Best Ghost Story 1800-1849 is "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving

Number 1 on my countdown of the best ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century is finally here. It may not come as a big surprise as I choose "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" by Washington Irving. Yes, it is scary in parts, but some ghost stories on the countdown are scarier. It is also well-written, but there are others that give it a run for its money. Still, no other ghost story from this fifty year period has reached wider fame or acclaim. That is why I have picked it.

Best Ghost Story #2 from 1800-1849 is "The Deaf and Dumb Girl" that was Published Anonymously

My pick for the second best story from 1800-1849 will come as a surprise because it is very likely you have never heard of it. Its title is "The Deaf and Dumb Girl" and I found it published anonymously in an obscure magazine. In my next post I will give away the top ghost story in this countdown.

The 3rd Best Ghost Story 1800-1849 is A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family by Joseph Sheridan le Fanu

We are finally at the Top 3 ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. It is by one of the early masters of the short ghost story: Joseph Sheridan le Fanu (1814-1873). Unlike many of his contemporaries, Fanu wrote scary ghost stories and made no bones about offending Victorian Age sensibilities. "A Chapter in the History of a Tyrone Family," is, in my view, his greatest ghost story. If you want to read why (and I think Bronte's "Jane Eyre" borrowed from the tale), check out The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology.

4th Best Ghost Story from 1800-1849 is The Mask of the Red Death by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe, the early master of horror short stories, has been relatively quiet in my countdown of the Top 40 ghost stories for the 1st half of the nineteenth century. That is primarily because he didn't write many ghost stories. In my estimation "The Mask of the Red Death" is Poe's best ghost story. It is written at a high level, chock full of symbolism, and a truly frightening tale of a visit by the dead.

Background information on "The Mask of the Red Death" and annotations can be found in my new book on the best ghost stories (Amazon.com) or the best ghost stories (Barnes & Noble) for this crucial period in the life of scary ghost stories.  

Link to the Best Ghost Stories Book Trailer on YouTube

Check out the video trailer for The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology. As book trailers go, it's creepy just the way I like them. The apt soundtrack is "Ghosts" by NIN.

Price Drop - The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology

As those of you who follow my posts know, I am counting the Top 40 classic ghost stories for the 1st half of the 19th century. The Top 9 of these stories are found in my recently published ghost stories anthology. This is to let you know that the price has been dropped on the book from $17.98 to only $10.98. Here is a link to the Best Ghost Stories Anthology at Amazon.

5th Best Ghost Story from 1800-1849 is "A Night in a Haunted House"

Filing in the number 5 spot in The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Ghost Anthology is an anonymous scary story that was published in 1848, which makes it the newest in the countdown. The title is "A Night in a Haunted House." It is an Irish ghost story and everyone knows they tell the best ghost stories!

6th Best Ghost Story from 1800-1849 is "The Spectral Ship" by Wilhelm Hauff

I am counting down the Top 10 ghost stories for the first half of the 19th century after starting with the Top 40. The scary story that floats in at the 6th spot is "The Spectral Ship" by German author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827). The tale was published in 1828 and I give background on it in he best ghost stories anthology that I edited. If you are looking for ghostly terror at sea, this is the story for you.

  

7th Best Ghost Story 1st half of 19th Century is "The Old Maid in the Winding Sheet" by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864) penned what may be the 7th best ghost story from 1800-1849 when he published "The Old Maid in the Winding Sheet" during 1837. This story is included in The Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849: a Classic Ghost Anthology with comments and story background. The scary story is truly chilling throughout and for that reason shines above "Lady Eleanor's Mantle," which I believe to be his second best ghost story. Hawthorne, of course, is no stranger to the supernatural genre. "The Minister's Black Veil" is one of the fine tales found in The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. For the record, Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Wilhelm Hauff are the only authors to have stories in each anthology.

Review of "Coffee with Poe: A Novel of Edgar Allan Poe's Life"

From time to time I post reviews of my books. A recent one has been posted on Barnes & Noble about Coffee with Poe: A Novel of Edgar Allan Poe's life. In it I tried to bring Poe to life with actual letters from his foster father, three fiancees and wife. It is available in both print and ebook formats. Here is the 5 star review:

Really Good In-Depth Look at the Life of Edgar Allan Poe: This book is really well written and always held my interest . . . Prepare yourself because you have trouble putting it down once you begin.

And since I am counting down the Top 10 ghost stories for the first half of the 19th century, this raises the question about Poe's ghost stories. He didn't write many. His best is "The Mask of the Red Death," and it will soon make an appearance in my scary story countdown.

Book About Edgar Allan Poe at Barnes & Noble

Book About Edgar Allan Poe at Amazon