, loved Dracula. Would read it again anytime if it weren’t so long.
I recently re-read some Edith Wharton short stories (including ghosts) and these were quite good, I hope you’ll enjoy them.
The Turn of the Screw is great too, but quite literary. I still have a DVD of the opera made by Britten from the book, but it’s pretty scary so I never finished it!
Hurray you’re RIPing as well. I hope you manage to get some good scary reads in and that Turn of the Screw is as good as it’s suppoused to be.
I love Dracula and loved teaching it! The Norton Critical Edition will be great because so much of what I love about the novel concerns the lit crit, the examination of culture, and the symbols. I used to use this for a short critical analysis paper for students and gave them loads of sources to draw from. It was the one paper I could be sure of enjoying when they turned in their final drafts.
The same is true of The Turn of the Screw; I loved seeing the way others viewed the novella, the characters, etc. Loved the approaches of various critical traditions–19th c. critcism, New Criticism, Psychological Criticism, Feminist Criticism. Fascinating.
Ooh, I want to sample Wharton’s ghost stories, too! There was one story in the collection I read (Roman Fever) that verged on a ghost story and whet my appetite for yet spookier fare from her.
Turn of the Screw is one of the only James novels I’ve read that I’ve actually, to some extent, enjoyed. Can’t resist that unreliable narrator!
I hope you love The Graveyard Book. I certainly did! (I burst into actual sobs, I’ll have to admit. Didn’t see that coming.) And I’ve never read Dracula, although I almost bought it my last trip to B&N. The Turn of The Screw scared the (four-letter word) out of me as a teen-ager. These are all wonderful reads and you’re in for a great time.
I’m actually working my way through The Graveyard Book right now. Currently stalled close to the middle. I’ll be sure to post a review if I ever finish it.
The only one which I have actually read is The Turn of the Screw, and I enjoyed it. I’ll be really interested in what you think of all the others. I don’t know if I fancy reading Dracula at all, I’ve never even watched a Dracula film.
Katrina: “I’ve never even watched a Dracula film”… don’t!!!
Seriously though, they are all awful in comparison to the book. Not one gets anywhere close to following the actual story and not one can capture the nuances of the time in which the story was written, the beauty of the language, the moments of building suspense, etc. Dracula is not, in any way, any of the films you would see. But it is a beautiful, interesting, and, for some, scary story that is not filled with gore, etc.
I really could do with a rereading of The Turn of the Screw too. Edith Wharton’s ghost stories are a great choice!
Smithereens, I hope I like Dracula as much as everyone else seems to. And I am glad to hear Wharton writes a good short story. I had no idea there was an opera of Turn of the Screw. And it’s scary you say? I might have to see if I can get my hands on it for a Halloween weekend viewing.
Jodie, oh yes, RIP is one of my favorite annual challenges. I don’t see your reading list yet but I look forward to it!
Jenclair, oh you’re getting me all excited to read these!
Emily, that’s right, I forgot you weren’t much of a James fan. It speaks well of Turn of the Screw if you like it. I’m very much looking forward to Wharton’s ghost stories. If she writes then half as good as her novels I expect they will be delicious.
Grad, Graveyard Book elicited a sob? Oh no. thanks for the warning though, I’ll have a tissue handy just in case.
Cameron, stalled? uh-oh. Hope it’s just because you have been busy. I’ll look out for your review.
Katrina, I expect Dracula films are nothing like the book just like the Frankstein films are nothing like the novel either. Who knows? Maybe I will love the book so much my enthusiasm will convince you to give it a try
Carl, I suspected that the movies were nothing like the book. It will be interesting to see just how different they are.
reviewsbylola, I’m looking forward to both Henry James and Edith Wharton. They should be great fun!
The EW story is called “The Lady’s Maid’s Bell”. I wrote about it here:
http://danitorres.typepad.com/workinprogress/2008/10/the-ladys-maids.html
Maybe I should reread it this year, too.
I’ve heard that the audio version of The Graveyard Book is particularly good, so I’m hoping to squeeze it in that way, on top of Dracula and the James’ short stories you’ve mentioned. Scary reading rocks!
The Graveyard Book is good, though. It is an extension of a short story that I really enjoyed, so I really enjoyed the book. Happy reading!
I hope you adore Dracula as much as I did – soooo much atmosphere and suspense!