Books 21-32
21. The Silent Twins, by Marjorie Wallace. There was a movie released based on this book, but alas it wasn't in theaters long so I didn't get a chance to see it. At any rate, this book is a series of interviews with June and Jennifer Gibbons, twins who refused to communicate with anyone except themselves for a number of years. The author also includes interviews she had with other family members, with teachers and with medical personnel who worked with June and Jennifer, as well as writings from the twins themselves. It's a strange and sad story. My overwhelming thought was that I have never heard of a case where children were so coddled and yet so neglected. To be fair, the adults in their lives and even the so-called professionals had no idea what to do with them and their lack of communication. June and Jennifer were largely left alone to their own devices until their activities turned to serious crime. Ultimately, this was a sad case of where the twins developed a strong love-hate relationship. They could not seem to function separately (although this was never tried with any serious effort) and they could not exist together. A good if sad story, and Wallace put a lot of time and research into this work.
22. Journalism and Jim Crow, edited by Kathy Roberts Forde and Sid Bedingfield. This is an excellent, if at times painful, read on the influence of newspapers - both Black- and white-owned - after the Civil War and especially after Reconstruction was abandoned. The book, with chapters written by multiple authors, especially concentrates on white-owned newspapers in the south and the many of the owner's overt and public support of white supremacy. Black journalists and papers do get a good deal of mention, mostly in the context of the uphill battles they faced in combating Jim Crow, keeping their newspapers afloat and, in some cases, staying alive. I think the most horrifying account I read were about how one prominent paper would actually publish "rumors" about suspected upcoming jailbreaks targeted at Blacks accused of a crime, what time the groups of "upstanding citizens" might form and where... and by the way, here's a train schedule to the area if anyone else wants to come in.
23. Chatter, by Ethan Kross. The author takes an interesting look at the internal monologues, or "chatter" we all have, going over the positives and negatives. Kross is a scientist who studies psychology and in his first book he goes over why some of the things we do, even things that seem to be on the surface to be positive (such as venting our frustrations) can have a negative impact overall, and what we should do to turn our internal thought processes to constructive action. He includes several studies and even personal anecdotes. The author's writing style is easy to follow and conversational; I finished it quickly.
24. A Tale for Halloween, by Loretta Ellen Brady. I read this as a candidate for my Facebook readings. While a bit dated, it's a cute story for younger children, not at all scary. Two children growing up in a poor family find themselves in the middle of some Halloween fun when their pumpkin, various turnips and other vegetables come to life. They are met by friendly witches who add to the fun before getting the children home safely- with a couple of special gifts at the end. I do like how this turns some tropes on their head (the witches are kindly, black cats are actually good luck). A charming tale for youngsters wanting to celebrate spooky season without actual scares.
25. The Bogey-Beast, author uncertain (the source I found and read this from has "retold by Flora Annie Steel (1922)" What a charming and fun short story! An old woman finds a black pot, and her adventures begin. At each turn, she sees a positive where many may have seen woe. This is a great story for younger children looking for some safe, scare-free Halloween fun.
26. The Monkey's Paw, by W.W. Jacobs. This is actually a re-read for me; I recall reading this short story in... high school? Maybe middle school? It was worth a re-read. There's a reason why this creepy tale with a good lesson- be careful what you wish for- has stuck around for more than a century. Here, a family receives a visitor, a longtime friend, who has a strange monkey's paw that will grant three people three wishes. The visitor tries to throw the paw away into the fire but is stopped. The family asks for the paw, and the visitor reluctantly gives it to them but warns them about using it. The family uses it. Without giving away any major spoilers, tragedy strikes soon after.
27. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, by Washington Irving. I can't believe it has taken me this long to read this short story. It's a fun, slightly spooky tale that's pretty well-known due to the many adaptations. In a nutshell, Ichabod Crane, the new schoolmaster for Sleepy Hollow, is an eccentric, superstitious and at times selfish man who still charms the local ladies with his sophisticated manners and education. The men of the town think less highly of him, particularly Brom Bones, the town's golden boy. Things get tense when Crane falls for the beautiful Katrina Van Tassel. Lurking in the background are the many dark tales that the locals like to tell, especially about the Headless Horseman. One thing that surprised me was finding out that many of the places mentioned in this story exist. Also, the oft-referred to book penned by Cotton Mather may have existed as well (I couldn't find anything by "Cotton Mather's History of Witchcraft, a New England Almanac" but Mather did write a good deal of literature about witches and witchcraft.)
28. The Cask of Amontillado, by Edgar Allan Poe. Another re-read for me. Haven't read this short story about one man's sinister revenge plot in some years. Worth a re-read. This is one of Poe's better known stories. Here, Montresor, the narrator, has been nursing a grudge against Fortunato, a wealthy local, for some time. The nature of that grudge is never stated, but Montresor has concocted what he considers the perfect revenge by using Fortunato's weakness: fine spirits.
29. The Furnished Room, by O. Henry. I loved reading O. Henry's short stories in high school. I admit I'd forgotten about this one. Here, a young man rents a room in an area that has seen better days. While there, he asks the landlady about a young woman, his lost love whom he has been searching for. The landlady tells him the young woman's description does not sound familiar. But that evening, the young man has a sensation that his love was there, unseen, in his room.
30. The Phantom Coach, by Amelia B. Edwards. I read this one for my reading series, and it was fun to do. This somewhat longer short story is well-paced, and is creepy from the start. I do wonder if Bram Stoker had read this tale- there's a scene in Phantom Coach (which predates Dracula by more than 30 years) that reminds me of the early moments the novel. Here, a recently married man has gone out on a hunting trip, but gets lost as a snowstorm rolls in. He finds a traveler and insists on following the traveler to shelter. The traveler reluctantly takes the young man to his master's home. The owner has shut himself away from the public for several years but winds up being quite hospitable and helpful. Or is he? Don't want to spoil the ending so I'll stop there.
31. The Cats of Ulthar, by H.P. Lovecraft. Really like how this combines typical folk tale with a dash of ancient Egypt and Egyptian myth. Here, a small town has two nasty residents who take pleasure in killing to area's felines. The human residents are afraid to confront this fearful duo, but one day they go too far after some visitors visit. Delightfully creepy. Lovecraft's stories have a reputation (deserved) for... not aging well. But this one is not as bad in that regard as some of his other tales.
32. The Terrible Old Man, by H.P. Lovecraft. Really creepy, but also has a surprising dose of dry humor. Dark humor of course, this is Lovecraft after all. But I actually chuckled at a couple of spots. Was not expecting that. At any rate, three men (bankers? lawyers? just robbers? Wasn't entirely clear but not sure that matters) go to the home of a mysterious old man in hopes of "helping" him part with some of his ample cash. They get more than they bargained for.
Currently reading: The Rise and Fall of the Associated Negro Press by Gerald Horne, and Carmilla, by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.