Werewolves in Your Christmas Stocking!

Just in time for the holidays, I wanted to let everyone know that the price for The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology has been dropped to $10.98. So pick up one or two for the lycan lovers in your family and have a bit of scary-furry fun on Christmas day.

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

Blog: www.scary-short-stories.blogspot.com

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Book Trailer Video for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849

For those of you who missed it the first time around, there is a cool (and creepy) book trailer video for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. On top of that, there is a new price drop to $12.98 and the Kindle ebook is only $4.98. Take a look:

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List of the Top 40 Horror Short Stories from 1800-1849

Below is a rundown of what I believe to be the Top 40 scary short stories from 1800 to 1849. You will notice some familiar names and some that may be new. The Top 12 were recently published in my new book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. They include story backgrounds, annotations and photos of the author. I am also please to announced that for the first time the book is now available as a Kindle ebook for only $4.99. Just click The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 Kindle ebook to be taken to the page. Enjoy and for those of you in the United States, Happy Thanksgiving!

40.     1839 Running the Gauntlet by Anonymous

39.     1823 The Mutiny by William Harrison Ainsworth

38.     1836 The Wedding Knell by Nathaniel Hawthorne

37.     1842 Ben Blower's Story; or How to Relish a Julep by Charles Feno Hoffman

36.     1827 The Bohemian by Anonymous

35.     1831 Singular Passage in the Life of the Late Henry Harris, Doctor in Divinity by Richard Harris Barham

34.     1830 Confessions of a Reformed Ribbonman by William Carleton

33.     1820 The Field of Terror by Baron Friedrich Heinrich Karl De la Motte Fouquâe

32.     1837 Cousin Mattie by James Hogg

31.     1844 Rappaccini’s Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

30.     1821  The Man in the Bell by William Maginn

29.     1836 The Legend of the Bell Rock by Captain Frederick Marryat

28.     1849 Hop-Frog by Edgar Allan Poe

27.     1832 Gabriel Lindsay by William Mudford

26.     1835 The Fiery Vault by Reithra

25.     1837 The Involuntary Experimentalist by Samuel Ferguson

24.     1831 The Lonely Man of the Ocean by Anonymous

23.     1843 Ko-rea-ran-neh-neh; or, The Flying Head by Charles Feno Hoffman

22.     1846 The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

21.     1837 Dr. Heidegger's Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne

20.     1823 A Scots Mummy by James Hogg

19.     1835 The Story of the Greek Slave by Captain Frederick Marryat

18.     1843 The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe

17.     1834 The Singular Trial of Francis Ormiston by George Sloane

16.     1842 The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe

15.     1827 Le Revenant by Henry Thomson

14.     1841 A Descent into the Maelstrom by Edgar Allan Poe

13.     1830 The Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac

12.     1836 The Old Man’s Tale About the Queer Client by Charles Dickens
11.     1817 The Deserted House by E.T. A. Hoffmann
10.     1836 The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne
9.       1843 The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe
8.       1828 The Severed Hand by Wilhelm Hauff
7.       1826 The Lighthouse by George Soane
6.       1842 The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe
5.       1829 El Verdugo (The Executioner) by Honoré de Balzac
4.       1832 The Thunder-Struck and the Boxer by Samuel Warren
3.       1845 The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe
2.       1832 The Mysterious Mansion by Honoré de Balzac
1.       1839 The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe

Review of The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

The Midwest Book Review has posted a review of The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-8149: A Classic Horror Anthology. Here is what the 5 star review said:

"Horror is a young genre as far as literature goes, and it has gone far in its short life. "The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology" compiles some of the best early work by the fathers of modern horror such as Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, among other names. These stories branch from the traditional fiction of the time into something a bit more sinister. "The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849" is a top to bottom pick for anyone who appreciates where the best of horror came from." 

Reveal for the #1 Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

The reveal is finally here for the best horror short story of 1800-1849. I pick Edgar Allan Poe's "The Fall of the House of Usher" for the number one spot. This fantastic horror tale is one of the best for the entire century, let alone the first half. You can read my thoughts and background information on it in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. In a future post I will list all of the Top 40 horror short stories again just in case you missed them the first time. Enjoy!

