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Lost Hearts
The tale tells the story of Stephen Elliott, a young orphan boy, who is sent to stay with his much older cousin, Mr Abney, at a remote country mansion. His cousin is a reclusive alchemist obsessed with making himself immortal. Stephen is repeatedly troubled by visions of a young gypsy girl and a traveling Italian boy with their hearts missing.
ebook
First published December 1, 1895
About the author
M.R. James
1,355 books842 followersMontague Rhodes James, who used the publication name M.R. James, was a noted English mediaeval scholar & provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905–18) & of Eton College (1918–36). He's best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature. One of James' most important achievements was to redefine the ghost story for the new century by dispensing with many of the formal Gothic trappings of his predecessors, replacing them with more realistic contemporary settings.
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
M.R.^James
Librarian note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
M.R.^James
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
September 10, 2024
A short snapshot of sheer spookiness and sure to awaken a creeping ghoulishness within our mind’s eye!
SCARE CITY!
You know, the days of wintry autumn are slowly coming. Those days shorten bit by bit and the evening shadows lengthen earlier and earlier, and we often feel a slight murky feeling of being ill at ease with our lives.
Ancient times understood this, and evolved a fix for us over time - All Hallows’ Eve - or Hallowe’en, as we now know it.
Before the time of incessant media distractions, there existed a profound sense of Good and Evil in everyday life. Have we missed that essential link to Peace of Mind?
Regardless, Faith provided a CATHARSIS from that bred-in-the-bone spookiness we feel in the air this time of year.
To perform this, it OBJECTIFIES the idea of Evil for us. That helps.
But we all know, deep inside, that Evil we feel is a Solid Thing.
So stories like Lost Hearts can actually PURGE our hearts of its Dread.
And give us the temporary peace of catharsis.
And this one’s FREE on the Web in PDF form!
We’re sure at the outset that something’s a bit OFF with the reclusive Professor Abney. WHAT the devil is he up to?
We’re right in thinking that - for, to be blunt, he’s a Warlock. And an ugly Necromancer.
But his young cousin doesn’t know that, when he’s orphaned at twelve years old and Abney is selected as his guardian.
First clue? Abney asks right off the bat when the Exact Date of his Thirteenth birthday is - his coming of age - that is if you don’t mind, my child?
Yikes!
Seems the professor, a dabbler in the esoteric arts, wants to celebrate with the kid...
I know, I know.
REALLY Risky Business!
But don’t worry - the darkest hour of the Night is JUST BEFORE DAWN...
You know, it never seems to work out smoothly when you read a scary story on a bright, cloudless day -
But in the Dark Dusky moments of a late November smokefall and bat flight -
It’ll make your skin CRAWL.
SCARE CITY!
You know, the days of wintry autumn are slowly coming. Those days shorten bit by bit and the evening shadows lengthen earlier and earlier, and we often feel a slight murky feeling of being ill at ease with our lives.
Ancient times understood this, and evolved a fix for us over time - All Hallows’ Eve - or Hallowe’en, as we now know it.
Before the time of incessant media distractions, there existed a profound sense of Good and Evil in everyday life. Have we missed that essential link to Peace of Mind?
Regardless, Faith provided a CATHARSIS from that bred-in-the-bone spookiness we feel in the air this time of year.
To perform this, it OBJECTIFIES the idea of Evil for us. That helps.
But we all know, deep inside, that Evil we feel is a Solid Thing.
So stories like Lost Hearts can actually PURGE our hearts of its Dread.
And give us the temporary peace of catharsis.
And this one’s FREE on the Web in PDF form!
We’re sure at the outset that something’s a bit OFF with the reclusive Professor Abney. WHAT the devil is he up to?
We’re right in thinking that - for, to be blunt, he’s a Warlock. And an ugly Necromancer.
But his young cousin doesn’t know that, when he’s orphaned at twelve years old and Abney is selected as his guardian.
First clue? Abney asks right off the bat when the Exact Date of his Thirteenth birthday is - his coming of age - that is if you don’t mind, my child?
Yikes!
Seems the professor, a dabbler in the esoteric arts, wants to celebrate with the kid...
I know, I know.
REALLY Risky Business!
But don’t worry - the darkest hour of the Night is JUST BEFORE DAWN...
