The Penguin Book of Ghost Stories From Elizabeth Gaskell to Ambrose Bierce

‘The ghost is the most enduring figure in supernatural fiction. He is absolutely indestructible... He changes with the styles in fiction but he never goes out of fashion. He is the really permanent citizen of the earth, for mortals, at best, are but transients’ - Dorothy ScarboroughThis new selection of ghost stories, by Michael Newton, brings together the best of the genre. From Elizabeth Gaskell's 'The Old Nurse's Story' through to Edith Wharton's 'Afterword', this collection covers all of the most terrifying tales of the genre. With a thoughtful introduction, and helpful notes, Newton places the stories contextually within the genre and elucidates the changing nature of the ghost story and how we interpret it.

Michael Newton's introduction discusses why ghost stories scare us and why they flourished from the mid nineteenth to the early twentieth century, examining their changing conventions throughout history. This edition also includes suggested further reading, notes, a glossary and a chronology.