- Paperback: 316 pages
- Publisher: Harper Paperbacks; Reprint edition (Sep 2008)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0061147982
- ISBN-13: 978-0061147982
- Product Dimensions: 20.3 x 13.7 x 2.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 4,170,772 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
20th Century Ghosts
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
A collection of pleasantly creepy stories follows Hill's debut novel (Heart Shaped Box, 2007).Published in a number of magazines from 2001 to the present, most of the stories display the unself-conscious dash that made Hill's novel an intelligent pleasure. In addition to the touches of the supernatural, some heavy, some light, the stories are largely united by Hill's mastery of teenaged-male guilt and anxiety, unrelieved by garage-band success or ambition. One of the longest and best, "Voluntary Committal," is about Nolan, a guilty, anxious high-school student, Morris, his possibly autistic or perhaps just congenitally strange little brother, and Eddie, Nolan's wild but charming friend. Morris, whose problems dominate but don't completely derail his family's life, spends the bulk of his time in the basement creating intricate worlds out of boxes. Eddie and Nolan spend their time in accepted slacker activities until Eddie, whose home life is rough, starts pushing the edges, leading to real mischief, a big problem for Nolan who would rather stay within the law. It's Morris who removes the problem for the big brother he loves, guaranteeing perpetual guilt and anxiety for Nolan. "My Father's Mask" is a surprisingly romantic piece about a small, clever family whose weekend in an inherited country place involves masks, time travel and betrayal. The story least reliant on the supernatural may leave the most readers pining for a full-length treatment: "Bobby Conroy Comes Back from the Dead" reunites a funny but failed standup comedian with his equally funny ex-high school sweetheart Harriet, now married and a mother. Bobby has come back to Pittsburgh, tail between his legs, substitute teaching and picking up the odd acting job, and it is on one of those gigs, a low-budget horror film, that the couple reconnects, falling into their old comedic rhythms. Not just for ghost addicts. (Kirkus Reviews)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
The multi-award-winning first collection by NEW YORK TIMES bestseller Joe Hill
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I don't often read short story's, as they tend to have open ending which I don't much like, but having read Heart shaped box thought I would give these a go.
I found most really engaging apart perhaps '20th century ghost, which I didn't really feel went anywhere, and I didn't like 'In the rundown' due to the graphic nature of the story line, it was a bit too much for me, and I found I had to skim it just to get it over with, but the rest where really enjoyable, creepy without being obvious, and moving without the sentimentality.
I finished a couple of days ago and the story's are still popping into my head every now and again, a sign of a good read.
I found most really engaging apart perhaps '20th century ghost, which I didn't really feel went anywhere, and I didn't like 'In the rundown' due to the graphic nature of the story line, it was a bit too much for me, and I found I had to skim it just to get it over with, but the rest where really enjoyable, creepy without being obvious, and moving without the sentimentality.
I finished a couple of days ago and the story's are still popping into my head every now and again, a sign of a good read.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
How wonderfully written this book is you cannot help but think about Stephen King. Joe has copied the childhood experience and repacked it for a new generation of reader. I am not biased I have read most of his dads books. Joe has used the same technique to fool the reader. Its very smoothly written and sweet at times. Good read over all though.
Format:Paperback
'20th Century Ghosts' is the first collection of short stories by the young American writer Joe Hill. I came to it after reading his second book, and first novel, 'Heart-Shaped Box', which I thought was a competent piece of genre fiction but rather underwhelming. This collection of stories is better.
There are nods in the direction of Stephen King, Kafka and Lovecraft, but already here Hill is mainly his own man. If I was reminded by the end of any other writer, it was Robert Aickman. Hill's best stories have a similar slow and downbeat quality and the same looming sense of something inexplicable and relentless behind the unremarkable appearances of everyday things. In spite of the title, a couple of the stories here lack any real element of the supernatural or the horrific; they might have appeared without embarrassment in any collection of modern American fiction concerned with the deep currents that run under relationships between married couples, between parents and their children, and between children in the absence of adults.
This is a good collection of modern writing in the genre, and recommended to anybody who demands something more than clichéd gore-and-shocks.
There are nods in the direction of Stephen King, Kafka and Lovecraft, but already here Hill is mainly his own man. If I was reminded by the end of any other writer, it was Robert Aickman. Hill's best stories have a similar slow and downbeat quality and the same looming sense of something inexplicable and relentless behind the unremarkable appearances of everyday things. In spite of the title, a couple of the stories here lack any real element of the supernatural or the horrific; they might have appeared without embarrassment in any collection of modern American fiction concerned with the deep currents that run under relationships between married couples, between parents and their children, and between children in the absence of adults.
This is a good collection of modern writing in the genre, and recommended to anybody who demands something more than clichéd gore-and-shocks.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Great series of short stories by a very talented author.
I've never read anything by Stephen King. I've seen films based on Stephen King's work, but never actually been tempted to pick up one of his novels. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Reformed Geek
hmm
I bought this book after reading the Heart Shaped Box, I just thought it was a bit nasty for nasty's sake. I got bored and didn't even finish it.
Published on 28 Mar 2010 by Baileys
20th century ghosts
i loved this book. ok so some of the stories need imagination, but whats wrong with that? Is Stephen King really his Dad?
Published on 25 April 2009 by Mrs. Denise Walker
The ant's go marching two by two! Hurrah!
Although this book wasn't as good as heart shaped box it's still pretty good. I especially enjoyed my father's mask (the playing card people!! Read more
Published on 7 Dec 2008 by Geek girl
no - still don't get it...............!
Having read "Heart Shaped Box" and not been impressed (see my review) I thought I'd better give 'ol Joe another go; after all Daddy is Stephen King so surely he has absorbed some... Read more
Published on 29 Nov 2008 by kermit 333
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