You know, it never seems to work out smoothly when you read a scary story on a bright, cloudless day -
But in the Dark Dusky moments of a late November smokefall and bat flight -
It’ll make your skin CRAWL.
December 14, 2022
Lost Hearts is a short story from "Ghost Stories of an Antiquary", published in 1904. It is a lesser tale, and although appealing to modern tastes, is not a typical tale from M.R. James.
The tale begins with the description of an old country house, Answarby Hall in Lincolnshire, towards which a young boy, Stephen Elliot, is travelling. He has been recently orphaned and a distant cousin, a Mr Abney, who is much older, has agreed to give him a home. This is a surprise to the people who know Mr Abney, as he is something of a recluse; a Professor of Greek at Cambridge University and particularly interested in Pagan religions. He is not known to have any interest in children.
He welcomes Stephen effusively, strangely asking the boy how old he was twice within the first few minutes. Steven and the reader find this rather puzzling. Perhaps it is just eccentricity on the part of an old man.
Steven settles into the household, and questions the servants - Mrs. Bunch and Mr. Parkes - about Mr Abney. They tell Steven that the Professor is very kind. They remember for instance, that he has befriended two children on earlier occasions.
This is a much more explicit horror story than we are used to from the pen of M.R. James. The themes are the same - the interference with arcane mysteries, the supernatural element, the remote musty setting, the scholar at the heart of the story and the ideas of both obsession and guilt. But the sense of menace and dread is largely lost. Perhaps it has been sacrificed to make the tale more gruesome and explicitly horrific. Or perhaps it is simply that the protagonist is a child, and M.R. James did not manage to convey such feelings of trepidation and dread from a child's point of view as easily as he managed to with his adult characters. It is a popular story nonetheless, and often dramatised to enhance its "shocker" elements, but it is not one of his best.
The tale begins with the description of an old country house, Answarby Hall in Lincolnshire, towards which a young boy, Stephen Elliot, is travelling. He has been recently orphaned and a distant cousin, a Mr Abney, who is much older, has agreed to give him a home. This is a surprise to the people who know Mr Abney, as he is something of a recluse; a Professor of Greek at Cambridge University and particularly interested in Pagan religions. He is not known to have any interest in children.
He welcomes Stephen effusively, strangely asking the boy how old he was twice within the first few minutes. Steven and the reader find this rather puzzling. Perhaps it is just eccentricity on the part of an old man.
Steven settles into the household, and questions the servants - Mrs. Bunch and Mr. Parkes - about Mr Abney. They tell Steven that the Professor is very kind. They remember for instance, that he has befriended two children on earlier occasions.
This is a much more explicit horror story than we are used to from the pen of M.R. James. The themes are the same - the interference with arcane mysteries, the supernatural element, the remote musty setting, the scholar at the heart of the story and the ideas of both obsession and guilt. But the sense of menace and dread is largely lost. Perhaps it has been sacrificed to make the tale more gruesome and explicitly horrific. Or perhaps it is simply that the protagonist is a child, and M.R. James did not manage to convey such feelings of trepidation and dread from a child's point of view as easily as he managed to with his adult characters. It is a popular story nonetheless, and often dramatised to enhance its "shocker" elements, but it is not one of his best.
April 2, 2019
Often anthologized, this second tale in from M.R. James’ first collection, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary, has never been one of my favorites. I felt that it lacked antiquarian atmosphere, that its ironies were too broad, and that its villain was too Dickensian to be credible. On a more serious note, I found the images of murdered children to be too grim and unsettling—at least within the sedate context of the Edwardian ghost story.
But then I re-read it, and found that everything I claimed to believe about Lost Hearts was wrong.
My criticisms arose from a common mistake: I expected Lost Hearts to be more like my favorite James’ stories and then faulted it when it turned out to be different. Although Lost Hearts features the usual antiquarian narrator, he does not relate the usual antiquarian anecdote, but instead tells us a story told to him by a man who is remembering a boyhood experience. It is indeed an astonishing story, for the boy he once was would have almost certainly been murdered if it had not been for the ghostly intervention of two murdered children.
The child’s eye view is the basis for much that I once wrongly saw as defects; the lack of antiquarian interest, the obvious ironies, the broad-brush portrait of villainry. Most essential to the success of Lost Hearts, however, are the disturbing graphic images themselves. For those images—transmitted through dreams—are the very means by which the ghostly victims warn and save a living boy.