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com 

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Author of the Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Edgar Allan Poe

The last notch in the wrung of my countdown for the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849 is finally here. To little surprise, Edgar Allan Poe, who has appeared numerous times on this countdown, weighs in at the number one spot. Tomorrow I will reveal his classic horror tale that got him there. From there I will post the list of all 40 stories if you missed them during the countdown.

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

   

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Price Drop for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 Book

I though those of you who have been following my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century would like to know that there has been a price drop on The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology to $13.98 at most online booksellers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. So, if the book has been sitting in your virtual shopping cart, now is the time to pull the trigger. Have a great weekend! 

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Reveal for the 2nd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

For the second best short horror story of 1800-1849 I choose "The Mysterious Mansion" by Honore de Balzac (1799-1850). This horrific story of "entrapment" rises far above Edgar Allan Poe's best tale of a similar nature, "The Cask of Amontillado." You can read the story along with my annotations and story background in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology.

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Author of the 2nd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Honoré de Balzac

Frenchman, Honoré de Balzac (1799-1850), has already appeared a number of times in my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. Most recently he appeared in the 5th spot with "The Executioner." In my next post I will reveal the classic horror tale that lofted him into 2nd place on the countdown. 

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

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Reveal for the 3rd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

I am down to the Final Three in my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849. I pick Edgar Allan Poe's "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" as the third best horror tale for this period. You can read it along with my annotations and introduction in my newly published horror anthology. 

Amazon: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

 Barnes & Noble: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

Website: AndrewBarger.com

Edgar Allan Poe is the Author of the 3rd Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

Edgar Allan Poe has already appeared many times on my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. He appears again in the third position. In my next post I will reveal the terrifying story that got him there. 

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Monster Librarian Review of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849

A new review is out for The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology. This is one if by MonsterLibrarian.com. This is a snippet of what they had to say about the book:

"This scholarly collection of five classic short stories collected by Andrew Barger is impressive, and would be of interest for anyone fascinated with the history of the werewolf mythos.  Written in the 50 year period between 1800~1849, these stories represent the genesis of the werewolf in literature."

Click to read the entire werewolf book review. Thanks and happy Halloween!

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Review of The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 at Bookgasm.com

The Halloween season is upon us and Bookgasm.com, one of the Web's best book review sites, has just published a review of The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. Here is a snippet from the review: "Through his introduction and footnotes, Barger aims for readers both scholarly and casual, ensuring that the authors get their due while making the work accessible overall to the mainstream." Click to read the <a href="http://www.bookgasm.com/reviews/horror/the-best-horror-short-stories-1800-1849/

Reveal for the 4th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

Weighing in as the 4th best horror short story of 1800-1849 is The Thunder-Struck and the Boxer by Samuel Warren. This fine horror tale is included in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology with background information and annotations. P.S. Halloween is only 6 days away!

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Author of the 4th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Samuel Warren

Barrister Samuel Warren (1807-1877) is the next author in my countdown of the best horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. In my next post I will reveal his important horror story that appears at 4 on my Top 40 countdown of the best short horror stories for this period.  

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Part II of The Best Horror Short Stories Interview by Andrew Barger

This is part II of the ten question  interview I did for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. I hope you find it interesting.

Q6: Did you find any obscure horror story from these periodicals that made your list of the best horror stories? Sort of a one-hit wonder?

A6: There is one unknown horror story: The Lighthouse by George Soane. I included it in the collection. It is the best lighthouse horror story to come out of this period. I say this knowing that Poe never got a chance to finish his horror story titled The Lighthouse. George Soane, the son of the famous architect John Soane, is the most underrated writer of short horror stories to come out of this fifty year period. He is not a one-hit wonder.

Q7: Edgar Allan Poe wrote his horror short stories during this time period and you edited Edgar Allan Poe Annotated and Illustrated Entire Stories and Poems. How many of his made the list?

