Arthur Porges (1915–2006)

A collection of classic horror and thriller tales by some very famous and some not so well known, including some overlooked stories by the famous. The Introduction is by Uncle Stevie, and briefly covers a lot of the same ground as did his non-fiction masterpiece on horror, [Danse Macabre]. The book is worth the price just for this missive on the inner workings of horror literature. Some of the names you'd expect: [[Edgar Allan Poe]], [[H. G. Wells]], [[H. P. Lovecraft]]. Others, not so: show more [[Winston Churchill]] with a thriller about a man overboard; [[Theodore Dreiser]] with a spiritualism tale.

Rather than capture all the stories, I'll hit what I thought were the high points:

The Squaw by [[Bram Stoker]], a tale of revenge from the most unlikely of characters, a cat. While this one has been largely lost to the world, no doubt owing partially to the less than politically correct title, it's chilling.

The Girl with the Hungry Eyes by Fritz Leiber, a vampire of a very different sort, and one that is imminently more frightening than most, especially the sparkly kind so popular these days.

Camps by Jack Dan, a man balances on the edge of death, dreaming of a life he didn't live in a concentration camp.

Sardonicus by Ray Russell, beware what you wish for, as the consequences may outstrip your expectations. A horribly disfigured man coerces a doctor to cure him, but the cure imprisons him beyond his original disfigurement.

The Oblong Room by Edward D. Koch, a police procedural that requires the gumshoe to expand his mind beyond the natural.

The Party by William F. Nolan, a fevered dream that cannot be escaped.

The Crate by Stephen King, this one bears a slight resemblance to [[Douglas Preston]]'s [The Relic]. Here, a man opens a long forgotten crate in a university research laboratory and unleashes a very hungry entity. But the twist here - after the beast eats a couple people, the man's friend realizes its utility in doing away with his shrew of a wife.

Highly Recommended!!!!!
4 1/2 bones!!!!! show less

A fun and amusing twist on the old folk tales of a person posing a challenge to the Devil with their soul on the line.

OWEN MORGAN'S REVIEW OF Great Tales of Horror and the Supernatural (11/17)

Great Tales of Horror and the Supernatural by Bill Pronzini is probably not for all readers. Some may find it hard to read because, most of the authors who made up the book with their scary stories, lived back in the early 20th century. Apparently these authors just had to use difficult words that were old and hard to understand. Many of the stories that made up the book did not make a lot of sense to me. One writer show more must have been part Italian because his story was based it Italy and it contained a lot of Italian words. I was annoyed with the Italian story but not with some others. some stories I was not fascinated by, but when it came for me to catch some sleep, the horror of the woman waking up in her grave from one story would not let itself get outside my head. Although this horror tale was good, and the Italian one was not that good, there was some were not scary at all. These ones were boring, and I could hardly read them. I think that a young horror lover would be better of purchasing a more recent copy of a horror book.
-Øwen Mørgan show less

Contains:
Hop frog / Edgar Allan Poe --
Rappaccini's daughter / Nathaniel Hawthorne --
Squire Toby's will / J. Sheridan Le Fanu --
The Squaw / Bram Stoker --
The Jolly corner / Henry James --
"M"Man overboard!" / Winston Churchill --
The Hand / Theodore Dreiser --
The Valley of the spiders / H.G. We Wells --
The Middle toe of the right foot / Ambrose Bierce --
Pickman's model / H.P. Lovecraft --
Yours truly, Jack the Riperpper / Robert Bloch --
The Screaming laugh / Cornell Woolrich --
A Rose for Emily / show more William Faulkner --
Bianca's hands / Theodore Sturgeon --
The Girl with the hungry eyes / Fritz Leiber --
Shut a final door / Truman Capote --
Come and go mad / Frederic Brown --
The Scarlet king / Evan Hunter --
Sticks / Karl Edward Wagner --
Sardonicus / Ray Russell --
A Teacher's Rewards / Robert Phillips --
The Roaches / Thomas M. Disch --
The Jam / Henry Slesar --
Black wind / Bill Pronzini --
The Road to Mictlantecutli / Adobe James --
Passengers / Robert Silverberg --
TRhe Explosives expert / John Lutz --
Call first / Ramsey Campbell --
The Fly / Arthur Porges --
Namesake / Elizabeth Morton --
Camps / Jack Dann --
You know Willie / Theodore R. Cogswell --
The Mindworm / C.M. Kornbluth --
Warm / Robert Sheckley --
Transfer / Barry N. Malzberg --
The Doll / Joyce Carol Oates --
If Damon comes / Charles L. Grant --
The Oblong room / Edward D. Hoch --
The Party / William F. Nolan --
The Crate. show less