My new opinion: Lost Hearts may be darker and more compassionate than the average M.R. James story, but it is equally effective.
November 13, 2015
I have arranged my thoughts on this short story into a haiku:
"There's no stronger bane,
Than the combined, stoked efforts
Of the overlooked."
"There's no stronger bane,
Than the combined, stoked efforts
Of the overlooked."
July 29, 2018
One of the tales in Ghosts Stories of an Antiquary (1904). Potentially one of his darkest ones given the victim status of very young children, this takes the antiquarian aspect of the collection to heart with a late Georgian devotee of the Roman mystery religions seeking to find gnosis through blood rites.
June 23, 2024
I became addicted to these audiobook short stories narrated by SIMON STANHOPE
Very classic short ghost and criminal stories written by many different writers
And guess what! I'm in loooooove
It's like a bedtime lullaby 🩷🩷🩷
If you are guys interested you can find them in Bitesized audiobook on youtube
ENJOY
Very classic short ghost and criminal stories written by many different writers
And guess what! I'm in loooooove
It's like a bedtime lullaby 🩷🩷🩷
If you are guys interested you can find them in Bitesized audiobook on youtube
ENJOY
July 30, 2017
I first read this as a 10-year-old. It mildly scared me.
Last night, 35 years later, I still find it a good story.
Last night, 35 years later, I still find it a good story.
January 29, 2023
4.5⭐
This ghost story tells the tale of an orphan boy about to turn twelve, Stephen Elliott, who is sent to stay with Mr. Abney, the boy's cousin, at his remote estate in the country. He is an alchemist obsessed with his quest to acquire immortality. Young Stephen is soon haunted by mysterious apparitions.
This ghost story tells the tale of an orphan boy about to turn twelve, Stephen Elliott, who is sent to stay with Mr. Abney, the boy's cousin, at his remote estate in the country. He is an alchemist obsessed with his quest to acquire immortality. Young Stephen is soon haunted by mysterious apparitions.
August 3, 2016
Nineteenth century ghost stories and M. R. James go together like tea and crumpets. He was truly a master story teller.
This tale tells the story of Stephen, a young orphan boy of 12, who is sent to stay with his much older cousin at a remote country mansion in the year 1811. His cousin, Mr. Abney is a professor of Greek at Cambridge University. He is well versed in ancient pagan religions and philosophies. He lives alone and is attended by servants. We find that he is obsessed with making himself immortal.
Mr Abney has his butler take the boy to the room of Mrs. Bunch, who is to take care of the boy. Mrs. Bunch praises Mr. Abney's kindness and explains that on two different occasions he had given shelter to homeless children. The first child was a gypsy girl who stayed for about three weeks and suddenly disappeared. The boy was a foreigner called Jevanny. Mr. Abney took him in and he to suddenly disappeared.
One night Stephen has a nightmare. In an unused bathroom near his own room he dreams he looks through the glass and sees a very thin girl in a shroud-like garment. Her hands are over her heart. She starts to moan, and her arms start to shake. This causes Stephen to wake up and he finds it was all a dream??
Another night Stephen's nightgown is ripped as if some animal with sharp claws had torn his nightgown just over Stephen's heart.
The story now becomes more freighting and there is a pretty good amount of mystery. It is now time for you to pick up Mr. M. R. James and enjoy.
This tale tells the story of Stephen, a young orphan boy of 12, who is sent to stay with his much older cousin at a remote country mansion in the year 1811. His cousin, Mr. Abney is a professor of Greek at Cambridge University. He is well versed in ancient pagan religions and philosophies. He lives alone and is attended by servants. We find that he is obsessed with making himself immortal.
Mr Abney has his butler take the boy to the room of Mrs. Bunch, who is to take care of the boy. Mrs. Bunch praises Mr. Abney's kindness and explains that on two different occasions he had given shelter to homeless children. The first child was a gypsy girl who stayed for about three weeks and suddenly disappeared. The boy was a foreigner called Jevanny. Mr. Abney took him in and he to suddenly disappeared.
One night Stephen has a nightmare. In an unused bathroom near his own room he dreams he looks through the glass and sees a very thin girl in a shroud-like garment. Her hands are over her heart. She starts to moan, and her arms start to shake. This causes Stephen to wake up and he finds it was all a dream??
