To read several stories of my very favourite ghost story author, the Englishman, M. R, James, please go to this site.

Here's a little bit about him, from that site:

Montague Rhodes James (1862-1936) is known as one of the originators of the modern ghost story. In reviewing James' work, H. P. Lovecraft wrote

"...gifted with an almost diabolic power of calling horror by gentle steps from the midst of prosaic daily life, is the scholarly Montague Rhode James, Provost of Eton College, antiquary of note, and recognized authority on medieval manuscripts and cathedral history. Dr. James, long fond of telling spectral tales at Christmastide, has become by slow degrees a literary weird fictionist of the very first rank; and has developed a distinctive style and method likely to serve as models for an enduring line of disciples.

"The art of Dr. James is by no means haphazard, and in the preface to one of his collections he has formulated three very sound rules for macabre composition. A ghost story, he believes, should have a familiar setting in the modern period, in order to approach closely the reader's sphere of experience. Its spectral phenomena, moreover, should be malevolent rather than beneficent; since fear is the emotion primarily to be excited. And finally, the technical patois of 'occultism' or pseudo-science ought carefully to be avoided; lest the charm of casual verisimilitude be smothered in unconvincing pedantry."

NOW, go read some!!! They will raise the hairs on your head. They are all my favourites, BUT if I had to pick out one or two fro sure-reads, I'd go for Number 13, Canon Alberic's Scrapbook, and The Ash Tree.

kat