Connect with us

Books

Book Review: ‘Weird Women’ is a Must-Own for Fans of Classic Horror

Published

on

Weird Women

Weird Women: Classic Supernatural Fiction by Groundbreaking Female Writers: 1852-1923, a brand new anthology of chilling supernatural tales, is out on August 4, 2020 from editors Lisa Morton and Leslie S. Klinger. It is an absolute must-own for those interested in the women who helped shape the horror genre.

The collection features just over 20 tales of the strange and unusual, some from authors whose names you’ve no doubt heard, and others who have all but fallen to obscurity save for their inclusion in anthologies and collections from time to time.

Sadly, many times tales like these are collected, the roster is almost entirely made up of male authors with the inclusion of one or two entries by women who were writing during the same time period. Thankfully, Klinger and Morton decided it was time to let these talented women have their say.

Weird Women begins with Elizabeth Gaskell’s The Old Nurse’s Story. Published in 1852, the story is told by an elderly nanny relating to a group of children a chilling tale involving their grandmother when she was just a babe. It’s the perfect tale to set the tone for what you’ll find in the remainder of the collection. She is also a prime example of why the work of so many women writers of the time were dismissed.

She had all but fallen into obscurity already when Lord David Cecil–a historian and scholar–wrote of that she was “all woman” and that she made “creditable effort to overcome her natural deficiencies but all in vain.” Sadly, these sort of comments colored criticism of her work for almost two decades until writers in the 50s and 60s began to re-read Gaskell and came to the conclusion that her views were a natural predecessor to the feminist movement which explained why so many stuffy male critics of the early 20th century had chosen to dismiss her work.

Then there are those authors like Louisa May Alcott whose names you most certainly know, but you might not have known they dipped their toes in the supernatural/horror pool from time to time. Little Women is undeniably her best known work, but Lost in a Pyramid; or, The Mummy’s Curse from 1869 places Alcott on the literary map as one of the first women to write a fully fleshed out “Mummy’s Curse” narrative.

I am also fond of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Giant Wistaria. Just about anyone who has taken a freshmen level Intro to Lit course in college is familiar with the author’s The Yellow Wall-Paper, but few may have read this particular tale, a ghost story that deals with some of the same themes as the better known work.

What I love most about this collection–and other collections like it–is when I am introduced to works and authors I have not read before.

Take for instance The Were-Wolf written by Clemence Housman. Housman was an author and illustrator. She also happens to be the sister of the poet A.E. Housman. This particular tale encapsulates many of the ideas of those who chafed against gender constraints of the time, wrapping them in a chilling, yet undeniably beautiful story about a female werewolf.

Weird Women ultimately works because of the stories and authors Klinger and Morton chose. They present a cross-section of the women who published during the time period, focusing on tales that are not only well-written but are also genuinely creepy. They also provide a brief bio for each author so that you can learn more about the incredible women in this collection.

The book is available to order on Amazon by CLICKING HERE. I cannot recommend it enough if you are a fan of tales of the strange and unusual.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

Books

‘Alien’ is Being Made Into a Children’s ABC Book

Published

on

Alien Book

That Disney buyout of Fox is making for strange crossovers. Just look at this new children’s book that teaches children the alphabet via the 1979 Alien movie.

From the library of Penguin House’s classic Little Golden Books comes A is for Alien: An ABC Book.

Pre-Order Here

The next few years are going to be big for the space monster. First, just in time for the film’s 45th anniversary, we are getting a new franchise film called Alien: Romulus. Then Hulu, also owned by Disney is creating a television series, although they say that might not be ready until 2025.

The book is currently available for pre-order here, and is set to release on July 9, 2024. It might be fun to guess which letter will represent which part of the movie. Such as “J is for Jonesy” or “M is for Mother.”

Romulus will be released in theaters on August 16, 2024. Not since 2017 have we revisited the Alien cinematic universe in Covenant. Apparently, this next entry follows, “Young people from a distant world facing the most terrifying life form in the universe.”

Until then “A is for Anticipation” and “F is for Facehugger.”

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

Books

Holland House Ent. Announces New Book “Oh Mother, What Have You Done?”

Published

on

Screenwriter and Director Tom Holland is delighting fans with books containing scripts, visual memoirs, continuation of stories, and now behind-the-scenes books on his iconic films. These books offer a fascinating glimpse into the creative process, script revisions, continued stories and the challenges faced during production. Holland’s accounts and personal anecdotes provide a treasure trove of insights for movie enthusiasts, shedding new light on the magic of filmmaking! Check out the press release below on Hollan’s newest fascinating story of the making of his critically acclaimed horror sequel Psycho II in a brand new book!

