Bram Stoker's classic tales of the supernatural make a long journey fly

I recently had the pleasure of reviewing an audiobook of Bram Stoker's "Dracula's Guest and Other Stories" (Unabridged), courtesy of Naxos AudioBooks.

The collection of stories amassing five hours of recording on five CDs pleasantly killed the time on an long road trip. 

Read artfully and wittily by talented voice actor Rupert Degas, the more suspenseful than frightening tales ranged from the macabre ("The Burial of the Rats") to the classic ghost story ("The Judge's House").

Other stories in the collection are: "The Squaw," "The Secret of the Growing Gold," "The Gipsy Prophecy," "The Coming of Abel Behenna," "A Dream of Red Hands" and "Crooken Sands"

Naxo AudioBooks released the collection in October 2012 - just in time for Halloween. 

The collection of Stoker's memorable stories as well as his classic gothic novel "Dracula," among other titles, are also available for digital download for $23 (see website link below). The collection is also available in "hard copy" audio CD format for $34.98.

To learn more about the collection, purchase a download, or listen to an audio sample, click here.

Book summary, from the publisher:

Best known for his masterpiece of horror, Dracula, Bram Stoker wrote a number of other novels and many short stories, all on supernatural themes or filled with a physical terror reminiscent of Poe. Dracula’s Guest was originally part of the great novel, but was excised and published separately. Some of these stories, such as The Squaw, The Judge’s House and The Burial of the Rats, rank very high among classic tales of the macabre. These stories deserve to be better known for the light they shed on the enigmatic author of one of the world’s supreme literary adventures into the realm of nightmare.  About author Bram Stoker:

ABRAHAM "BRAM" STOKER

Abraham "Bram" Stoker (1847 – 1912), according to Wikipedia, was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel "Dracula." 

He attributed some of his more creative ideas to a long, unknown illness that kept him bedridden in his early childhood until the age of 7. 

During his lifetime, he was better known as personal assistant of actor Henry Irving and business manager of Lyceum Theatre in London, which Irving owned. 

Interesting sidenote: Stoker's original research notes for "Dracula" are kept by the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia.

RUPERT DEGAS

About voice actor Rupert Degas:

Rupert Degas, a versatile and charismatic audiobook reader, has read a substantial list of books for Naxos AudioBooks, notably Haruki Murakami’s "A Wild Sheep Chase," "The Wind-up Bird Chronicle" and "Dance Dance Dance," Kafka’s "The Trial," Cormac McCarthy’s "The Road," Rose Tremain’s "Restoration," Tom McNab’s Flanagan’s "Run," and "The Adventures of Brigadier Gerard" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Local ghost stories told here: Charles J. Adams III to present scary tales at two area locations

Charles Adams III in ghost storytelling garb

Storyteller Charles J. Adams III, author of "Montgomery County Ghost Stories" and radio personality, will be recounting spooky tales at two area locations in the next week:

• Tonight from 7:13 p.m. to 9:04 p.m., Adams will present "Spooky Towne" at Towne Book Center and Cafe, Providence Town Center (across from Wegmans), Collegeville. His book "Montgomery County Ghost Stories" (Exeter House Books, 2000, $11.95) is available for purchase at the bookstore. The event appears to be free. To learn more, call Towne book Center and Cafe at 610-454-0640. 

• Tuesday, Oct. 30, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Reading Public Museum, 500 Museum Road, Reading. Adams will present "Museum Mysteries: Ghosts in the Galleries." Cost: $5 for Museum member adults and all children 17 and under; $10 for non-member adults.

About Adams (from his publisher):

In addition to writing books, Adams has written travel stories for several publications. He has also been the morning air personality on radio station WEEU in Reading since 1978.

Adams has been a speaker at the International Ghost Hunters Alliance and GhostWorld conventions in Gettysburg and at regional paranormal conferences in New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He has been interviewed on ghostly topics in England, Ireland, Northern Ireland, South Africa, and on several American radio and television stations.

He has also appeared on The History Channel's "Haunted America: New York" and "Haunted America: Philadelphia" programs, and has served as consultant and on-air "expert" for programs on hauntings and ghosts on The Learning Channel, MTV, and The Travel Channel. His latest television work is a segment at the haunted Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia for The Travel Channel's "Mysterious Journeys" series.

Adams has also organized and escorted tours of haunted places in the United States, England, and Scotland.

He has produced, written, and conducted "ghost tours" in Lancaster County, Reading, Hamburg, and Philadelphia; Cape May, N.J., Greenwich Village, and New York City. His stories have been selected for inclusion in anthologies including "Classic American Ghost Stories" (August House Publishing). At the personal request of the producer M. Night Shyamalan, his book, "Bucks County Ghost Stories" was used as a prop in the 2002 movie, "Signs," which stars Mel Gibson.

They had me at 'laser light show based on Thriller'

Coming soon at the Pottstown Regional Public Library:
(I borrowed this poster from Facebook)