A7: Four. It my view he penned one third of the best horror short stories from 1800-1849. That is amazing. 

Q8: How many horror stories are in the book?

A8: Twelve: The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar by Edgar Allan Poe; The Severed Hand by Wilhelm Hauff; The Thunder-Struck and the Boxer by Samuel Warren; The Deserted House by Ernst T. A. Hoffmann; The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe; El Verdugo (The Executioner) by Honoré de Balzac; The Minister’s Black Veil by Nathaniel Hawthorne; The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe; The Mysterious Mansion by Honoré de Balzac; The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe; The Old Man’s Tale About the Queer Client by Charles Dickens; and The Lighthouse by George Soane.

Q9: What is your favorite horror story from the anthology?

A9: That’s tough. They are all great in their own devious ways. If I have to pick, I would say The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe. The story has some of Poe's best character generation and is rife with fear. The horror story builds to a crescendo and still maintains a high literary quality. The writing is top notch. For this period it is tough to top this story on almost any level.

Q10: Where can a person buy this book assuming they want to be scared out of their mind?

A10: The best place to start is by clicking on this best horror short stories path to the book’s page on my Website where I provide links to buy the book (or ebook) online. It can be purchased at all major online retailers including The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 at Amazon.com and The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 at Barnes & Noble.

Part I of The Best Horror Short Stories Interview by Andrew Barger

This is part I of the ten question  interview I did for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. I hope you find it interesting
 

Q1: Andrew, there are many horror anthologies out there. Why did you decide to edit a book of the best horror short stories from 1800-1849?

A1: In my view, classic horror anthologies have given us a disappointing selection of stories. Many times scant background information is provided about the horror stories and their authors. This is frustrating.

Q2: So the editors were light on horror short story content?

A2: In a number of ways. So to those editors of the gigantics, the colossals, the monstrous, the huge, the huger, the bigs, the really bigs, the even biggers—these portly books of collected horror—you have made my literary waistline bloated with quantity over quality. You have hardened my literary arteries. I was full when pushing back from your table only to be hungry a few hours later. The “greatest” horror anthologies have been greatly disappointing. I have spent time with the “fantastic” and was fantastically used. I have been calmed by the “terrifying” and under-whelmed by the “incredible.” The “mammoth” books have left me feeling wooly inside. [Smiles]

Q3: Are there any other reasons you compiled The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849?

A3: I have never seen one that addresses this 50 year period by itself. This is when the horror short story genre began thanks to Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Honoré de Balzac and so many others. I felt that the best stories of these great horror writers needed to be compared and that is best accomplished when they are put shoulder-to-shoulder. And part of it was my curiosity to see just how good—how groundbreaking—Poe was in telling his horror stories. I was also frustrated reading anthologies that do not disclose what horror stories were considered when compiling them. It’s like declaring a beauty pageant winner without showing the other contestants. I want to know what literary wheat got separated from the chaff. This would answer many questions for my inquisitive mind. Rare is the short horror story anthology that has shown the world what tales were actually considered in making the compilation. In this case I have tried to stem this tide of literary attrition. All of the short horror stories are listed that I reviewed for this anthology, along with their respective author and earliest publication date, if available.

Q4: How does this compare to the best werewolf short stories of 1800-1849 that you edited?

A4: There were only a handful of werewolf short stories published in the English language from 1800-1849. With the horror short stories I had exponentially more to pick from and picking the best was much harder.

Q5: How many horror short stories from the first half of the nineteenth century did you read?

A5: I read over 300 horror short stories. Many of the obscure ones came from key periodical magazines such as Blackwood’s and Atkinson’s Casket. My horror anthology includes background information for each story and photograph of the author. Annotations are included for difficult or antiquated terms.

Reveal of the 5th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

I pick the 5th best horror short story from 1800-1849 to be Honore de Blazac's "El Verdugo." This is his famous beheading story and the title means "The Executioner" in English. It is one of the first horror stories that forced a female character to commit a horrific act. You can read it in its entirety in my new book, The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology just in time for Halloween. At my Website (www.AndrewBarger.com) the haunting video book trailer for it.

