Literary Horror discussion

Mine is a Faber and Faber edition and it has an intro by Reece Shearsmith. ?

So what are you recommending we listen to? Was there a link somewhere?

I'm sorry, my copy does have that intro. I was looking in Cold Hand in Mine, instead of this one.

Ronald wrote (in part):

The faber has a different introduction by Richard Kelly. Fortunately for me, I can preview the book on goodreads (only for US members now, sadly) and see the whole introduction without buying it again. There might be a "look inside" preview on Amazon.ca, Amazon.uk, etc. that you can do the same thing for it.

Those that don't have the hardcover Tartarus edition will have to forego the Glen Cavaliero introduction.

For what little it may be worth, in my humble opinion the Kelly introduction is better than the Cavaliero one.

In preparation for the monthly read, I sat down to read S. T. Joshi’s treatment of Aickman in The Modern Weird Tale. Nothing startlingly original, but a nice overview. On the other hand, reading it reminded me just how annoying and parochial Joshi can be.

Brief thoughts on “The School Friend”. (Sorry for jumping the gun by one day.)

This is probably a fitting story to begin with — typical Aickman at least in some ways. The author provides the reader with enough clues to dope out the broad outlines of what’s going on, but I find myself wondering about many of the details. (I sometimes liken reading an Aickman story to putting together a jigsaw puzzle except that at the end of the process I discover that some of the pieces are missing.)

(view spoiler)[“A School Friend” appears at least superficially to be an Aickmanesque variation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein story. I don’t think it’s a coincidence, for example, that Tessler is described as a German doctor. A few Aickman scholars have noted the phonetic similarity of the name Tessler to Tesla, sometimes characterized as the archtypical “mad scientist” (e.g., Rebekah Brown in Aickman Studies, January 2014, Vol. 1., No. 1). The crucial line here is the one uttered by Sally when she somewhat hysterically tells Mel that “it’s possible for a child to be born in a manner you’d never dream of.”

What’s less clear to me is what’s going on with Mel throughout the story. There is the throw-away comment made relatively early on which refers to some personal “catastrophe” which led to her moving back in with her parents. However, the way in which the narrator (Mel) refuses to fill in the blanks about this catastrophe makes the reader wonder whether or not it might somehow relate to (or modify her reactions to) the later events in the Tessler house. It’s tempting, for example, to speculate that Mel’s catastrophe might involve childbirth — out of wedlock birth or abortion, perhaps, although I don’t think abortion was legal in the UK until later in the decade. More to the point, I find myself puzzled about Mel’s reaction both during the height of the crisis and during the aftermath. Specifically, we have the scene in which after Mel leaves the Tessler house she is seen by a boy: “I must have presented a queer spectacle because the boy seemed to be standing petrified. His mouth, I saw, was wide open. I knew the boy quite well. It was essential for all kinds of reasons that I conduct myself suitably. The boy stood, in fact, for public opinion.” Perhaps this is a case of my reading too much into a passage, but it seems to me that Aickman is hinting at something significant here, but I’m not sure exactly what. Similarly at the story’s end, we have a role reversal in which Mel tells Sally that one day she will probably join her. What exactly does this signify? (hide spoiler)]

✭✭✭½

Oh! It seems I completed the last story needed to mark this as "read"--"Choice of Weapons", if you must know--earlier this year! It's too early for me to revisit it at this point, so I'll have to beg off this month. Let me know when we begin Intrusions, as it seems I've not read even one story in that one.

I plan to get the ebook version and start reading on Sept 1.

I think I might read the first story tonight.

I just finished The School Friend.

Canavan and Randolph, I appreciated your comments. (view spoiler)[ I can't quite tell what was going on with Mel either. (hide spoiler)]

Canavan & Randolph in reference to your spoilers
(view spoiler)[I went a different path with Mel and her catastrophe, I assumed it was some sort of mental breakdown. I imagined the delivery boy being shocked because the "crazy" girl was going in to the house no one ever entered.

