Ghost stories: A list of required reading

The list author says:
	"The scariest book in the English language. Bar none."

The list author says:
	"Le Fanu, rated by M.R. James as the best ghost story writer there is, had a command of prose unlike any other writer. Ingeniusly plotted, superbly crafted. If you read one book on this list..."

The list author says:
	"Though he wrote only few genuine ghost stories, Algernon Blackwood was a milestone writer in supernatural literature, whom H.P. Lovecraft 'borrowed' an awful lot of his style from"

The list author says:
	"THE master of understatement and ambiguity, and by far the best horror writer of the post-war period, Aickman created haunting atmosphere's out of simply everyday life like no one else could"

The list author says:
	"Ignore his early Lovecraftian nonsense and you have here the best collection of probably the only first rate contemporary supernaturalist, who has just the right balance of amiguity and direct horror"

The list author says:
	"One of THE premiere horror collections of the twentieth century. L.T.C. Rolt's highly M.R. James influenced tales of defunct mineshafts, old canals, and haunted railways are as chilling today as then"

The list author says:
	"Extremely hard to find, extremely expensive if you can find it, and extremely scary in places. The closest anyone has come to equalling M.R. James in both style and effect"

The list author says:
	"'Tis a grand cliche to say 'if you read one thing in your life read...', but of Henry James' psychological ghost story 'The Turn Of The Screw' that's certainly true. A truly masterful writer"

The list author says:
	"Walter De La Mare was a master of the form. His tales are so poetically subtle, half the time you won't know why your spine is chilled. 'All Hallows' is a work of under-stated genius"

The list author says:
	"F. Marion Crawford wrote very few ghost stories, which is a shame as these are some of the best in the genre. An absolute master of the art of suggestion. 'The Upper Berth' is a truly terrifying read"

The list author says:
	"'Ghostly stories' rather than 'ghost stories' in the strict sense. Scary, disturbing insight into a world of fairies and angry ancient Gods. Expensive but excellent"

The list author says:
	"Pricey, but a splendid collection from a varied writer. At his best, he almost touches Robert Aickman, whom he bares much stylistic similarity too"

The list author says:
	"Kirk was the best American horror writer of the latter 20th century unquestionably. Far more subtle than King or Koontz and much smarter too. 'There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding' is his masterpiece"

The list author says:
	"Oliver Onions' 'The Beckoning Fair One' is oft touted as the best ghost story ever written and not without solid reason. Consider him the half-way marker between Henry James and Robert Aickman"

The list author says:
	"Can be pricey, but until it's reprinted this is the only way to read Benson's ghost stories. He wrote many quite average tales, but stories like 'Pirates' and 'A Tale of an Empty House' are fantastic"

The list author says:
	"This highly influential compilation of ghost stories supports Vernon Lee's accolade as one of the best practitioners of the psychological ghost story. 'Amour Dure', in particular, is almost perfect..."

The list author says:
	"Little of Buchan's works are genuine ghost stories, more like supernatural tales with a strong sense of folklore about them. Fantastic prose and a sense of the pagan which rivals Algernon Blackwood"

The list author says:
	"There's only two true-blue ghost stories in this volume, but the others handle supernatural terror with such cunning ambiguity as to be of huge appeal to fans of the ghost story form. Under-rated"

The list author says:
	"Few of Poe's horror tales are outright ghost stories, and this finely illustrated collection includes many of his detective pieces as well, but if anyone is required reading Poe is. Quoth the raven..."

The list author says:
	"Mrs. Oliphant essentially wrote 'philosophical ghost stories', often religious in their subtext. Of especial note is 'The Library Window', a brilliant psychological ghost story worthy of Henry James"

The list author says:
	"A protegee of M.R. James, one of James' contemporaries and, after A.N.L. Munby, probably the best of the lot. Understated, nuanced, scholarly, chilling - what more could one ask?"

The list author says:
	"No 'exceedingly good cakes' or singing bears here, but a welcome mastery of both traditional terror as well as profoundly, and well observered, psychological horror too. Unique, eclectic, classic"

The list author says:
	"Probably the most elegant supernatural writer of the Decadent period. Scary? Not really. Phenomenally well written? Without doubt. Some of the classiest prose ever penned was that of Théophile Gautier"

The list author says:
	"Lovely illustrated edition of Edith Wharton's highly Henry James influenced ghost stories. Heavy on plot and frequently quite chilling"

The list author says:
	"No ghost stories list is complete without the most famous ghost story in the English language - 'A Christmas Carol', though 'The Signalman' is as terrifying as anything by J. Sheridan Le Fanu..."