STRANGE STORIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22504, 23 February 1935, Page 4

STRANGE STORIES

" The Evening Standard Book of Strange Stories.” London: Hutchinson. 6s. The popularity* of the “ omnibus ” volume shows no sign of decreasing; in fact, the vogue may be expected to be permanent since it is based on the bar-gain-hunting instinct that lies in most book-buyers. A» catholic selection and generous measure are the characteristics of “ The Evening Standard Book of Strange Stories” (from Whitcombe and Tombs), which is one of the most recent examples of this type of book to come from the publishing press. It is a companion volume to “A Century of Creepy Stories,” and is for the most part similar in tone to it, although its scope is broader. Many of the stories deal with uncanny events . with more or less of a flavour of the supernatural, but a fair proportion are “ strange ” without being “creepy.” The wider scope of the book will probably make it all the more popular since there are comparatively few who prefer an entertainment of unadulterated horror, and also because its contents are of a higher standard. The reason for this, of course, is that for every six who can write a good short story there is only one who can write a convincing horror story. Of the modern writers many, such as Dorothy L. Sayers, P. C. Wren, Ethel Mannin and “ Seamark,” are well known as contributors to the better class magazines, but others achieve a distinct literary quality, H. A. Manhood, George R. PreSdy, Jan Neruda and Hjalmar Bergman are represented by outstanding examples of the art of the’ short story. Selections from the works of Daudet, Maupassaiit, Gautier, Lafcadio Hearn, Ambrose Bierce, Dickens and Meredith are also included in the collection, which represents very good value at a modest price.