October 2020 Recommended Reading/Viewing

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

And so fall has come. Not much seems to have changed, and I'm sure that many of us are feeling a little anxious about things in the political sphere, but if you need to pass the time and take your mind off of things, then I have some seasonal recommendations for the witching season. I hope you like them.

Reading: The Haunting of Hill House (1959) by Shirley Jackson

Widely considered to be the best haunted house novel of the genre, as well as one of the cornerstones of 20th century horror literature, this novel forgoes visceral violence and much of the literal definition of "horror" for slow-building, psychological terror in the vein of Henry James in addition to thoughtful character studies. The premise is that a scientist, wishing to find physical evidence of the supernatural, assembles a small group of individuals with a history of otherworldly encounters in an ancient hillside mansion rather infamous for its sordid history; over time, unnatural happenings begin to occur as it seems that the house is trying to bring one of the team members under its influence. Written by one of the most respected authors in American literature today, this literary chiller is a significant leap beyond the genre's tawdry clichés and should be read at least once by anyone who loves a well-constructed story.

Trade: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Hill-House-Penguin-Classics/dp/0143039989/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=the+haunting+of+hill+house&qid=1601570050&sr=8-2
Trade [Deluxe]: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Hill-House-Penguin-Classics/dp/0143129376/ref=tmm_pap_title_2?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1601570050&sr=8-2
Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Hill-House-Penguin-Horror/dp/0143122355/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1601570050&sr=8-2
Kindle: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Hill-House-Penguin-Classics-ebook/dp/B004SS1MJI/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1601570050&sr=8-2



Viewing: The Haunting (Robert Wise, 1963)

For such a good book, we got an equally good film adaptation. Despite a few character and plot changes, the film mostly follows the novel closely enough, making it one of the most acclaimed horror films ever made. Helmed by the renowned director of such genre classics as The Day the Earth Stood Still, the film is strengthened by both its excellent cast and its claustrophobic set design; the result is a set-piece of subtle macabre overtones and slow-building terror as the mystery of the house is explored. It's definitely a must-see and, in my opinion, infinitely superior to both the panned 1999 remake and the well-received but significantly different 2018 Netflix miniseries.

DVD: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Julie-Harris/dp/B0045HCJJE/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2K0EA3LO7R2CO&keywords=the+haunting+blu+ray&qid=1601570211&sprefix=the+haunting+blu%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-2
Blu-Ray: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Blu-ray-Nelson-Gidding/dp/B00DBNLBAQ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2K0EA3LO7R2CO&dchild=1&keywords=the+haunting+blu+ray&qid=1601570211&sprefix=the+haunting+blu%2Caps%2C178&sr=8-2
Amazon Video: https://www.amazon.com/Haunting-Julie-Harris/dp/B004WNTGYM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+haunting+1963&qid=1601570243&sr=8-1


And that's all for now. Enjoy the Halloween season!

[Raven]

My contribution to the gothic reading was reading Interview with a Vampire, mostly in the last few days. Quite a page turner.

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

That's really interesting! I've never read Anne Rice's works - Mom wouldn't let me years ago for various reasons (the movie really disturbed her - she's always had a real uneasiness about vampires) - but I can't deny that I'm interested, as I believe that, while there were some preceding titles, Interview with the Vampire marked a turning point in the perception of vampires in popular culture. I've got most of what's in print saved on my colossal Amazon Wish List, so I'll get to it eventually.

Coincidentally, as I write this, I've added to my book juggling by rereading Dracula for the second time. I got to say, while I liked it the first time, I'm enjoying it tremendously all the more on the reread. I guess that comes of having read quite a bit more of a variety in the years since I first picked it up. I just love Victorian/Edwardian fiction!

[Raven]

I enjoyed Dracula when I read it. And if it is any recommendation, I ordered the sequel to Interview with a Vampire. It was cheap, so I'll give it a try. That's the beauty of used books. So cheap for hours of enjoyment. 
That's the problem with new books, too. For example, I want to read Naomi Novik's A Deadly Education. I enjoyed the other two titles of hers I've read -- she is a gifted writer. This is a bit of a departure for her in terms of what I've read previously, but it's got me interested. Problem is, it may be a while before there are enough used copies to bring down the price. Oh well, I've got stacks of books I still have to read, including a bunch from my Terry Pratchett kick and those that our resident Coir has gifted me (many thanks!).

[Coír Draoi Ceítien]

You're welcome! Let me know what you think of Pratchett when you get to him.

On the subject of books, referring to the theme of the thread, when you get the chance, I would still seriously recommend Jackson's Hill House. It's an extraordinarily written book, far more than I had anticipated. I had read her short story "The Lottery" beforehand, so I knew what she was like somewhat. I'm definitely going to pick up more of her, especially her final work, the gothic mystery We Have Always Lived in the Castle, which was made into a Netflix movie - a pretty good one - rather recently.