Today is our final Five Book Friday before All Hallows Read, which gives us one more chance to sing the praises of the scary and the ghoulish and the eerie in literature…and a brief moment of panic about what on earth we’ll find to talk about after the candy-coma wears off?*
But until there, here are some fun facts about Halloween in advance of our suggestions for your Halloween weekend:
1) This is one of the earliest known jack-o-lanterns:
Originally, jack-o-lanterns were carved out of turnips and beets and were placed outside to keep people away (it wasn’t until the Irish began coming to America that pumpkins became widely used). There is a story in Irish folklore of a man named Jack, who was “cursed to spend all of time roaming the earth with only a burning coal (inside a carved out turnip) to light the way, as his punishment for trying to trick the devil.”
2) The Celts also believed that the barrier between the spirit world and the human was thinnest at the end of the harvest, and would wear masks and costumes so it would be more difficult for evil spirits to tell that they were humans. They also left food and cakes and drinks out for the spirits to keep them happy.
3) Spirits, as well as library staff, are always happier when someone brings them cake.
4) Salem, Massachusetts (right over there!) is the self-proclaimed “Halloween capital of the world” because of the legacy of the witch trials…and so is Anoka, Minnesota, for reasons that remain slightly more obscure. However, Boston, Massachusetts holds the record for the most jack o’lanterns lit at once (30,128 in 2006, according to the Boston Globe).
5) According to English tradition, if one wears one’s clothes inside out and walks backwards on Halloween, one will see a witch at midnight. Also, in Scotland, tradition states that if a lady were to hang a wet sheet before the fire on Halloween, she would see her future husband. I can only imagine he would look shadowy and pale…and probably damp, or scalded.
And here are some books that are equally as fun, quirky, and spooky as these facts (though probably more interesting to read….)
Sandman Slim: At the age of nineteen, James Stark was betrayed by his arch-rival and sent to Hell, where he was forced to defend himself in the gladiator ring. Now, having escaped, he is back on the streets of LA, eager for revenge and armed with a whole bunch of nifty tricks he learned on the other side. Richard Kadrey’s paranormal noir series featuring Stark, which is now up to seven books, is one of my favorites, not only because it is fiendishly creative, but also because he can craft a short, sharp sentence that carries as much weight as a whole paragraph from most writers. Also, I helped him out at a book signing once, and he was downright awesome.
Johannes Cabal the Necromancer: Since we have already alluded to the gloriousness that is Jonathan L. Howard, it seemed like high time to cheer about Johannes Cabal, who walked to Hell to learn the secrets of necromancy in return for his soul, and then walked back again to demand a refund. Rather than deal squarely, the devil provides Cabal with a traveling circus. If this isn’t enough of a description to make you want to run out and read this book right now, let me add that Johannes has a terribly dapper and polite vampire brother who aids him in his quest. This book–and the series that resulted from it–is genuinely unnerving in places, but it is also riotously funny (especially the Lovecraft jokes…and the Cthulu Song), unexpectedly emotional, and a downright sensational read.
The Gates: Young Samuel Johnson (not that Samuel Johnson) has noticed some odd goings-on at 666 Crowley Road, but neither he never suspected that his neighbors’ harmless dabbling in devil-worship would actually cause a rift in the universe, or the opening of the gates of Hell, or the release of Satan himself upon the world….but it is now up to young Samuel, and his faithful dog Boswell, to put everything to rights once again…. John Connolly’s series featuring the intrepid Samuel Johnson and his Boswell has grown to three books now, and each is funny, frightening, touching, and delightful irreverent. This is one of those few, magic books that can be read, and enjoyed, by almost any age group–or read together, for even more Halloween fun.
Maplecroft: Celebrated steampunk author Cherie Priest takes on the Lizzie Borden legend in this surprisingly inventive series. In Priest’s world, Lizzie is an unwitting defender against the dark powers, and committed the crimes she did in order to set her father and step-mother free from the spirits that were consuming them–spirits that seem to come from the depths of the sea…though this series (which continues with Chapelwood) requires a bit of a suspense of disbelief, particularly for those of us who learned that weird Lizzie Borden rhyme as children, Priest’s fast-paced series is quite inventive, deeply rooted in New England folklore and stories, and definitely worth checking out.
Slade House: David Mitchell, who also wrote The Bone Clocks and Cloud Atlas, gave an interview to Salon Magazine recently where he broached the topic of genre fiction and the prejudices against it, saying that “The idea of confining an entire genre as being unworthy of your attention is a bizarre act of self-harm.” In light of this, it’s not surprising that Mitchell’s newest release is a sort of ghost story, centered around a house that only opens its doors once every nine years for one lucky visitor, hand-chosen by the odd siblings who inhabit it. But no one knows for sure…because those invited to Slade House rarely have a chance to tell about the secrets they’ve seen….This book is being touted as one of The Big Releases of the season, so be sure to pick up a copy soon!
Happy All-Hallows Read!
* Trust me, we have plenty of things to discuss. Never worry about that.