The Frankenstein angle was something I didn't think about but it does make sense, especially considering

The original door, giving from the small landing into the one room, showed every sign of having been forcibly burst open; and from the inside

Plus the windows being barred and the lab/library, it all fits. Thanks for that.

What about the scene when Sally attacks Mel, was that a dream/hallucination?

Also am still trying to put the scene between Mel and her father in some sort of perspective.

Plenty of questions on my part. (hide spoiler)]

I have an ebook, which has an Introduction by Richard T. Kelly, and "Robert Aickman Remembered" by Ramsey Campbell. These two pieces were interesting.

Randolph wrote: "School Friend [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ There were hints of something risque but I didn't follow up on that segment after I read it. Thanks for pointing that out, maybe that has some bearing on the final scene between the two women.

Also, wasn't there a passing reference by Mel about Sally "doping herself"? Self medicating or possibly a Jekyll/Hyde thing happening? (hide spoiler)]

I didn't follow up on those mentions either. (view spoiler)[ But I admit that it did cross my mind and I was wondering if perhaps being caught with another woman was the thing that forced Mel back home? (hide spoiler)]

Ringing the Changes

I'm interested to hear what everyone thinks about this story. To be honest, I'm not sure what to make of it. This story had a wonderfully creepy atmosphere about it, but I'm not sure what the ending meant? Especially the last sentence: (view spoiler)[ "In those previous seconds Gerald had become aware of something dividing them which neither of them would ever mention or ever forget." (hide spoiler)]
So, WTH does that mean? LOL

Charlene wrote (in part):

Ringing the Changes

I’m interested to hear what everyone thinks about this story.

I’ll try and post thoughts this evening or tomorrow morning.

Charlene wrote: "I didn't follow up on those mentions either. [spoilers removed]"

That fits very well Charlene. Good call. (view spoiler)[ I 'm still wondering about the pregnancy and how that relates. (hide spoiler)]

Randolph wrote (in part):

I'm surprised nobody mentioned anything about the (view spoiler)[lesbian (hide spoiler)] theme underlying the entire School Friend story.

(view spoiler)[Yes, I picked up on both of the references you mentioned, Randolph. I think it fair to note that both can be viewed more prosaically as fitting with Sally’s background and training in classical literature. And on another level, I saw Sally’s familiarity with Satyricon as highlighting what we learn concerning her precocious “theoretical” (as opposed to first-hand) knowledge of sex. I found the Mitylene reference less easy to dismiss and it did indeed make me wonder about a possible lesbian theme. As Charlene notes, it sorta fits with the relationship between Sally and Mel in which first Mel and then Sally presses the idea of living together. More generally, is Aickman subtly juxtaposing lesbianism to motherhood? (hide spoiler)]

Hmm, that's a good question.

I don't know how to qualify my posts with spoiler links, sorry, so I will place a few blank lines before my thoughts on The School Friend.







Definitely agree with the homosexual undertones here. I suspect during that time that unmarried, middle-aged women were probably ostracized or at least regarded as odd. I too found it very interesting how Mel really glossed over all her personal history, especially the "catastrophe." Certainly could be a scandal of some sort, but this gaping omission, along with her comments about her own imagination, immediately qualify her as an unreliable narrator in my mind. Wonder if Sally is a touch less repressed than Mel? Obviously there is not much evidence for any one, solid explanation.... I really enjoyed these stories but you were dead-on about the missing puzzle pieces, Robert!

One thing I find funny in retrospect: the stories with the fewest missing pieces (The Waiting Room and The View) were the least fulfilling, for me at least. Ironic!

I enjoyed the heck out of Ringing the Changes. It was that last sentence and I guess the last sequence in the book, before they leave, that has left me a little confused.

But that just brings up more questions!

(view spoiler)[ For instance, what did the Commandant do save Phrynne? "She was between two of them. Each had one of her hands." When asked what he did, he replied "I did what had to be done. I hope I was in time." (hide spoiler)]

(view spoiler)[ And what was Mrs. Pascoe staring at, when Phyrnne removed the overcoat that wasn't hers? What made her look with a "stare of animosity."?
And do you know what the Commandant did? (hide spoiler)]

Well, it definitely worked. I liked this story a lot, even though there is still a lot of mystery surrounding it.

