High Spirits: A Collection of Ghost Stories
Registered by 
GoryDetails
of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 6/20/2018
This Book is Currently in the Wild!
GoryDetails of Nashua, New Hampshire USA on 6/20/2018 This Book is Currently in the Wild!
1 journaler for this copy...
I got this slim softcover from Better World Books. I've enjoyed some of Davies' work, including his novel The Cunning Man; this is a bit of a change of pace.
This is a collection of humorous ghost-story takeoffs with a collegiate theme. I liked the introductory chapter on how he came to write the stories as well (if not better!) than the stories themselves; dryly humorous and quite charming, with references to ghost-story writers he admired (including M. R. James, one of my favorites), and tidbits of background that helped set the scene. [As with many of James' stories, most of these were written to be performed for Christmas celebrations - in this case, at Toronto's Massey College, where Davies was the founding Master.]
The stories themselves appealed to me since I've read a lot of academic-setting books and stories; some of the hauntings here could indeed be frightening to a professor, such as the ghost who insisted on taking ALL possible exams over again until he'd passed them. There's a ghostly visit from George IV, and a tale about the Spectre of Sexism, and a very unusual tale about "The Cat That Went to Trinity".
Some of the stories touch on then-current political issues - again, with humor - though I admit those tended to throw me a bit. The tone and collegiate settings made me imagine the stories as being from 19th-century England instead of 20th-century Toronto!
This is a collection of humorous ghost-story takeoffs with a collegiate theme. I liked the introductory chapter on how he came to write the stories as well (if not better!) than the stories themselves; dryly humorous and quite charming, with references to ghost-story writers he admired (including M. R. James, one of my favorites), and tidbits of background that helped set the scene. [As with many of James' stories, most of these were written to be performed for Christmas celebrations - in this case, at Toronto's Massey College, where Davies was the founding Master.]
The stories themselves appealed to me since I've read a lot of academic-setting books and stories; some of the hauntings here could indeed be frightening to a professor, such as the ghost who insisted on taking ALL possible exams over again until he'd passed them. There's a ghostly visit from George IV, and a tale about the Spectre of Sexism, and a very unusual tale about "The Cat That Went to Trinity".
Some of the stories touch on then-current political issues - again, with humor - though I admit those tended to throw me a bit. The tone and collegiate settings made me imagine the stories as being from 19th-century England instead of 20th-century Toronto!
Journal Entry 2 by GoryDetails at Kelly St. (see notes for details) in Manchester, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, July 1, 2018
GoryDetails at Kelly St. (see notes for details) in Manchester, New Hampshire USA on Sunday, July 1, 2018
Released 5 yrs ago (7/1/2018 UTC) at Kelly St. (see notes for details) in Manchester, New Hampshire USA
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
I plan to leave this book in or near Chez Vachon, a French-Canadian cafe, while stopping by for lunch. Hope the finder enjoys the book! [See other recent releases in NH here.]
*** Released for the 2018 Christmas in July release challenge. ***
*** Released for the 2018 Canada Days release challenge. ***