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Author of the 5th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Honoré de Balzac

Honore de Balzac (1799-1850), that portly French writer of romance and horror, appears at number 5 on my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849. This weekend I will post the title of his haunting short horror story that is the first to make the Top 5. You can read the Top 12 in my new book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology.

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Reveal for the 6th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

The Pit and the Pendulum by Edgar Allan Poe is picked as the 6th best horror story from 1800-1849. In my recent book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology you can read this horror tale along with my thoughts and annotations for difficult terms. Tomorrow I will post the next author in my countdown.

www.AndrewBarger.com

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Author of the 6th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) has appeared many times on my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. Most recently he appeared at spot 9 with The Tell-Tale Heart. Tomorrow I will reveal his story that appears at the sixth spot.

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Review of The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

The first professional review for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology has been posted by one of Amazon.com's Top Ten Reviewers. For those not familiar with Amazon's top reviewers or how one becomes a top reviewer, they are a group of people who are highly sought out by sellers to review their products. Amazon Top Ten Reviewers are the top 10 people who have reviewed the most products listed for sale on Amazon. Grady Harp, who has held this title for a number of years, was kind enough to review The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 that I edited and he gave it 5 stars. Here's what he had to say: 

"Andrew Barger is rapidly becoming recognized as an authority on scary things. Two of his previous books, 'Edgar Allan Poe Annotated and Illustrated Entire Stories and Poems by Edgar Allan Poe and Andrew Barger', and 'The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology by Andrew Barger', have demonstrated not only his obsession with things frightening but also with his keen sense of research and curatorial gifts. This current volume, 'THE BEST HORROR SHORT STORIES 1800-1849' will likely become a best seller, seeing the public interest continuing to grow for things frightful. 

For this volume Barger went beyond his choice of King of the Horror short stories - Edgar Allan Poe, hands down the leader - and combed through some 300 possible entries from around the world. From these entries he selected according to three guiding principles: fear, empathy with the protagonist, and the level of writing. In a very entertaining and informative introduction Barger explains his process and his choices of the final twelve winning short stories. The authors include of course Edgar Allen Poe (4), Nathaniel Hawthorne, ETA Hoffmann, Balzac (2), Dickens, Wilhelm Hauff, Samuel Warren, and George Soane. Some of these writers may be new to the reader of this anthology and some of the stories will be very well known to most. 

What makes this collection (of truly terrifying tales!) so satisfying is the presence of a brief introduction before each story, sharing some comments about the writer and elements of the tale. It is, after all, an annotated version. Barger has once again whetted our appetites for fright, spent countless hours making these twelve stories accessible and available, and has provided in one book the best of the best of horror short stories. It is a winner."

  

Reveal for the 7th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

The Lighthouse by George Soane is my pick for the 7th best horror short story for the period in question. It is the best lighthouse horror story for the first half of the nineteenth century. I say this knowing that Edgar Allan Poe never finished the lighthouse story he was penning at his death. My research did not uncover The Lighthouse by George Soane as being collected in any horror anthology. Where can you read it then? The best way is in the recent book I have edited, The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. Tomorrow I will post the first review of the horror book. Cheers! 

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Author of the 7th Best Scary Short Story 1800-1849 is George Soane

It is extremely rare for George Soane (1789-1860) to be mentioned when scholars discuss the best horror short story writers for the first half of the nineteenth century. In my view he is one of the most largely overlooked horror story writers for this period. Tomorrow I will reveal his scary short story that is 7 on my countdown of the Top 40 from 1800-1849 and is contained in my new book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology.

Video Book Trailer for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

You can buy my scary short stories book at these links or other Internet retailers:

Amazon: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

Barnes & Noble: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

Website: AndrewBarger.com

Reveal for the 8th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

My pick for the 8th best horror short story from 1800-1849 is "The Severed Hand" by Wilhelm Hauff. You can read the Top 12 in my recently published The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849. The book is a classic horror anthology with photos of the authors, story background and annotations. Tomorrow I will post the creepy book trailer video for the anthology.

