Selected and introduced by Stephen Carver

‘The beauty of the scene was strangely uplifting. Yet, ever at the back of his thoughts, lay that other aspect of the wilderness: the indifference to human life, the merciless spirit of desolation which took no note of man.’ – The Wendigo

‘Of the quality of Mr. Blackwood’s genius there can be no dispute … he is the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere.’ – H.P. Lovecraft

Algernon Blackwood (1869 – 1951) – ‘The Ghost Man’ – was a British broadcaster, journalist, traveller, mystic, and paranormal investigator, and, above all, a prolific author of weird, occult, and supernatural fiction. Often, he wrote about the untamed wilderness, from deserts to vast, primeval forests, vividly depicting a natural environment that is at once awe-inspiring, alien and hostile. Many of Blackwood’s most famous tales – such as The Wendigo and ‘The Willows’ (both included in this collection) – are set in the empty places of the world.

Like his psychic detective ‘John Silence’, Blackwood was fascinated by elemental spirits, reincarnation, other dimensions, and higher states of consciousness. Wherever such things broke through, he sought them out, and now so can you in this comprehensive collection of his short fiction. As Blackwood explained himself: ‘I believe it possible for our consciousness to change and grow, and that with this change we may become aware of a new universe.’

Contents:

Introduction

Note on the Text

Bibliography

Works by Algernon Blackwood

Further Reading

A Haunted Island

A Case of Eavesdropping

The Empty House

Keeping His Promise

Smith: An Episode in a Lodging House

The Listener

Max Hensig – Bacteriologist and Murderer: A Story of New York

The Willows

The Insanity of Jones

The Woman’s Ghost Story

A Psychical Invasion

The Nemesis of Fire

Secret Worship

Entrance and Exit

The Sea Fit

The Wendigo

The Deferred Appointment

The Damned

A Descent into Egypt

Transition

The Decoy

The Wolves of God

Confession

The Man Who Was Milligan

The Doll

Appendix: Explorers’ Ghost Stories