A ghost story is a story with frightening or supernatural elements. A ghostly tale may feature hauntings of ghosts or spirits. Some of the most famous classic ghost stories are: Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," Edgar Allan Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart," and Oscar Wilde's "Canterville Ghost." Discover the scare in these collections of ghost stories.
1. Great Ghost Stories
by Robin Brockman (Editor). Gramercy. Read 34 spooky tales from great writers like Edgar Allen Poe, Henry James, Charlotte Bronte, Sir Walter Scott, O. Henry, Oscar Wilde, and Nathaniel Hawthorne. From the publisher: "Scary, thrilling, suspenseful, mysterious, sometimes even amusing and heartwarming, these are some of the most outstanding ghost stories of all time. Vivid atmospheric drawings accompany the stories and add to their power."
2. The Norton Book of Ghost Stories
by Brad Leithauser (Editor). Norton. Norton's collection of 29 ghost stories highlights writers like Henry James, Shirley Jackson, and Edith Wharton. Read Leithauser's introduction to the ghost story genre, then enjoy the "eeriest stories in the English language." From the publisher: "This surprising gathering of writers makes this collection a must-have for confirmed ghost story fans as well as those who simply love good writing."3. Classic Ghost Stories
by John Grafton. Dover. This collection of ghost stories includes Robert Louis Stevenson’s "The Body-Snatchers," Mary E. Wilkins’ "The Lost Ghost," along with the ghostly tales by Charles Dickens, Henry James, J. S. LeFanu, Ralph Cram, Mrs. Henry Wood, Amelia Edwards, Fitz-James O’Brien, and M. R. James.4. 100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories
by Martin H. Greenberg (Editor). Sterling Publishing Company. This comprehensive collection of ghost stories features more than 150 years of scary tales, including works by Ambrose Bierce, Oscar Wilde, and J. Sheridan Le Fanu. From the publisher: "Fear will overtake you in the most wonderful ways! Really scary things can come in small packages, and these 100 frightening tales offer big chills and thrills."5. Victorian Ghost Stories
by Michael Cox. Oxford University Press. From the publisher: "This collection will delight all lovers of the traditional ghost story: here are thirty-five well-wrought tales of haunted houses, vengeful spirits, and spectral warnings from beyond the grave, each one of them guaranteed to generate 'the pleasurable shudder'."