Another night Stephen's nightgown is ripped as if some animal with sharp claws had torn his nightgown just over Stephen's heart.
The story now becomes more freighting and there is a pretty good amount of mystery. It is now time for you to pick up Mr. M. R. James and enjoy.
November 2, 2018
“Lost Hearts” is my first foray into the writing of M R James. It won’t be my last. I am deeply surprised by how dark and evil this story was given the era in which it was written.
In the midst of good, proper, Edwardian culture, the plot revolves around a seemingly sane and rational practitioner of ancient blood rite magic on the children. It is what I imagine it would be like to read a testament from the likes of Jack the Ripper, but worse. It is shocking and disturbing and, for the horror fan, highly enjoyable and satisfying.
In the midst of good, proper, Edwardian culture, the plot revolves around a seemingly sane and rational practitioner of ancient blood rite magic on the children. It is what I imagine it would be like to read a testament from the likes of Jack the Ripper, but worse. It is shocking and disturbing and, for the horror fan, highly enjoyable and satisfying.
August 3, 2019
Just when I thought I had figured out all the twists, another hit! Great read!
May 23, 2024
Lost Hearts is an unabridged short story by Montague Rhodes James, aka M. R. James, a British author and medievalist scholar who lived between 1862-1936 that I learned about from a Goodreads review by “Fergus, Quondam Happy Face“ who writes marvelous reviews. While James was uncovering the bodies of 12th and 13th century abbots as a medievalist, it must have inspired him to write ghostly stories. He was born in the year following the death of Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the love of Queen Victoria’s life, and from that point forward there was a burgeoning interest on the British Isles in seances and learning whether there could be communication between the living and the dead. There were a number of spiritualists who attained a kind of celebrity status during the Victorian period, and helped spark a spiritualist revival in the 1920s. James picked a great period for writing his stories. Audible has a great number of his individual spooky stories, and once I’d listened to the Audible sample, there was no going back. I was sold on narrator David Collings. I love a good ghost story, and growing up in the midst of the Appalachian Mountains, I grew to love the frightening folklore and superstitions of the mountain people.
This is a tale of a young boy turning 12 years old in a year, who is sent to live with an older cousin, a man old enough to be his uncle. He lives in a comfortable home with staff. The cousin seems inordinately interested in when the boy will turn 12, and seems delighted to know it’s within a 12 month period. The boy learns he previously had taken in two other children, a boy and a girl who both tragically disappeared in time, which is a troubling sign to the reader. You need to read the story yourself to learn what happens, and if you willingly suspend your disbelief, you learn the dead may indeed hold sway in our lives, and like A Miracle on 34th Street where the proof of Santa’s existence is discovered by virtue of the USPS sending the children’s letters to the man who calls himself Kris Kringle, we have only to look at the voter rolls of every state to see proof of the dead’s activity, albeit unseen by mortals.
While in high school I discovered Ambrose Bierce who became one of my favorite authors, an “American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War veteran. His book The Devil's Dictionary was named one of ‘The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature’ by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration…For his horror writing, Michael Dirda ranked him alongside Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft.” (Wiki) Bierce once stated, "Who never doubted, never half believed. Where doubt is, there truth is - it is her shadow." A love of mystery is a wonderful thing. I’m definitely going to read or listen to more of James’ work, and my guilty pleasure will no doubt be in squirreling away those Collings Audible editions.
This is a tale of a young boy turning 12 years old in a year, who is sent to live with an older cousin, a man old enough to be his uncle. He lives in a comfortable home with staff. The cousin seems inordinately interested in when the boy will turn 12, and seems delighted to know it’s within a 12 month period. The boy learns he previously had taken in two other children, a boy and a girl who both tragically disappeared in time, which is a troubling sign to the reader. You need to read the story yourself to learn what happens, and if you willingly suspend your disbelief, you learn the dead may indeed hold sway in our lives, and like A Miracle on 34th Street where the proof of Santa’s existence is discovered by virtue of the USPS sending the children’s letters to the man who calls himself Kris Kringle, we have only to look at the voter rolls of every state to see proof of the dead’s activity, albeit unseen by mortals.
