Ghost Stories of an Antiquary.

The first edition of Montague Rhodes James' first collection of spooky and macabre stories, 'generally taken to mark the beginning of the modern era of supernatural fiction. In the opinion of many the foremost modern writer of supernatural fiction' (Bleiler, The Guide to Supernatural Fiction, p279).

'Let us, then, be introduced to the actors in a placid way', wrote James in 1924 '...let us see them going about their ordinary business, undisturbed by forebodings...and into this calm environment let the ominous thing put out its head, unobtrusively at first, and then more insistently, until it holds the stage.' Like Lewis Carroll and Tolkien, James viewed fiction as an essential diversion from the mundane necessities of work and study, consequently many of his stories originated as tales to be read by candlelight to fellow dons and senior pupils at Cambridge.

Increasingly scarce, especially in such good order.