I discovered M.R. James about 2-3 years ago after watching a filmed compilation of four stories staring John Hurt and Greg Wise. I was so scared that my husband had to stay up half the night with me because I was so freaked out. James was like Alfred Hitchcock in that he knew that the human mind would fill in all of the scary details of a story rather than show every detail. I then downloaded all of James’ stories from Project Gutenberg. Finding this group of stories is a wonderful bit of serendipity. Thanks!
I remember discovering M.R. James about 40 years ago. I read two or three stories in some Horror anthologie, wanting to read more I discovered his stories weren't translated in Dutch. I had to order A copy from the Koninklijke Bibliotheek Den Haag (Royal Library The Hague). As it turned out is was "The Collected Ghost Stories of M.R. James" printed in 1906 and it was so rare that when I failed to return it in the allotted time a policeman came to my house to ask if I still had it in my possession. I did, they were so happy to have it back I didn't even had to pay the fee for being to late...... great writer...!
A collection of seven classic ghost stories, written by British writer, Montague Rhodes James. Chapters: 00:27 - The Ash-tree 32:09 - Count Magnus 1:05:43 - Lost Hearts 1:30:15 - Number 13 2:06:39 - A School Story 2:22:47 - Wailing Well 2:47:21 - Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad Bandcamp link: horrorbabble.bandcamp.com/album/the-ghost-stories-of-m-r-james Narrated by Ian Gordon for HorrorBabble Music and production by Ian Gordon Support us on Bandcamp or Patreon: horrorbabble.bandcamp.com www.patreon.com/horrorbabble HorrorBabble MERCH: teespring.com/stores/horrorbabble-merch Search HORRORBABBLE to find us on: AUDIBLE / ITUNES / SPOTIFY Home: www.horrorbabble.com Rue Morgue: www.rue-morgue.com Social Media: facebook.com/HorrorBabble instagram.com/horrorbabble twitter.com/HorrorBabble
I love the narration of these old stories. M.R.James I've long been a fan of. His stories take you back to long forgotten time's. Of sleepy town's and crumbling college's. Like something out of goodbye Mr chips. A brilliant choice of stories Ian thank you 😊
Chapters: 0:00:27 - The Ash-tree 0:32:09 - Count Magnus 1:05:43 - Lost Hearts 1:30:15 - Number 13 2:06:39 - A School Story 2:22:47 - Wailing Well 2:47:21 - Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad At least once a year I listen again to the stories of M.R. James. They stand out among the many other stories. They are in a class all by themselves. Among the best ever written in my opinion.
A wonderful reading. I was first read this story when I was 9 years old I was in my first year at a boarding school in a fairly remote part of Dorset - very much reminiscient of the school described in the story - read to us by the headmaster on the last night of the christams term before our parents came to pick us up the next day. I don't think any of us slept that night 44 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday - especially at this time of year
James' original "Wailing Well" story begins "In the Year 19--." Why have you changed it to "In the eighteenth century," when there were no Boy Scouts in existence then?
M.R. James rules! Anything I have ever read by Henry James leaves me cold. Never saw what apparently the rest of the world did with Henry, but may he rest in peace nevertheless.
You’re comparing apples and oranges. Henry James,the great novelist and stylist and explorer of human relationships takes his time to explore them. M R James an excellent writer of the short story genre.
Always bloody impressed with how smoothly you folks relate tales beholden of more archaic or ungainly syntax. So many potential places to screw it up, but always so cleanly done. GJ y'all. The Nerd Lobby appreciates all yr hard work.
The one about the Wailing Well is one of the creepiest I have heard. No one actually says what the figures in the field look like so your imagination fills it in to terrible effect. That and the fact that there's a place like that adjacent to our property in Scotland! Scary! Also, I have been listening to a Libravox book called Grim Tales and I thought it was maybe Ian narrating?
Check out "Bitesized Audio Classics" which is s fantastic channel which does ghost stories, mystery stories etc from the Victorian and Edwardian era. The best narrator of ghost stories in my opinion at the moment.Forgive me for being so forward but if that is your genuine profile picture you are an absolutely gorgeous Scottish lass. Keep safe in these challenging times.
