Horror: 100 Best Books (and then some, as in 256 more honorable mentions)

We've been listless for awhile, so here's a list certain to reinvigorate our nearly unanimous love for lists this summer:

Horror: The 100 Best Books.

Published in 1988, it's the best horror list encompassing entries from the 17th century to the late 20th I've yet encountered. Editors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman asked 100 contemporary horror, sci-fi, and fantasy writers and critics (though they approached many more individuals than that) to write an essay about their favorite horror novel of all time.

"This, we thought, would make for a genuinely representative, though eclectic and controversial selection ... We are pleased that our final representation {356 books total, including their List of Recommended Reading that didn't make the top 100 cut} includes Jacobean Revenge Tragedies, gothic novels, literary classics, science fiction, detective stories, westerns, war novels, surrealist fantasies, pulp horror and major works of modern fiction."

Jones and Newman ranked their list chronologically. The oldest rank the highest; the newest the lowest. Works for me.

Up first, the 100 best, and then the 256 recommended reads.

I like listlessness. It's summer and it's hot. Let's have no list listing about this forum. Quit the listful thinking Enrique. Now!

Is the Bible on the list? It gets pretty gory in places. If it's not, I'm lodging a protest.

01. Doctor Faustus (1592) by Christopher Marlowe ... picked by Clive Barker

02. Macbeth (1606) by William ... picked by John Blackburn

03. The White Devil (1612) by John Webster ... picked by Diana Wynne Jones

04. Caleb Williams (1794) by William Godwin ... picked by Scott Bradfield

05. The Monk (1796) by Matthew Lewis ... picked by Les Daniels

06. The Best Tales of Hoffmann (1814-16) by E.T.A. Hoffmann ... picked by John Sladek

07. Northanger Abbey (1817) by Jane ... picked by David Pirie

08. Frankenstein (1818) by Mary Shelley ... picked by Jane Yolen

09. Melmoth the Wanderer (1820) by Charles Maturin ... picked by Peter Tremayne

10. The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner (1824) by James Hogg ... picked by Garry Kilworth

Oh U.! Looks like we cross posted. Dangnabbit! If only you had posted just a wee bit sooner and stopped me in time ... but since the first ten are up, I feel I have no choice but to list the remaining 346. Oh man I feel TERRIBLE. Had I only known that you abhor, deplore, and hate lists, I'd of never dunnit, I swear!

The aforementioned list is boring - some fine works but nothing new. I've read them all. So ho hum to your list.

Oh c'mon Henri, you know we hate lists in this Salon. We have listed everything already twice...

And we know who is naughty and who is nice.

who put he new salon pic up ?
It is really nice, That is how I see us.
Urania is the one with the deep cleavage, the one on the left of Henry who is showing off his new book
I am the MIB slightly amused

I did if you must know. That's a painting of a french salon featuring Moliere, btw, by whom? ... I suppose I should've given credit where credit is due, but I couldn't locate the source! Anybody know who painted it? I'm pretty sure that's Murr holding the book, or is that you, Mac? And who are the three other demure, lovely lasses, I'd like to know?

I don't know their names, but I would call them Huey, Dewey, and Louie

The painting looks like something by Jean Francois de Troy
I'll look it up...

It is de Troy indeed, here is his depiction of our latest convention

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:De_Troy_Oyster_Lunch.PNG

Mac,

As usual, your remarkable powers of obervation have correctly identified me in the French salon painting.

Thanks U, hard working is the secret