Andrew Barger's Blog

Robert Barr was a Scottish author. When a child, Barr’s parents moved him to Canada and one of his first professional jobs was as a teacher at Central School of Windsor, Ontario. There, he worked his way up to headmaster. Upon crossing the border into Michigan, he later was appointed the news editor of the Detroit Free Press newspaper, which is still in operation today. Robert Barr (Left with Goatee), Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Middle Back), Circa 1907 Later in life, he moved to

As a writer I have been fortunate in that the majority of my reviews are positive. Every now and then I get a negative one. This, in itself, does not bother me. Negative reviews are the price of art. Good art should come from an unfamiliar place and when it does it has the ability to exhilarate and shock the eye of the beholder. Because of this authors who are only getting positive reviews are doing something wrong, as strange as that may sound. Take any great book of literat

Dante Alighieri’s The Divine Comedy has shaped literature and art for centuries, but its influence extends far beyond classical works. This epic poem, with its vivid portrayal of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven, continues to inspire modern pop culture, especially music. Many artists have drawn from Dante’s themes, characters, and symbolism to create songs that resonate with contemporary audiences. Exploring these songs reveals how The Divine Comedy remains relevant and powerful

In late January of 1846 the death of Virginia Poe was but a year away (January 30, 1847) and Frances Osgood was four months pregnant with Fanny Fay Osgood. As Virginia’s health continued its downward spiral, one can imagine the rumors “A Valentine” brought when recited at the home of Anne Lynch on Feb 14, 1846. The poem was written by #EdgarAllanPoe to Frances Osgood. Virtually undetectable at its reading, the poem is an acrostic that spells the full name of Frances Sargent O

Below is a solid list from Robert Smith #TheCure of the songs that he most admires from the 1980s (excluding his own, of course). “Persephone” by #CocteauTwins is the most literary of the bunch. These unrelenting driving forces of the New Wave genre are not to be missed. ABC, “Look of Love” The Associates, “Tell Me It’s Easter on Friday” David Bowie, “Let’s Dance” Kate Bush, “Cloudbursting” Cocteau Twins, “Persephone” Christina, “Things Fall Apart” D.A.F., “Sex Unter Wasser”

Lovecraft is often portrayed as the successor to Poe in the genre of short horror stories, but after reading Lovecraft's stories, I can tell you that he is no Poe. Lovecraft is much less a pioneer than Poe in both character and Gothic atmosphere. Lovecraft gave us the Cthulhu Mythos of cosmic horrors, of ancient horrors lying dormant, of horrors that transcend space and time and dimensions. He holds his rightful place of high esteem in horror literature for this and must be r

On June 5, 2012, the world lost one of its most imaginative storytellers, Ray Bradbury. Yet, Bradbury’s voice continues to echo through the pages of his many short stories and novels, captivating readers across generations. His works are not just stories; they are warnings, celebrations, and explorations of human nature and society. Among his vast collection, two novels stand out as pillars of his legacy: Fahrenheit 451 and Something Wicked This Way Comes . These books remai

Q1. Hi Andrew. Why did you focus on the first half of the 19th century for your first vampire anthology? A1. I knew the first vampire short story written in the English language was "The Vampyre" by John Polidori. He published it in 1819. There was obviously fresh dirt, so to speak, for this period and I started digging. I wanted to start from the beginning just as I did with  The Best Horror Short Stories 1800-1849 , The Best Werewolf Short Stories 1800-1849  and  The Best G

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles stands out as one of the most gripping and atmospheric tales in the Sherlock Holmes series. This novella brings Holmes face to face with what seems like a supernatural force—a monstrous hound said to haunt the moors surrounding an ancient English mansion. While there are no actual ghosts or vampires, the story delivers a chilling dose of horror wrapped in Gothic mystery. It is a perfect blend of suspense, eerie setting,

Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu stands out as one of the finest ghost story writers of the Victorian Age. His mastery of the supernatural and gothic has left a lasting mark on literature, with classics like The Familiar , Madam Crowl's Ghost , and A History of a Tyrone Family . Among his many works, Uncle Silas shines as his most ambitious and celebrated novel, capturing the eerie atmosphere of an ancient mansion and the dark secrets it holds. This review explores why Uncle Silas r