The artistry of Aickman's 'strange stories' is to creep you out while leaving any meaning or conclusions up to the interpretation of the reader. Joyce Carol Oates sometimes writes ghost, horror or 'grotesque' stories in the same way.

Interested parties should check out the Kindle ebook, Robert Aickman: An Introduction by Gary William Crawford. $3.99 is a bit pricey for a 76 page book, but worth it you want more information on Aickman.

A couple of thoughts on Ringing the Changes

The ending (view spoiler)[ I agree about the change in Phrynne but I was suspicious of her from the beginning. The difference in age, the choice of the honeymoon location(although I don't know if there was ever a mention of her actually picking the site), the way she reacted to the bells and the sea. I assumed she planned the whole trip knowing what was coming. The end was Gerald finally realizing the same. (hide spoiler)]

Charlene-your spoilers

(view spoiler)[ There was plenty of play on dark and light throughout the story. I'm wondering if it had something to do with There were two more candles in the lounge, and Phrynne, wearing a woman's belted overcoat which was not hers, sat between them, drinking.

I'm thinking Mrs Pascoe wanted to "dance" but was never chosen and was jealous of Phrynne? (hide spoiler)]

Randolph
(view spoiler)[I couldn't get any feel on what the Commandant had done. I thought the scene with him leaning his head on the window was very interesting. Wanting to join the dance,guilt ridden? (hide spoiler)]

Randolph wrote: "re what you said, I believe, I could be wrong, there was a line about having their honeymoon "somewhere that Gerald had never been before." I paraphrase of course"

That's the phrase I was remembering as well. I must have made the leap at that spot because I can't find anything more specific.

I'm also in awe of Aickman's power, especially in regards to how concise he stays. "Terror was waxing with the cold sun" - I mean, that's gold.

For Ringing the Changes, I also wondered about the significance of the Commandmant's crime, as well as what exactly befell Pascoe before coming to the town. Anyone have any working knowledge of the book the Commandmant treated like Sisyphus' rock? Thought that could shed some light. My favorite line from this story was when the Commandmant calls Prynne "twenty years younger... and therefore twenty years more important."

In terms of Choice of Weapons - I don't have the time right now to get all my thoughts down, but I thought Aickman completely NAILED infatuation in the opening passage. What execution! I mean, I'm 30 now, but that's exactly how I remember it lol

Ctgt wrote: "Randolph wrote: "re what you said, I believe, I could be wrong, there was a line about having their honeymoon "somewhere that Gerald had never been before." I paraphrase of course"

That's the phra..."

I'm weighing in late, sorry. I'm doing my second read of "The View" right now. I've noticed if I read through once, then I can go back the second (third in the case of "The School Friend") time and pick up a lot of what I've missed. What I'm enjoying about these stories the most, I think, are the undercurrents about modernity. Well, that and the fact that I really have to give a lot of thought to what I'm reading.

Ctgt wrote: "A couple of thoughts on Ringing the Changes

The ending [spoilers removed]

Charlene-your spoilers

There was plenty of play on dark and light throughout the story. I'm wondering if it had somethi..."

Ctgt, LOVED your comments! Thinking back on it, I think Mrs. Pascoe wanted to dance too. (view spoiler)[ But maybe she couldn't dance because Phyrnne was 20 years younger, therefore 20 years more important? (hide spoiler)]

Randolph, I think the ambiguous nature of the stories makes them perfect for this type of discussion. That and the intelligence of the participants here, of course. :)

All the excellent comments here make me sorely regret that this book is packed away somewhere. I hope you fellows aren't all "Aickmanned-out" come October, as he seems to really get discussion happening in a way we seldom see here at Literary Horror. Randolph, you had better put Intrusions on the ballot for next month (is there an easily obtainable copy available for those who don't already possess it?) just in case ;)

My thoughts on the story "The School Friend":

(view spoiler)[ I think that Sally was raped and impregnated by a supernatural being. The early details in the story alluding to Sally's lesbianism is to let the reader rule out the possibility that Sally got pregnant from a boyfriend or a casual fling, because Sally is not interested in men.