Amazing narration, as always :D You, sir, can make even the seemingly dullest and most difficult to read books engaging by the sheer power of your voice alone. Not that M. R. James' stories are bad by any stretch, I actually quite enjoyed them. I was just wondering about the "Wailing Well" story. [Spoilers follow] In the end, after Judkins ends up dying, "...One of the first to recover his spirits was Judkins ...". So, since Judkins and Wilcox looked so much alike, and Wilcox was praised as a constant do-gooder while Judkins was rude, nasty and whathaveyou, does this mean that it was in fact Wilcox who was the evil one and constantly pushed the blame on Judkins? Since Judkins apparently survived? And when Wilcox received his merit badge, all had voted for him except for Judkins, who claimed that "he had good reason to do so". This last twist was just kind of a headscratcher for me, and I was wondering if anyone felt the same? In the end it says "If it has a moral, that moral is, I trust, obvious", but I feel like I've missed something here....
Awesome picture. I keep thinking about actually being there and just experiencing the silence and dismal light for a while, sort of simulating what it would be like to be there for all eternity. And how it would be if the dead were there for eternity, but conscious, and how they would feel when someone like me comes to visit to experience for a short while their home.
“Inhabited, exhibited.” When Ian hits a word fast it’s so funny..... I’m a pretty good reader, but he’s great! “Stupidity, necessitated.” Love the skills.
Lolol they practice lifesaving by tying the hands and feet of a younger boy and throwing him in to the deep end then waiting for the older boy to save him... Only 4 boys have "succumbed". Oh wow, lol.
Ian! or anyone - help! - What does the "next morning BUT ONE" mean? i can't find an explanation anywhere! and the "but one" (i've even seen 'but two') is used in a lot in different contexts. Thank you so much. and all of you Keep safe :) 🌷
Some years ago there was a daytime interior illustration of an open-air mausoleum or crypt showing a wall of closed drawers. What video was that? I can't seem to find it anymore.
@@HorrorBabble very close! Back then I commented on how much I liked it and why, but I didn't see my comment among the 57 comments there. Would you happen to have a way of finding any comments I made on your videos?
@HorrorBabble no im afraid not, except to say it wouldn't have been anything about vampires or werewolves. Most likely skeletons or ghosts and maybe possibly cthulu and at least 5 years or more ago, possibly as far back as 2014 after my mother died.. I know thats not much to go on. I'm looking manually right now, starring 5 years ago. I appreciate your responsiveness! It was a very poignant picture for me and the one you found is awfully close if not the right video.
Ok I dont know what I'm talking about. I found my original comment from exactly 5 years ago and it was indeed this video. For some reason searching through HorrorBabble videos never came up with this video, but finally we have indeed found it. Thanks for your help!
I'd like it if there were brief 30-60 second intermissions between stories. It would make it easier for me to tell when I've accidentally lost my place by losing my attention. A little song or talk about the author between stories. Something to interrupt the switch from one story to another.
M. R. James wrote adequate stories technically, but his degrading and disrespectful decision to present allegorical doubt regarding the innocence of cruelly accused supposed witches shows him to be as abusive and unjust as the proud and powerful Englishmen who destroyed the credibility of accused witches, tortured them, and saw them sickeningly and sadistically put to death for a crime that has never been committed by anyone. What a coward and a fool M. R. James has shown himself to be. Strong academic achievement did not build this man's character. He is nothing more than an artful exploiter.
Burdette Kent-Wilson i disagree with you entirely. M R James, or the narrator, and we do not know that the two are the same, makes it quite clear that the women are made scapegoats of for no reason at all.
only in America are people so bored that they have to fabricate bullshit like you do so that they can feel like they've "defended" something. if we went thru and got rid of every artist and creative that were typical of their time or even a deviant there'd be nothing in the Louvre and one book in all libraries. get a hobby or go out and effect the change you want. otherwise your mewling about long dead authors stories being unfair to "x" is literally an exercise in futility. also. fuck off.