My first collection of short stories, Mailboxes - Mansions - Memphistopheles , has won a finalist award in the International Best Book Awards. It has also been entered in the Shirley Jackson Awards. Here's a blurb on it: In the collection Andrew unleashes a blend of character-driven dark tales, which are sure to be remembered. In "Azra'eil & Fudgie" a little girl visits a team of marines in Afghanistan and they quickly learn she is more than she seems. "The Mailbox War" is a

In 1847, Blackwood's Magazine published an article titled: “Letters on the Truths Contained in Popular Superstitions – Vampyrism.” It presented numerous examples of supposed real vampires reported over the previous century. One was the famous vampire Arnod. The article described how skeptics would fare: “Your scepticism will abate pretty considerably when you see him stealthily entering your room, yet are powerless under the fascination of his fixed and leaden eye—when you a

Vampire stories have long fascinated readers, shaping the horror genre and popular culture. While many know Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula or Anne Rice’s novel Interview with the Vampire , the roots of vampire fiction stretch back much earlier. One of the earliest English- language vampire tales is The Unholy Compact Abjured , published in 1825 by French novelist Charles Pigault-Lebrun. This tale stands as the fourth vampire narrative published in English, following The Vampyre

It's not often that I post a review of one of my books in its entirety. In fact, I never do. Nicola Manning, however, has recently published one of the most well thought out reviews of the best ghost stories anthology that I edited. I agree with her on most points (Washington Irving excepted). You can follow all her reviews on GoodReads . They are worth your time. "Reason for Reading: I have a particular interest in the Gothic story and my favoured literature time period is

Vampire stories in English from the early 19th century are rare, but those that exist offer fascinating glimpses into the roots of vampire fiction. One such story is The Vampire Arnod , published in 1849 in The New Monthly Magazine . Though it may not rank among the very best vampire tales of its time, it remains an intriguing piece for anyone interested in classic horror literature. The village near Belgrade where The Vampire Arnod is set The Context of Vampire Stories in Ea

Edgar Allan Poe was the undisputed king of the early horror story. He was ten when John John Polidori published the first vampire story in the English language that was followed a few months later by "The Black Vampyre," which was published anonymously by Robert Sands in 1819. Both caused quite a stir in the literary community. Many people thought Lord Byron wrote Polidori's tale and "The Black Vampyre" was pinned on the valedictorian of Columbia. Both were published with bac

Vampires have fascinated readers for centuries, but few know where the earliest stories truly began. The first half of the 19th century holds the cradle of vampire literature in English, a time when vampires were often called "vampyres" or even thought of as ghosts. This period shaped much of what we now recognize as classic vampire lore. Andrew Barger's newly published anthology, The Best Vampire Stories 1800-1849: A Classic Vampire Anthology , brings these forgotten tales b

Vampires have long fascinated readers and viewers, but not all vampires are created equal. After years of sparkling, brooding, and friendly vampires dominating pop culture, a shift is underway. The old-school vampires of Victorian literature, the ones who embody darkness and menace, are making a comeback. This change reflects a growing weariness with the modern vampire archetypes and a renewed appreciation for the classic, evil creatures of the night. The Rise and Fall of Vam

" Charlotte Sometimes ", the YA book by Penelope Farmer, is well known in England more than the US. It has time travel and ghosts and seances. What's not to like?  I’ve recently read “Charlotte Sometimes” if for no other reason than to compare The Cure lyrics of their classic song Charlotte Sometimes to parts of the children’s fantasy. This is what I learned and it’s very interesting. ***Spoiler Alter*** Cure Lyrics All the faces, All the voices blur Change to one face, Chan

The Best Ghost Short Stories 1800-1849 anthology delivers the greatest ghost stories for the first half of the nineteenth century. Andrew Barger, the editor and award-winning author of COFFEE WITH POE: A NOVEL OF EDGAR ALLAN POE'S LIFE and BEST GHOST SHORT STORIES 1850-1899: A PHANTASMAL GHOST ANTHOLOGY, compiled the very scariest ghost stories of them all. As he has done with a number of other books, Andrew added his scholarly touch by including story backgrounds, annotatio