Supernatural Fiction

Tales of ghosts and monsters have been recorded as early as the 1st century A.D. Gothic novels abound in ruined castles, hauntings, and supernatural beings. Writers such as William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, M.R. James, and a host of others have featured these elements in their tales and stories. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, continuously in print since it was first published in 1819, has spawned over 130 film adaptations. Edgar Allan Poe’s stories were widely adapted for radio, stage, and screen. Modern ghost stories, such as Toni Morrison’s Beloved, continue to prove successful, affirming the reading public’s interest in supernatural fiction.