Horror icon and filmmaker Tom Holland returns to the world he envisioned in 1983’s critically acclaimed feature film Psycho II in the all-new 176-page book Oh Mother, What Have You Done? now available from Holland House Entertainment.

‘Psycho II’ House. “Oh Mother, What Have You Done?”

Authored by Tom Holland and containing unpublished memoirs by late Psycho II director Richard Franklin and conversations with the film’s editor Andrew London, Oh Mother, What Have You Done? offers fans a unique glimpse into the continuation of the beloved Psycho film franchise, which created nightmares for millions of people showering worldwide.

Created using never-before-seen production materials and photos – many from Holland’s own personal archive – Oh Mother, What Have You Done? abounds with rare hand-written development and production notes, early budgets, personal Polaroids and more, all set against fascinating conversations with the film’s writer, director and editor which document the development, filming, and reception of the much-celebrated Psycho II.  

‘Oh Mother, What Have you Done? – The Making of Psycho II

Says author Holland of writing Oh Mother, What Have You Done? (which contains an afterward by Bates Motel producer Anthony Cipriano), I wrote Psycho II, the first sequel that began the Psycho legacy, forty years ago this past summer, and the film was a huge success in the year 1983, but who remembers? To my surprise, apparently, they do, because on the film’s fortieth anniversary love from fans began to pour in, much to my amazement and pleasure. And then (Psycho II director) Richard Franklin’s unpublished memoirs arrived unexpectedly. I’d had no idea he’d written them before he passed in 2007.”

“Reading them,” continues Holland, “was like being transported back in time, and I had to share them, along with my memories and personal archives with the fans of Psycho, the sequels, and the excellent Bates Motel. I hope they enjoy reading the book as much as I did in putting it together. My thanks to Andrew London, who edited, and to Mr. Hitchcock, without whom none of this would have existed.”

“So, step back with me forty years and let’s see how it happened.”

Anthony Perkins – Norman Bates

Oh Mother, What Have You Done? is available now in both hardback and paperback through Amazon and at Terror Time (for copies autographed by Tom Holland)

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading

Books

Sequel to ‘Cujo’ Just One Offering in New Stephen King Anthology

Published

on

It’s been a minute since Stephen King put out a short story anthology. But in 2024 a new one containing some original works is getting published just in time for summer. Even the book title “You Like It Darker,” suggests the author is giving readers something more.

The anthology will also contain a sequel to King’s 1981 novel “Cujo,” about a rabid Saint Bernard that wreaks havoc on a young mother and her child trapped inside a Ford Pinto. Called “Rattlesnakes,” you can read an excerpt from that story on Ew.com.

The website also gives a synopsis of some of the other shorts in the book: “The other tales include ‘Two Talented Bastids,’ which explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills, and ‘Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream,’ about a brief and unprecedented psychic flash that upends dozens of lives. In ‘The Dreamers,’ a taciturn Vietnam vet answers a job ad and learns that there are some corners of the universe best left unexplored while ‘The Answer Man’ asks if prescience is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful.”

Here’s the table of contents from “You Like It Darker,”:

  • “Two Talented Bastids”
  • “The Fifth Step”
  • “Willie the Weirdo”
  • “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream”
  • “Finn”
  • “On Slide Inn Road”
  • “Red Screen”
  • “The Turbulence Expert”
  • “Laurie”
  • “Rattlesnakes”
  • “The Dreamers”
  • “The Answer Man”

Except for “The Outsider” (2018) King has been releasing crime novels and adventure books instead of true horror in the past few years. Known mostly for his terrifying early supernatural novels such as “Pet Sematary,” “It,” “The Shining” and “Christine,” the 76-year-old author has diversified from what made him famous starting with “Carrie” in 1974.

A 1986 article from Time Magazine explained that King planned on quitting horror after he wrote “It.” At the time he said there was too much competition, citing Clive Barker as “better than I am now” and “a lot more energetic.” But that was almost four decades ago. Since then he’s written some horror classics such as “The Dark Half, “Needful Things,” “Gerald’s Game,” and “Bag of Bones.”

Maybe the King of Horror is waxing nostalgic with this latest anthology by revisiting the “Cujo” universe in this latest book. We will have to find out when “You Like It Darker” hits bookshelves and digital platforms starting May 21, 2024.

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Listen to the 'Eye On Horror Podcast'

Continue Reading