While in high school I discovered Ambrose Bierce who became one of my favorite authors, an “American short story writer, journalist, poet, and American Civil War veteran. His book The Devil's Dictionary was named one of ‘The 100 Greatest Masterpieces of American Literature’ by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration…For his horror writing, Michael Dirda ranked him alongside Edgar Allan Poe and H. P. Lovecraft.” (Wiki) Bierce once stated, "Who never doubted, never half believed. Where doubt is, there truth is - it is her shadow." A love of mystery is a wonderful thing. I’m definitely going to read or listen to more of James’ work, and my guilty pleasure will no doubt be in squirreling away those Collings Audible editions.
March 27, 2024
Lost Hearts: A Chilled Atmosphere But Not Quite Captivating
M. R. James' "Lost Hearts" has its strengths. The creepy atmosphere in Aswarby Hall is undeniable. The isolation, the strange sounds, and the unsettling portrait of Mr. Abney all contribute to a sense of unease that builds effectively.
However, the story fell a little flat for me in a few areas. The plot felt predictable at times, and the characters, particularly Stephen, the young protagonist, weren't fleshed out enough to fully engage me in their plight. The ending, while not bad, didn't pack the punch I was hoping for.
Overall, "Lost Hearts" is a decent read for fans of classic ghost stories. It delivers a good dose of chills but might not leave a lasting impression. If you're new to M. R. James, you might want to try some of his other works, which might be more gripping.
M. R. James' "Lost Hearts" has its strengths. The creepy atmosphere in Aswarby Hall is undeniable. The isolation, the strange sounds, and the unsettling portrait of Mr. Abney all contribute to a sense of unease that builds effectively.
However, the story fell a little flat for me in a few areas. The plot felt predictable at times, and the characters, particularly Stephen, the young protagonist, weren't fleshed out enough to fully engage me in their plight. The ending, while not bad, didn't pack the punch I was hoping for.
Overall, "Lost Hearts" is a decent read for fans of classic ghost stories. It delivers a good dose of chills but might not leave a lasting impression. If you're new to M. R. James, you might want to try some of his other works, which might be more gripping.
November 2, 2023
This was a bit more satisfying, for reasons I won't go into because of spoilers. But this is on classic ghost story level.
September 18, 2023
This was very atmospheric and autumnal. I loved the antiquity aspect the blood rites, cannibalism etc. I wish it had been a tad longer tho
April 29, 2024
Lost Hearts by MR James
8 out of 10
Lost Hearts is part of a collection of short stories, some of which are enticing, wonderful, but this one is not overwhelming
Not for me anyway, and this has to do with the fact that I do not like ghost stories, or maybe I have had too much of that
From here on, this is not about Lost Hearts, my opinion is clear and expressed in the first line, I do not like it
But, since there is all this space here, why not rant on things of the past, Remembrance of Things Past https://realini.blogspot.com/2013/06/... being my absolute favorite chef d’oeuvre
I chose geology, then geophysics as subject study, and graduated in 1990, after the Revolution that has taken down Ceausescu
With pride I must say that I took part in the overthrow off that heinous dictator, and the link is at the end of this note
However, while studying in University, I took on guiding lessons, then worked for the National Tourist Office
Once on a practice tour, I saw that geophysicists could not do their job, because Ceausescu had decreed the start of the ‘Agrarian Revolution’, which meant that had priority and everything else had to stop, though for not good reason
To satisfy the tyrant, and because they were sycophants and the dogs from Animal Farm https://realini.blogspot.com/2022/01/... they would actually ruin the crops
That is another story though, perhaps for the next ‘review’, when I will abandon the subject and go odd rails again – I did not mention ‘spoiler alert’, but it was clear enough, right, I said all I had to about Lost Hearts
Watching those engineers sit idly, in lousy circumstances (albeit, in a communist country you could not expect much, if anything) I decided to change jobs, and go into the Hospitality Business, or travel and tours
Indeed, I brought home a color television, then a video player, and eventually, the Dacia car, later traded for an Audi (fifteen years old, but like a helicopter, in those days, when there were very few automobiles)
Incidentally, it may be because of the Audi that Miss Romania stopped and talked to the dog parked inside – yes, it could also be the animal, who was cute, named after Jack Nicholson in The Witches of Eastwick
In that film https://realini.blogspot.com/2023/02/... Jack Nicholson is the devil, under cover as Daryl van Horn, and that was my German shepherd, the pretext for talk
Let us get off this route – which is nonetheless very present in multiple notes and stories on this blog – and try and explain my adversity to ghost stories, of which I had had enough notwithstanding my adversity
As a guide and later entrepreneur in the travel business, I have taken Americans, British, Canadians and some others around this country, and the number one spot was…Dracula’s castle, and then other places were also taken by the count
Hence, I have had to talk about the guy, the myth, legends, historical facts and superstition, the ghosts and all that, because that was the demand, aside from Bran, there was Sighisoara, where Vlad The Impaler was born
When not traveling to Bran, we were off to Poienari, a citadel now in ruins, where we have had a connection with Vlad Tepes, the inspiration for the vampire count, albeit so distant from the fictional character
