Hysterical? Let Gilman show you hysterical. “ The Yellow Wallpaper ,” Charlotte Perkins Gilman No matter your familiarity with the subject matter, though, the original short story of unintended consequences is well worth a read. This is one of those stories that’s been told, retold, and adapted so many times that it’s now more a cultural fable than its own unique work of horror. Written by a clergyman and told through nested stories, this is the tale of Melmoth, who strikes a deal with the devil for a longer life - and spends much of that extra time trying to coerce other people into taking his burden. If you’re a fan of Poe’s stories, consider trying out this forerunner that certainly influenced his brand of macabre. Melmoth the Wanderer, Charles Robert Maturin Aubert, imprisoned by her aunt’s new husband in Castle Udolpho, is a swirling mix of terror, gloom, and romance.Īnother Gothic delight, James’s novella revels in its ambiguity: Is this a story of a governess protecting children from phantasmagoric evils? Or is this a story of a governess coming apart at her seams? Either way, it works as a tremendous ghost story. Parodied by Jane Austen in Northanger Abbey (also available on Project Gutenberg), the plight of Emily St. Without a doubt, Gothic horror is my favorite genre flavor, and Udolpho is the prototype. Whereas that more famous work is the ultimate bro-down, Le Fanu’s tale has at its main character a teen girl, preyed upon by the titular female vampire. With that disclaimer in mind, Gutenberg’s catalog does house some underappreciated, lesser known gems to give you some old-fashioned frights.įor everyone who’s read Bram Stoker, consider picking up this deceptively slim vampire story published 25 years before Dracula. Likewise, the public domain works Project Gutenberg collects are overwhelmingly white and Western - especially when it comes to horror. All online, all for free.Īs we know, the “canon” is problematic. And you can make a date with The Strange Case of Dr. You can work your way through all of Edgar Allan Poe’s stories. Frankenstein is here in its library of more than 60,000 ebooks, as is Dracula. If that’s the case, Project Gutenberg, the free online library, will be your best friend.

Given the amount of time you may have on your hands, too, it may also be the perfect time to plow through some horror “classics” - the books that influenced all your favorites that came after. If you’re blessed still with the ability to follow a narrative, it’s the perfect time for dark and moody reading. This horror novel of a year is now winding its way into the hallowed spooky season.

Northanger abbey gutenberg