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Author of the 8th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Wilhelm Hauff

Back to my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849. The author of the 8th best horror story for this period is Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827). Here is a photo of this German horror author who died much too young. Tomorrow I will post the title of his horror story.

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Reveal for the 9th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

I pick Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart as the 9th best horror short story for the first half of the nineteenth century. Before I am finished with the countdown Poe will make three more appearances. For those of you interested in the great stories and poems of Poe, I edited Edgar Allan Poe Annotated and Illustrated Entire Stories and Poems that is chock full of interesting information about America's most mysterious and haunting author of the early nineteenth century. Next week I will continue with the countdown.

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Author of the 9th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Edgar Allan Poe

This is not the first time Edgar Allan Poe has appeared in my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849, but it is the first time he has appeared in the Top 10. It will not be his last. Tomorrow I will reveal which horror short story of his I place at the ninth best for this period. While you wait, you can check out the press release for the best horror stories book that I edited, which contains the Top 12 horror short stories for this period. It's called The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A  Classic Horror Anthology.

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Reveal for the 10th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

Yesterday I announced that Nathaniel Hawthorne was the author of what I believe to be the 10th best horror story for the first half of the nineteenth century. There has been speculation about just which one of his horror tales would be the first in the Top 10. I am happy to report that it is The Minister's Black Veil. If you want to read it in its entirety along with background information about the story, it (and 11 others) are contained in my new book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849. Here are some links where you can buy it.

Buy The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology at Amazon.com

Buy The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology at Barnes & Noble

My Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

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Author of the 10th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) is the next author to appear on my countdown of the Top 40 horror short stories from 1800-1849. Tomorrow I will reveal his story that is the first in the Top 10.

Review of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849 Posted by Werewolf-News.com

One of the top Websites for all things Werewolf/Lycan/shape-shifter--Werewolf-news.com--has posted a review of my book: The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology. Here is a snippet: "Barger’s enthusiasm for the material is evident on every page: the commentary and the depth of the research which informs it makes it clear that he isn’t publishing this anthology simply to cash in on the current werewolf / monster craze. He posits that these stories have value, both as examples of writing from a nascent period of horror fiction and as the genesis of the ideas that form our modern vision of the werewolf. I agree with him." If you want to read the entire review, follow this werewolf book review link. It is worth the trip. 

The 11th Best Horror Short Story from 1800-1849 is The Deserted House

Few people have read The Deserted House, which in my view is the best horror story ETA Hoffmann (1776-1822) ever wrote. I've included it in my collection of the 12 greatest: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. Next week I will begin counting down the Top 10 for this crucial period that serve as a foundation for our modern horror stories.

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ETA Hoffmann is the Author of the 11th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849

E.T.A. Hoffmann--the ground-breaking German author of ghost, fantasy and horror short stories--is the author of the 11th best horror short story for the first half of the nineteenth century. Tomorrow I will post the title of it as I continue to countdown the best horror stories for this vital period in the horror genre. The top 12 are contained in my horror book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology
.

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The 12th Best Horror Short Story 1800-1849 is The Old Man's Tale About the Queer Client

Yesterday I revealed the surprise author for what I believe is the 12th best horror story from 1800-1849 as being Charles Dickens. In The Old Man's Tale About the Queer Client he has penned a devilish horror story of revenge that is unmatched for this period. You can read the story and the background I provide for it in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. Tomorrow I will announce the author of the 11th best horror story.

Author of the 12th Best Horror Story 1800-1849 is Charles Dickens

When considering horror stories for the first half of the nineteenth century, Charles Dickens usually does not come to mind unless it is in the context of his ghost tales. For those following this blog you know that I excluded ghost stories from The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology because they belong in a genre all their own. Tomorrow I will provide the name of Dickens's horror story. Hint: It's from The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.

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Countries for the Authors in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

Yesterday I posted a list of the authors in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849. In reviewing the list, I see that I left out Wilhelm Hauff, the brilliant German writer of scary short stories who died much too young. For those of you counting at home, here is another list of the authors who have scary stories in my classic horror anthology AND their respective countries.