Other details alluding to the supernatural rapist is Sally's offspring: Mel hears a creature upstairs that is scampering about like a pig. Sally also makes a comment about her offspring.

The specter that Mel saw when in Sally's house might have been this supernatural rapist.

There is another horror, at the very end of story. Sally meets Mel and tells Mel that she sold the house. OK, I'm wondering "What about her offspring?"

Robert Aickman showed good taste in how he wrote this story. A much lesser writer of the splatterpunk variety might have gone into details about the rape and given a visual description of the creature that Sally gave birth to. Well, splatterpunk is a movement that is long dead, while Aickman's stories are being read long after his death. (hide spoiler)]

I give this story 4 out of 5 stars.

Still waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail. My copy is supposed to be Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Faber & Faber Fiction (June 5, 2014) from Amazon. It does not state who wrote the introduction.

Randolph wrote: "Karl wrote: "Still waiting for my copy to arrive in the mail. My copy is supposed to be Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Faber & Faber Fiction (June 5, 2014) from Amazon. It does not state who wrot..."

Thanks, I wish you were my Mail person. I would have my book by now. I ordered it when the winner of the month was announced. I have a bunch of Aickman's but this was not one of them.

Randolph wrote: "You owe it to yourselves to listen to this before you read the September book by Robert Aickman."

Listen to what, exactly? Is there a link missing?

For those not new to Aickman, what was the first story of his that you read? Mine was "The Hospice", and I was hooked!

Jeremy Dyson on Aickman on BBC radio:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0184v2s

Fine! I'll do it for you, Randolph! :)

Alright, I think I have the time to get down my thoughts on Choice of Weapons, sans organization :) Here goes:
(view spoiler)[
I think we'll all agree that Dorabelle and the snarling dueller are one and the same. "She'd told him as much," with the comments on the mirror, and the fatal wound can't really be interpreted any other way. I do not pretend to know exactly what the Doctor signifies; he seems to be a helper figure, but his "prescription" for Ann brings all his motives into question. For deeper interpretation, I really rely on the title... Fenville chooses the rapier to duel, and with the Freudian/subconscious themes touted by the Doctor, the choice of a sword seems to have phallic implications. So: assertion of masculine influence as some sort of replacement for old/moneyed society values? Passion over materialism? I keep falling back on Dorabelle's insistence that she is poor, when her whole wrecked joint seems to be lined with money (exactly what she denies to her "suitor". Really like that moment of clarity when Fenville realizes the mansion is wrecked far worse than he'd already noted. / (hide spoiler)]

What's behind that mirror?

Axolotl wrote: "Jeremy Dyson on Aickman on BBC radio:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0184v2s

Fine! I'll do it for you, Randolph! :)"

Oh thank you for posting that! I kept meaning to ask that question, but I kept getting sidetracked by the discussions.

Ronald wrote: "My thoughts on the story "The School Friend"

Now THAT is an interesting as hell take on it. *sigh*
Now I'm going to have to read that story again.

I've really enjoyed this book. Thanks to whomever suggested/chose it.

Also wanted to mention that I think what gives Ronald's theory on The School Friend a lot of credence is that opening quote about "every woman's secret wish"

Andy wrote: "Alright, I think I have the time to get down my thoughts on Choice of Weapons, sans organization :) Here goes:

I think we'll all agree that Dorabelle and the snarling dueller are one and the same...."

Good stuff Andy.

(view spoiler)[ As to the Doctor, initially I pegged him as some charlatan after he gleaned all the information from the hypnosis. But when his "son" was introduced I was trying to figure out if that was an analog for God/Christ and then changed my mind after Fenville found Dorabelle making a black wedding veil which led me in the obvious direction but I still can't quite piece it all together. Could it be another hint at Dr. Frankenstein? Gonna have to mull that over a little more.