The real man was quite a weird fellow, and a lot of horror is associated with him, the sympathizers say it was all in the name of patriotism, to keep the Ottomans away, and defend his land, besides, cruelty was common
Nevertheless, if we are to listen to the gruesome legends, we are terrified, for instance, he is supposed to have asked the beggars, homeless, if they want to end this life, and they said yes, thinking they are in for a treat
And yes, he did give them a meal, but set them on fire after that, he would put nails into the heads of ambassadors that kept their hats on, in the name of respecting their customs, he would impale the enemies and much more…
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
8 out of 10
Lost Hearts is part of a collection of short stories, some of which are enticing, wonderful, but this one is not overwhelming
Not for me anyway, and this has to do with the fact that I do not like ghost stories, or maybe I have had too much of that
From here on, this is not about Lost Hearts, my opinion is clear and expressed in the first line, I do not like it
But, since there is all this space here, why not rant on things of the past, Remembrance of Things Past https://realini.blogspot.com/2013/06/... being my absolute favorite chef d’oeuvre
I chose geology, then geophysics as subject study, and graduated in 1990, after the Revolution that has taken down Ceausescu
With pride I must say that I took part in the overthrow off that heinous dictator, and the link is at the end of this note
However, while studying in University, I took on guiding lessons, then worked for the National Tourist Office
Once on a practice tour, I saw that geophysicists could not do their job, because Ceausescu had decreed the start of the ‘Agrarian Revolution’, which meant that had priority and everything else had to stop, though for not good reason
To satisfy the tyrant, and because they were sycophants and the dogs from Animal Farm https://realini.blogspot.com/2022/01/... they would actually ruin the crops
That is another story though, perhaps for the next ‘review’, when I will abandon the subject and go odd rails again – I did not mention ‘spoiler alert’, but it was clear enough, right, I said all I had to about Lost Hearts
Watching those engineers sit idly, in lousy circumstances (albeit, in a communist country you could not expect much, if anything) I decided to change jobs, and go into the Hospitality Business, or travel and tours
Indeed, I brought home a color television, then a video player, and eventually, the Dacia car, later traded for an Audi (fifteen years old, but like a helicopter, in those days, when there were very few automobiles)
Incidentally, it may be because of the Audi that Miss Romania stopped and talked to the dog parked inside – yes, it could also be the animal, who was cute, named after Jack Nicholson in The Witches of Eastwick
In that film https://realini.blogspot.com/2023/02/... Jack Nicholson is the devil, under cover as Daryl van Horn, and that was my German shepherd, the pretext for talk
Let us get off this route – which is nonetheless very present in multiple notes and stories on this blog – and try and explain my adversity to ghost stories, of which I had had enough notwithstanding my adversity
As a guide and later entrepreneur in the travel business, I have taken Americans, British, Canadians and some others around this country, and the number one spot was…Dracula’s castle, and then other places were also taken by the count
Hence, I have had to talk about the guy, the myth, legends, historical facts and superstition, the ghosts and all that, because that was the demand, aside from Bran, there was Sighisoara, where Vlad The Impaler was born
When not traveling to Bran, we were off to Poienari, a citadel now in ruins, where we have had a connection with Vlad Tepes, the inspiration for the vampire count, albeit so distant from the fictional character
The real man was quite a weird fellow, and a lot of horror is associated with him, the sympathizers say it was all in the name of patriotism, to keep the Ottomans away, and defend his land, besides, cruelty was common
Nevertheless, if we are to listen to the gruesome legends, we are terrified, for instance, he is supposed to have asked the beggars, homeless, if they want to end this life, and they said yes, thinking they are in for a treat
And yes, he did give them a meal, but set them on fire after that, he would put nails into the heads of ambassadors that kept their hats on, in the name of respecting their customs, he would impale the enemies and much more…
Now for my standard closing of the note with a question, and invitation – maybe you have a good idea on how we could make more than a million dollars with this http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/02/u... – as it is, this is a unique technique, which we could promote, sell, open the Oscars show with or something and then make lots of money together, if you have the how, I have the product, I just do not know how to get the befits from it, other than the exercise per se
There is also the small matter of working for AT&T – this huge company asked me to be its Representative for Romania and Bulgaria, on the Calling Card side, which meant sailing into the Black Sea wo meet the US Navy ships, travelling to Sofia, a lot of activity, using my mother’s two bedrooms flat as office and warehouse, all for the grand total of $250, raised after a lot of persuasion to the staggering $400…with retirement ahead, there are no benefits, nothing…it is a longer story, but if you can help get the mastodont to pay some dues, or have an idea how it can happen, let me know
As for my role in the Revolution that killed Ceausescu, a smaller Mao, there it is http://realini.blogspot.com/2022/03/r...