Honore de Balzac (France)
Charles Dickens (UK)
Wilhelm Hauff (Germany)
E.T.A. Hoffmann (Germany)
Nathaniel Hawthorne (US)
Edgar Allan Poe (US)
George Soane (UK)
Samuel Warren (UK)

The UK is represented by the most authors (3) in my best horror stories book for the first half of the nineteenth century. Now let's look at it from a different angle--from the number of horror stories by country. 

Honore de Balzac (France) (Stories in horror anthology: 2)
Charles Dickens (UK) (Stories in horror anthology: 1)
Wilhelm Hauff (Germany) (Stories in horror anthology: 1)
E.T.A. Hoffmann (Germany) (Stories in horror anthology: 1)
Nathaniel Hawthorne (US) (Stories in horror anthology: 1)
Edgar Allan Poe (US) (Stories in horror anthology: 4)
George Soane (UK) (Stories in horror anthology: 1)
Samuel Warren (UK) (Stories in horror anthology: 1)

By this you will see that the US has 5 of the 12 horror stories, the UK has 3, Germany and France have 2 each. To me this is interesting. Please keep in mind that only stories translated into the English language were considered for the horror anthology. Next week I will start counting down these Top 12. Have a great weekend.

Buy The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 at Amazon
Buy The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 at Barnes & Noble
Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

List of Authors in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

I am nearly finished with my countdown of the best horror stories from 1800-1849. I have published 40-13 and the final 12 stories are contained in my new book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. Next I will start counting down these Top 12, but first I want to tease you a bit by listing the authors whose horror stories made the anthology:

Honore de Balzac
Charles Dickens (Surprise!)
E.T.A. Hoffmann
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Edgar Allan Poe (No surprise)
George Soane (Who?)
Samuel Warren

It's easy to see that some of these classic horror authors have multiple stories in the anthology. See if you can guess what horror stories by these authors made the Top 12 for the first half of the nineteenth century. Tomorrow I will list the countries where the authors are from. Enjoy.

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

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New Cover for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology

It has been a while since I have posted to my blog and I have been hearing about it! I was forced to pause my countdown of the best scary short stories from 1800-1849 to launch another book I edited: The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849. That book has gotten off to a good start in both the US and UK. I was also finalizing the cover for The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 and here it is! Now, I don't want to hear any jokes about that being a picture of me on the cover. I look much worse than that after a late night of writing. Overall, I am pleased with the cover. It gives the book a classic horror feel without blood and gore. There is little of either in the 12 scary stories I picked as the best ones for this period, yet nothing is lost in their fright factor. The horror book has 250 pages and it is available at all major Internet retailers such as The Best Horror Short Stories at Amazon.com and The Best Horror Short Stories at Barnes & Noble. Over the next two weeks I will reveal the 12 horror stories I have chosen for the book to finish out the countdown.

Midwest Book Review Gives The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849 a 5 Star Review

Great reviews keep coming in for the werewolf book I edited called The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology. This one is by the Midwest Book Review:

"Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Andrew Barger, "The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology" is a 170-page literary compendium covering a fifty year span from 1800 to 1849 and identifying famous and not-so-well known authors who wrote werewolf stories that range from Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne, to Honore de Balzac and James Hogg. After an informed and informative introduction on the subject by Andrew Barger, five of these stories are presented in full, followed by a listing of short stories considered from 1800 to 1849, along with an index of Real Names. A seminal work of impressive scholarship, "The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology" is highly recommended reading for fantasy fans, and a valued addition to academic library Literary Studies reference collections."

Whether you call them lycans, shapeshifters or werewolves, if you are interested in classic werewolf stories then this is the werewolf book for you.

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com
Blog: www.scary-short-stories.blogspot.com

Posted via email from Best Classic Horror Short Stories Blog

First Review of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849 is Posted by Werewolves.com

Werewolves.com has just posted a fine review of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849. It includes short descriptions of each scary tale in the werewolf anthology. Click werewolf book review to read it in its entirety.

