This past year I've been revisiting older books I love that most people won't know about today. This is one of three that were published before 1950, and made into movies that are now regarded as classics. This one became a 1942 hit starring a young Ray Milland.
But as so often happens--the books are all much (much) better than the films! And in this case, the film is quite a bit better than most "ghost stories," but the book is a really good novel, genre or not.
Dorothy Macardle's The Uninvited is a believably disturbing ghost story set in a beautiful place, with intelligent characters and just the right touch of romance. Every time I re-read it, I feel like I've re-met old friends, and revisited provocative ideas about the nature of supernatural experience. I love Macardle's detailed, highly descriptive writing, as well as her ability to create a whole cast of three-dimensional characters. And the plot twists still seem fresh, even when you already know the whole story.
The Uninvited takes the cozy horror genre into new territory, with skillful storytelling and a surprisingly psychological subtest. An absorbing, rewarding read!
A gothic, bone-chilling Irish ghost story first published in 1941 and now brought back into print. The title benefits from an introduction by well-known academic Professor Luke Gibbons and Martin Scorsese and various critics, including William K. Everson and Leonard Maltin, regard The Uninvited as one of the best ghost stories ever filmed.
During the past year I've been revisiting older books I love that most people won't know about today. This is one of three that were published before 1950, and made into movies that are now regarded as classics. In this case, a 1955 film with Rex Reason, Jeff Morrow, and a dazzling array of "special effects."
Most of the plot was missing though! And it's the intricate, interesting plot that makes Jones's novel more than worth a read. It's a bit dated now, as you can definitely recognize the influence of Cold War politics. But the human characters are more than believable, and the alien culture is very well-imagined. Plus--if you're reading it for the first time, there are some actual plot surprises.
This Island Earth not only offers an absorbing read, but also raises some interesting moral and philosophical questions. Plus there's a strong female character, which wasn't always the case in class Science Fiction. So I definitely enjoy re-reading from time to time!
In 1949 and 1950 a science fiction serial by Raymond F. Jones appeared in Thrilling Wonder Stories. Within half a decade that serial would make history as the basis of the first science fiction movie about interstellar travel and interstellar war. The next Hollywood movie to venture to another solar system was Forbidden Planet, a wholly original construct of the prestige studio MGM. But solid, reliable Universal Studios was there first...long before Star Trek.
This Island Earth was really the first Star Wars. Colorful, spectacular, wildly imaginative, it lived up to everything its agent could possibly want, a man who…
During the past year I've been revisiting older books I love that most people won't know about today. This is one of three that were published before 1950, and made into movies that are now regarded as classics. In this case, a showy but slightly absurd 1951 film produced by George Pal.
The novel, by contrast, is amazingly believable and detailed, mixing a dramatic plot with worthwhile social commentary and convincing descriptions. The only caveats are a sometimes-dated writing style (especially in the dialogue) and a sometimes-annoying romance.
But this book is such an enthralling read that you can tune out those elements and enjoy it anyway! It was very popular when it came out as a serial in 1933--and the characters are sufficiently engaging that you'll want to read the sequel (After Worlds Collide) to find out what happened to them.
A runaway planet hurtles toward the earth. As it draws near, massive tidal waves, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions wrack our planet, devastating continents, drowning cities, and wiping out millions. In central North America, a team of scientists race to build a spacecraft powerful enough to escape the doomed earth. Their greatest threat, they soon discover, comes not from the skies but from other humans. A crackling plot and sizzling, cataclysmic vision have made When Worlds Collide one of the most popular and influential end-of-the-world novels of all time.
This Bison Frontiers of Imagination edition features the original story and its…
Deeply researched and a little bit scholarly, my first Tarot book has become a popular reference work. But it's also a great read!
HML traces the history of Tarot in Part One, then focuses on Tarot as a way of knowing, in Part Two. And in Part Three, there are annotated listings for many popular Tarot books and decks. With lots of illustrations, and introductory instructions for working with Tarot, my book offers something for everyone--from the Tarot-curious newcomer to the widely experienced practitioner.