Some favorite quotes from To The Hermitage and other works
‘Fiction is infinitely preferable to real life...As long as you avoid the books of Kafka or Beckett, the everlasting plot of fiction has fewer futile experiences than the careless plot of reality...Fiction's people are fuller, deeper, cleverer, more moving than those in real life…Its actions are more intricate, illuminating, noble, profound…There are many more dramas, climaxes, romantic fulfillment, twists, turns, gratified resolutions…Unlike reality, all of this you can experience without leaving the house or even getting out of bed…What's more, books are a form of intelligent human greatness, as stories are a higher order of sense…As random life is to destiny, so stories are to great authors, who provided us with some of the highest pleasures and the most wonderful mystifications we can find…Few stories are greater than Anna Karenina, that wise epic by an often foolish author…’
‚Parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus’
“From Monty Python - The Meaning of Life...Well, it's nothing very special...Try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations.”
August 23, 2024
Good.
This was good, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
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PERSONAL NOTE :
[1895] [20p] [Horror] [3.5] [Recommendable]
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★★★★☆ The Mezzotint [4.5]
★★★☆☆ Ghost Stories of an Antiquary <--
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Muy bien.
Esto estuvo bastante bien, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1895] [20p] [Horror] [3.5] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
This was good, but not going to review it.
For the moment at least.
It’s public domain. You can find it HERE.
-----------------------------------------------
PERSONAL NOTE :
[1895] [20p] [Horror] [3.5] [Recommendable]
-----------------------------------------------
★★★★☆ The Mezzotint [4.5]
★★★☆☆ Ghost Stories of an Antiquary <--
-----------------------------------------------
Muy bien.
Esto estuvo bastante bien, pero no voy a reseñarlo.
Al menos por ahora.
Es dominio público, lo pueden encontrar ACA.
-----------------------------------------------
NOTA PERSONAL :
[1895] [20p] [Horror] [3.5] [Recomendable]
-----------------------------------------------
February 19, 2016
short story, also found at: https://anilbalan.files.wordpress.com...
July 6, 2017
I'm surprised I hadn't heard of this one before. It's a bit short for the substance of the story, and could be the basis of a much larger piece.
May 9, 2018
This might appear blasphemous, but I didn't find this story to be of quite the five-star level which I usually associate with James. But in comparison to all other such stories, it's awesome!
May 17, 2018
should have read this at night
June 6, 2019
A young orphan boy is sent to live with his uncle in a house that seems to be haunted from his uncles unnatural experiments.
June 17, 2023
Raccolta di Racconti su Fantasmi e simili. Di base non hanno lo scopo di far paura ma soprattutto inquietarti. L'autore (e il traduttore) è abile nel cambiare linguaggio a seconda della scena, passando da un registro informale a uno ricercato da verbale di tribunale. Spesso omette i nomi dei personaggi, rendendo le storie più dicerie che accurati reportage, così da dare ancora maggiormente quel senso di storia sentita, tramandata oralmente. I luoghi ove accadono le vicende sono spesso Chiese, Borghi o Alberghi, ma le trame reggono una buona originalità, evitando di diventare copie di racconti precedenti. Non tutti i racconti sono dello stesso livello, alcuni sono noiosi, altri appassionanti. È un libro da leggere per chi apprezza storie di Fantasmi di fine 1800 inizio 1900 ed apprezza quelle atmosfere di campagna un po' bucoliche, con vecchietti amabili e storie di assassini e demoni.