Really like that moment of clarity when Fenville realizes the mansion is wrecked far worse than he'd already noted.
I did as well and I'm trying to connect that with Gunter suddenly becoming "almost horribly spry" after he was fired(released?) by Dorabelle. Seems as though there is some sort of physical side effect of being under her influence and once Gunter was gone all her energy was focused on the house and eventually Fenville.
(hide spoiler)]

Steve wrote (in part):

Interested parties should check out the Kindle ebook, Robert Aickman: An Introduction by Gary William Crawford. $3.99 is a bit pricey for a 76 page book, but worth it you want more information on Aickman.

Thanks for mentioning this, Steve. I actually purchased this a while ago, but had completely forgotten about it.

@Randolph-absolutely.

Brief thoughts on “Ringing the Changes”.

This is one of Aickman’s more anthologized pieces and was, in fact, televised (as “The Bells of Hell”, 1968). In some ways it’s actually a bit more accessible than many of Aickman’s stories — at least as to the surface action. But I find it just as murky as most of his other tales when it comes to trying to get a handle on what is intended on a more metaphorical level. (view spoiler)[Crawford, in Robert Aickman: An Introduction avers that the story illustrates “the theme of love linked to death”. I suppose so, but I came away with the feeling that Aickman had something much more specific in mind. Given that we’re talking about Aickman (and hence, more often than not, about sex), my own impression was that the entire piece reeked of male insecurity vis-à-vis women. Thus, Aickman continually emphasizes the age difference between Gerard and Phrynne in ways calculated to make the reader think that this mattered far more to Gerard than to Phrynne. Thus, when Phrynne runs ahead of Gerard the latter seems embarrassed when he is forced to pursue her (“he hoped there were not eyes behind blinds.”), and when he catches up “he knew she was silently indicating that his failure to keep up with her was not a matter for self-consciousness”. Gerard compensates for his feelings of physical inadequacy (or at least attempts to) in various ways — we are told, for example, at the story’s outset that during their courtship Gerard exaggerated his business position; and it is implied that Gerard has a fondness for displaying his erudition in Phyrnne’s presence (the bit about the train and later on the use of Latin [which seems to go over Phrynne’s head]). All of this comes to a head, of course, during the fevered dancing which accompanies the raising of the dead. Aickman imbues this rather bizarre rite with a pronounced sexual undertone, describing the crowd at various points as “beatic” and “ecstatic” — one might be forgiven for thinking of the event in terms of an unnatural orgy. Certainly Aickman’s description of Phrynne in the aftermath of the dance seem to emphasize the sensual — “her nightdress was so torn that she stood almost naked”. Gerard is horrified by the graveyard workers; not so his wife: “On the contrary, her cheeks reddened and her soft mouth became fleetingly more voluptuous still.” The final sentence seems almost to convey the idea of Gerard as a cuckolded husband. As a final (possibly relevant?) puzzle piece, I wonder whether anyone else has commented on the the similarity of the young wife’s name (Phyrnne) to that of the famous Greek courtesan (Phryne). (hide spoiler)]

✭✭✭½

Randolph, writing about “Ringing the Changes”, wonders:

What was the Commandant's great crime that he was disgraced and court-martialled for?

I may be flattering myself, but I think I have a rough handle on Gerard and Phrynne and the roles they play in this story. I’m far, far more puzzled about what in the heck some of the secondary characters are doing in this place — namely the ex-Commandant and the Pascoes. (view spoiler)[In each case the implication seems to be that some ambiguous combination of scandal and guilt has driven them to Holihaven. But why this particular location? Aickman drops a few more clues about Shotcroft than about the Pascoes, but just a few. The details provided about the book made me wonder whether or not Shotcroft’s great sin had something to do with the death of his son; pursuing that line of half-formed thought, could his presence in Holihaven signify a wish to see his son once again? I’m not entirely convinced by or happy with this hypothesis, but I don’t have any other concrete thoughts on the matter. (hide spoiler)]

Steve asks:

For those not new to Aickman, what was the first story of his that you read? Mine was "The Hospice", and I was hooked!

