The 40th Best Ghost Story 1800-1849

Welcome to my countdown of the Top 40 ghost stories from 1800-1849. These are not just any ghost stories, mind you. They are the scariest ghost stories, ones that will keep you up at night. So let's get started. The first story was published anonymously. Little happens in the first ten pages, but then it gets wild (and a bit gruesome if you are squeamish). It is a ghost story set on the sea, as a lot of them were during this nautical period. It is called The Bloody Bread Bag. The ghost story is chapter VIII of "The-Man-of-War's-Man" published in Blackwood's during 1823. Enjoy.

Website: AndrewBarger.com

 

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First Post in My Countdown of the Best Ghost Stories 1800-1849

In 2010 I counted down the Top 40 horror stories from 1800-1849 and published The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Horror Anthology. A lot of people were interested in the countdown so I've decided to countdown the best ghost stories for this time period in 2011. There will be a few surprises along the way, too. So sit back, relax, and get ready to experience some scary ghost stories.

Normally I would post background about the author (when available) and in a subsequent post provide a link to the ghost story. But for this first post, the author is anonymous so I don't have that luxury. Tomorrow I will post the 40th best ghost story from 1800-1849.

AndrewBarger.com

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Price Drop on the eBook Version of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849

Valentines weekend is not the most popular time for werewolf stories. That's why I've dropped the ebook price of The Best Werewolf Short Stories: A Classic Werewolf Anthology to only $2.99. You can get it at the Kindle store or Google Editions:

Kindle: The Best Werewolf Stories 1800-1849

Google Editions: The Best Werewolf Stories 1800-1849

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Werewolf and Horror Anthology Smackdown

For those of you who track this blog, you know that in 2010 I edited two anthologies while working on a few short stories of my own. The first I started working on was The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849. Right in the middle of editing it I published The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849 from the tales I had read for the horror anthology (300+ found in the literary magazines of the day). I expected the werewolf book to attract a small, but specialized audience. The horror anthology I expected to reach a wider audience and sell more copies. I could not have been more wrong. Sales of the werewolf anthology quadrupled sales of the horror anthology in 2010. Yes, the horror book costs 20% more than the werewolf anthology: $12.98 to $10.98, respectively, as a result of the horror anthology containing over twice as many stories. This is because there were only a handful of werewolf short stories published in this time period, not for lack of quality, mind you. The horror anthology even has photos of the authors, unlike the werewolf anthology since photos for half the authors were unavailable. Despite all this, I was dead wrong on which would be the most popular. Quadrupled? Jeez. So much for an author trying to forecast book sales.

P.s. In the month of January anyone who likes my Facebook page (Andrew Barger's Official Facebook Page) will be included in a random drawing to win an autographed copy of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849. Good luck!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

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Werewolves for the New Year

To get 2011 kicked off in a shapeshifting way, I'm offering a free signed copy of The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Werewolf Anthology. I will randomly pick one winner from anyone who "Likes" my Facebook page (Andrew Barger's Official Facebook Page) during the month of January 2011. Happy New Year, Andrew.

Website: www.AndrewBarger.com

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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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