December 22, 2019
(Audible)
Published 1904, this creepy ghost/horror story tells the tale of a young orphan who goes to live with a distant uncle. The uncle is a nice enough gentleman, a little eccentric, and a bit of a scientist it seems.
Shortly after arriving the young boy learns of the mysterious disappearances of two other children in the area. They were disposable children, a gypsy and an immigrant without family to inquire after them at great length.
Curious.
Then the boy sees the first ghost.
A creepy story that is beautifully served in short story format. While some of the tale was predictable, I wasn't expecting then ending. Well done M.R. James. Well done.
RECOMMEND
Published 1904, this creepy ghost/horror story tells the tale of a young orphan who goes to live with a distant uncle. The uncle is a nice enough gentleman, a little eccentric, and a bit of a scientist it seems.
Shortly after arriving the young boy learns of the mysterious disappearances of two other children in the area. They were disposable children, a gypsy and an immigrant without family to inquire after them at great length.
Curious.
Then the boy sees the first ghost.
A creepy story that is beautifully served in short story format. While some of the tale was predictable, I wasn't expecting then ending. Well done M.R. James. Well done.
RECOMMEND
March 4, 2019
Overall, I liked it. It's suspenseful and creepy. I don't want to say anymore at risk of giving away any of the plot.
I did not, however, like the ending. All of this suspense built up to something that didn't happen. Not only that but the action of the ending wasn't even seen. If you read the story, you'll understand what I mean when I say I wish the main character had been a part of the ending, had seen it happen, or if we, the readers, had been able to observe it in more depth. It just felt like an easy, rushed ending.
I did not, however, like the ending. All of this suspense built up to something that didn't happen. Not only that but the action of the ending wasn't even seen. If you read the story, you'll understand what I mean when I say I wish the main character had been a part of the ending, had seen it happen, or if we, the readers, had been able to observe it in more depth. It just felt like an easy, rushed ending.
February 27, 2021
Fabulous read, really creepy but somewhat predictable. Quite cleverly constructed, the title is quite fitting, the stories of the foreign boy and the gypsy girl all going missing. Having doors of a house which is locked and deserted. Stephen a new orphan travels to his cousins house to live there for the foreseeable future, he doesn’t realise that what he sees and hears in the house is foreshadowing how little time he’s going to be in the house. But ambiguous of who’s dead and who’s killed whom at the end though.
November 22, 2022
My first short story by M. R. James and I was delightfully surprised at how easy this was to read and follow, especially compared to the older prose of Edgar Allen Poe stories (of course Poe was writing 80-90 years before James). It was nice and short and I liked the familiar gothic atmosphere. I'd recommend this to anyone wanting to dip their toe into traditional gothic ghost stories - definitely approachable and easy to digest.
May 28, 2023
Published in 1904, James' Lost Hearts is a memorable ghost story. Of course there are books with forbidden knowledge and weird, inexplicable occurrences. Interestingly it touches on how disposable some people are in society. An orphaned boy comes to live with an unknown cousin and all seems well, but there are a few odd occurrences. An enjoyable tale. Available in HorrorBabble's Ultimate Weird Tales Collection; narrated by Ian Gordon.
Also published in 1895 in Pall Mall Magazine.
Also published in 1895 in Pall Mall Magazine.
October 4, 2023
I still stand by the claim that M.R.James remains my favourite ghost/horror writer, and this lesser-known short story is no exception. The young protagonist’s unsettling terror builds perfectly, and whilst the events and locations are now cliched, James reaches the story’s climax like a composer - it’s a great piece.
May 26, 2024
It‘s a narrow 3 stars for me. I contemplated giving it a 2.5, but that felt too harsh. It‘s not a bad story, but a bit less atmospheric and a bit more visceral than James‘ other stories (that I have read so far). Not my cup of tea exactly, but a good base for a Call of Cthulhu pen and paper one-shot, I feel.
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