List of the Best Scary Short Stories 1800-1849 that Have Been Counted Down to Date

Now that my book The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology is published, I am back to focus on the horror countdown. Below is a rundown of horror short stories 40 through 13 that I have posted so far in my countdown of the Top 40 scary short stories from 1800 to 1849. You will notice some familiar names and some that may be new. With so many fine scary short stories that have appeared on the countdown already, it is hard to believe that much better ones await. If you want to read any of these stories, simply scroll back through my blog archive.

40.     1839 Running the Gauntlet by Anonymous

39.     1823 The Mutiny by William Harrison Ainsworth

38.     1836 The Wedding Knell by Nathaniel Hawthorne

37.     1842 Ben Blower's Story; or How to Relish a Julep by Charles Feno Hoffman

36.     1827 The Bohemian by Anonymous

35.     1831 Singular Passage in the Life of the Late Henry Harris, Doctor in Divinity by Richard Harris Barham

34.     1830 Confessions of a Reformed Ribbonman by William Carleton

33.     1820 The Field of Terror by Baron Friedrich Heinrich Karl De la Motte Fouquâe

32.     1837 Cousin Mattie by James Hogg

31.     1844 Rappaccini’s Daughter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

30.     1821  The Man in the Bell by William Maginn

29.     1836 The Legend of the Bell Rock by Captain Frederick Marryat

28.     1849 Hop-Frog by Edgar Allan Poe

27.     1832 Gabriel Lindsay by William Mudford

26.     1835 The Fiery Vault by Reithra

25.     1837 The Involuntary Experimentalist by Samuel Ferguson

24.     1831 The Lonely Man of the Ocean by Anonymous

23.     1843 Ko-rea-ran-neh-neh; or, The Flying Head by Charles Feno Hoffman

22.     1846 The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe

21.     1837 Dr. Heidegger's Experiment by Nathaniel Hawthorne

20.     1823 A Scots Mummy by James Hogg

19.     1835 The Story of the Greek Slave by Captain Frederick Marryat

18.     1843 The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe

17.     1834 The Singular Trial of Francis Ormiston by George Sloane

16.     1842 The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe

15.     1827 Le Revenant by Henry Thomson

14.     1841 A Descent into the Maelstrom by Edgar Allan Poe

13.     1830 The Elixir of Life by Honore de Balzac

This is the list to date for my countdown of the best horror stories from 1800-1849. What horror tales will appear in the Top 12? I will soon be publishing all of them in my new book: The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. In my next post I will show the cover!

Interview for The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology

"The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849" Interview With

Andrew Barger

Q1: Why did you decide to edit a book of the best werewolf short stories from 1800-1849?

A1: I have never seen one that addresses a 50 year time period, especially this time period. I try to fill in the gaps in the literature when I find them. This is when werewolf transformation stories were in their infancy, yet they are very good.

Q2: Were there many werewolf short stories written before 1800?

A2: I have been unable to find any. Shapeshifters in the literature go as far back as the ancient Romans and Greeks. They moved forward through poetry and jumped to the short story form in the early nineteenth century.

Q3: How do the werewolf short stories of 1800-1849 compare to today's werewolf stories?

A3: They are not as graphic and some of the stories lack deep character development. Since werewolf short stories were an entirely new form of writing in this period, this is to be expected.

Q4: Did you include any lycan stories that have not been collected in an anthology before?

A4: I did. "The Man Wolf" by Leitch Ritchie and "A Story of a Weir-Wolf" by Catherine Crowe.

Q5: Which of the lycan stories is your favorite?

A5: "The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains" by Captain Frederick Marryat. The way the female werewolf is portrayed is haunting.

Q6: Can you give us a list of the stories contained in the book?

A6: Sure. "Hugues the Wer-Wolf: A Kentish Legend of the Middle Ages," "The Man-Wolf," "A Story of a Weir-Wolf," "The Wehr-Wolf: A Legend of the Limousin," and "The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains."

Q7: Where can a person buy this book?

