Erckmann-Chatrian

I learned of this from M.R. James' essay "Some Remarks on Ghost Stories," in which he writes favorably of the stories of Erckmann-Chatrian. I couldn't pass up the chance to try some of them out, and found them worth a read, if not rising to the level of James' stories in creepiness or quality of the writing. He absolutely must have hated "The Spider of Guyana," though! The title story, "The Man-Wolf," was the one I most enjoyed: good, classic, gothic suspense.

19th century writers Erckmann and Chatrian were fairly popular in their day. They wrote more than just supernatural fiction. These would nearly all be classed as supernatural stories, but not ghost stories. Most read like legends or sagas that are set mostly in the 17th or 16th century, almost like archetype "Club Tales" at times.

I had to slog though this since the middle tales tended to be quite similar in style, plotting, and structure. The early tales were great and there is a long show more werewolf tale to cap the collection off that is outstanding.

Ash-Tree Press has almost made a business out of reissuing these rare collections. The last printed limited edition of 2,000 copies before Ash-Tree's from the 1980s, was completely lost in a series of business failures. They were presumably purloined but very few show up in the rare book market. show less

Book 39 - Emile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrian - The Man-Wolf

And so after Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy and The Invisible Man I have reached the end of finding the classic horror tropes with The Man-Wolf. Another trip in to the 1800s and another story of castles, ill lords and bewitching hags.

Unfortunately my mantra of finishing each book I start meant I had to finish this dull journey of a sick lord needing to be cured due to an enchantment by an old she-wolf witch. Sigh...the best show more thing about this book was its brevity....next !! show less

«Moi, je suis un homme du peuple, et j'écris pour le peuple. Je raconte ce qui s'est passé sous mes yeux.J'ai vu l'ancien régime avec ses lettres de cachet, son gouvernement du bon plaisir, sa dîme, ses corvées, ses jurandes, ses barrières, ses douanes intérieures, ses capucins crasseux mendiant de porte en porte, ses privilèges abominables, sa noblesse et son clergé, qui possédaient à eux seuls les deux tiers du territoire de la France! J'ai vu les états-généraux de 1789 et show more l'émigration, l'invasion des Prussiens et des Autrichiens, et la patrie en danger, la guerre civile, la Terreur, la levée en masse! enfin toutes ces choses grandes et terribles, qui étonneront les hommes jusqu'à la fin des siècles.C'est donc l'histoire de vos grands-pères, à vous tous, bourgeois, ouvriers, soldats et paysans, que je raconte, l'histoire de ces patriotes courageux qui ont renversé les bastilles, détruit les privilèges, aboli la noblesse, proclamé les Droits de l'homme, fondé l'égalité des citoyens devant la loi sur des bases inébranlables, et bousculé tous les rois de l'Europe, qui voulaient nous remettre la corde au cou.» show less