It’s been a long time for me. Probably “The Trains”, but maybe I’m mis-remembering. What I recall a little more clearly was it’s effect on me. I was pretty young when I first read it (very early teens?) in one of the Aickman-edited Fontana collections and was pretty puzzled (and probably put off) by the author’s oblique approach. I needed a few more years under my belt to properly approach and appreciate Aickman. That said, I will go on the record and state that, while Aickman is a writer I happen to admire, I’m not a huge fan. At least not as huge as are many connoisseurs of horror. I’m not surprised the stories have generated a lot of discussion. I dimly recall a conversation in which someone commented in a somewhat tongue-in-cheek fashion that Aickman was a lot more fun to discuss than to read.

Steve asks:

For those not new to Aickman, what was the first story of his that you read? Mine was "The Hospice", and I was hooked!

Ron says: The first Aickman story I read was "The Next Glade" and the second story of his was "The Station Waiting Room." Wasn't a good start. Though the stories were well written, I found them underwhelming.

Seeing all the Aickman fans, however, I figured I had the bad luck of reading Aickman's lesser stories first. So I read _The Wine Dark Sea_. That is Aickman in full power.

By the way, I encourage people to read Ramsey's Campbell's reminiscence of Robert Aickman. There is a funny incident with a Lovecraft statuette.

Ronald wrote (in part):

By the way, I encourage people to read Ramsey's Campbell's reminiscence of Robert Aickman. There is a funny incident with a Lovecraft statuette.

I had to chuckle a bit about Aickman’s “modification” of the statuette — i.e., given the recent flare-up in the debate about whether the bust for the WFA award should be changed.

Randolph wrote: I can picture a story about a goodreads group that rotates the monthly read between members as they try to outdo each other in expense and rarity of the monthly book until murder, kidnapping and extortion become part of the game.


But they forget to read the book!

Randolph wrote (in part):

I'll put Intrusions on the ballot for October but it breaks two of my rules in not being readily available and also affordable for most people.

I managed to pick up a copy of the 2012 Tartarus edition when it was released and have it laying around somewhere. Amazon lists it as out of print, although Tartarus’ own web site states that the copies are still available (at £32.50/$50). Used copies of the earlier Victor Gollancz edition (1980) are also available — for an arm and a leg.

It should be mentioned that all Tartarus titles include postage in their prices to anywhere in the world. This makes them cheaper than the average new hardcover at cover price.

Randolph wrote: "Enigmatic sentences (for me) in School Friend:

"...she gave me frequent little presents of books: a copy of Goethe's Faust ... and an edition of Petronius [Satyricon], with some remarkable draw..."

According to Wikipedia - "Tit-Bits (or to give it its full title Tit-Bits from all the interesting Books, Periodicals, and Newspapers of the World) was a British weekly magazine founded by George Newnes on 22 October 1881 until 18 July 1984,[1] when it was taken over by Associated Newspapers' Weekend, which itself closed in 1989. The last editors were David Hill and Brian Lee.[2] Tit-Bits lost the hyphen from its masthead at the beginning of 1973.

The magazine was a mass circulation commercial publication which reached sales of between 400,000 and 600,000, with the emphasis on human interest stories concentrating on drama and sensation.[3] Short stories and full length fiction was also incorporated, including works by authors such as Rider Haggard and Isaac Asimov, plus three very early stories by Christopher Priest.

The first humorous article by P. G. Wodehouse, 'Men Who Missed Their Own Weddings' appeared in TitBits in November 1900.[4]

In All Things Considered by G. K. Chesterton, the author contrasts Tit-Bits with the Times, saying: "[an author] ask himself whether he would really rather be asked in the next two hours to write the front page of The Times, which is full of long leading articles, or the front page of Tit-Bits, which is full of short jokes." Reference to this magazine is also made in James Joyce's Ulysses,[5] George Orwell's Animal Farm, James Hilton's Lost Horizon, Virginia Woolf's Moments of Being, and H. G. Wells' The First Men in the Moon. H. G. Wells also mentioned it in his book Experiment in Autobiography, chapter VI. The magazine is burlesqued as 'Chit Chat' in George Gissing's 'New Grub Street'. The magazine 'Hard Facts', in Howard Spring's novel of that name, also bears a resemblance to 'Tit-Bits'."