A7: The best place to start is follow this werewolf transformation stories path to my Website where I provide links to buy the book (or ebook) online. It can be purchased at all major online retailers including Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.

Q8: Edgar Allan Poe wrote his short stories during this time period and you edited Edgar Allan Poe Annotated and Illustrated Entire Stories and Poems. Did he write any werewolf short stories?

A8: Not one, but he did have a furry cat named Caterina. (Laughs)

Book Trailer for The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology

I hope you enjoyed the book trailer for The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology. Here is a bit about it: Werewolf transformation in the literature made its greatest strides in the first half of the 19th century when the monster leaped from poetry to the short story. It happened when this shorter form of literature, this shapeshifter, was morphing into darker forms thanks in no small part to Edgar Allan Poe, Honoré de Balzac, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Prosper Mérimée, James Hogg, and so many others in Europe and the United States.The fifty year period between 1800 and 1849 is truly the cradle of all lycan and werewolf short stories. For the first time in one werewolf anthology, I have compiled the best lycan stories from this fifty year period. The stories are "Hugues the Wer-Wolf: A Kentish Legend of the Middle Ages," "The Man-Wolf," "A Story of a Weir-Wolf," "The Wehr-Wolf: A Legend of the Limousin," and "The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains." It is believed that two of these scary short stories have never been republished in over one hundred and fifty years since their original printing. Read "The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849" tonight by the light of a full moon!

Website: Andrew Barger.com
Blog: scary-short-stories.blogspot.com

Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849 Table of Contents

This week I let everyone who follows my blog know about the new werewolf book I edited and have recently published. The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology contains the finest werewolf transformation stories from this the first half of the nineteenth century. This is the list of lycan stories contained in the book.

 

1. Hugues the Wer-Wolf: A Kentish Legend of the Middle Ages
2. The Man-Wolf
3. A Story of a Weir-Wolf
4. The Wehr-Wolf: A Legend of the Limousin
5. The White Wolf of the Hartz Mountains

I hope you werewolf fans out there enjoy it!

Website: Andrew Barger.com
Blog: scary-short-stories.blogspot.com

Cover for The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology

Here is the cover for my new book of scary short stories and a bit about it. Call them lycans or lycanthropes or shapeshifters, werewolf transformation stories made their greatest strides in the 19th century when the werewolf legend jumped from poetry to the short story. It happened when this shorter form of literature was morphing into darker shapes thanks in no small part to Edgar Allan Poe, Honoré de Balzac, E. T. A. Hoffmann, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Prosper Mérimée, James Hogg, and so many others in Europe and the United States.The fifty year period between 1800 and 1849 is truly the cradle of all werewolf short stories.

For the first time in one anthology, I have compiled the best werewolf tales from this period in my new book The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849. It is believed that two of these werewolf stories have never been republished in over one hundred and fifty years since their original printing. The book also contains story backgrounds and annotations. Read "The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849" tonight, just make sure it is not by the light of a full moon!" Buy the book: Bottletree Books and follow Andrew Barger on his blog: scary-short-stories.blogspot.com

Edgar Allan Poe's Annotated Short Stories Book Trailer Video

Edited by Andrew Barger,  Edgar Allan Poe's Annotated Short Stories provides background information for Edgar Allan Poe's short stories, annotations, foreign word translations, illustrations, and photographs of individuals Poe wrote about. Consider this sampling of the great tales included: The Black Cat, [The Bloodhounds], The Cask of Amontillado, A Descent into the Maelstrom, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Gold-Bug, The Masque of the Red Death, Morning on the Wissahiccon, MS. Found in a Bottle, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Oblong Box, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Premature Burial, The Purloined Letter, [The Rats of Park Theatre], Some Secrets of the Magazine Prison House, Some Words with a Mummy, The Swiss Bell-Ringers, The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether, The Tell-Tale Heart, and Thou Art the Man. Edgar Allan Poe's Annotated Short Stories also contains a foreword by Andrew Barger. Join the Poe revolution today and read his scary stories for the first or tenth time!