’20th Century Ghosts’ by Joe Hill, Haunting and Emotional

Author of 20^th Century Ghosts Joe Hill is something truly unique. While it has many great short stories inside, it also showcases the talents of an author capable of moving through multiple genres. Through this collection Hill has put together one of the finest assemblages of short stories in recent memory. While sounding hyperbolic, it is true. The sheer quality of the novel places it high on a literary pedestal.

A 20th Century Background

Hill’s 20^th Century Ghosts is a short story collection that features 19 excellent stories. They range from a unique, and familiar, writing voice that successfully builds on the tropes of horror without rehashing old ground. There are vampire stories here, and there are tales of outcasts. Yet, they all have something new or interesting to say about who we are and what great evil lies in the hearts of man.

The novel was published in Oct. 2005 in the United Kingdom under PS Publishing. In 2007, it was released in the United States. An award winning collection, the novel has been praised by critics worldwide. won multiple awards including the Bram Stoker Award for the best short story collection and the British Fantasy Award, as well.

And all these encomiums are well deserved, in my opinion. 

A Collective Summary of 20th Century Ghosts

The first story worth mentioning from the collection is, “Best New Horror.” The story is both terrific and terrifying for two reasons: its atmosphere, pacing, and its omission of details. In the story, Eddie Carrol, an anthology editor for America’s Best New Horror, laments his position as cataloguer of these stories. However, his interest grows once again when he reads a story title “Buttonboy” by Peter Kilrue. In searching for the author for publication, he discovers a horrific truth.

The more reflective story “20^th Century Ghost” pulls the reader into the world of movie theatres and specters. In the tale, theatre owner Alec Sheldon discuss mortality and his retirement from the theater. Meanwhile the ghost of a young girl engages with moviegoers at the Rosebud Theatre. Her spirt haunts the cinema after her untimely death during a screening of The Wizard of Oz. It is a story about aging and the world moving on. While the story has horror elements, its emotional tone makes it a worthwhile venture.

Moreover, the story “Pop Art” continue the emotional stakes of the collection. It discusses the relationship between the narrator and his friend Arthur Roth, who is an inflatable boy. Much like the story “20^th Century Ghost,” it steers the reader away from the idea of horror is something specific. In some ways, horror is beyond some awful creature hiding in the dark. Often, horror is the sadness of a fatal friendship and the misanthropy that comes from a cruel world.

Finally, Hill’s “Abraham’s Boys” elaborates on the idea that killing our heroes really is a life-altering event. The story tells the story of the sons of vampire hunter Abraham van Helsing, and their realization that their father is not who they thought he was as children. Likewise, the story is also an exploration of parsing fact from fiction. It is one of the rare stories that truly makes the reader think about the role models in their life and how we can believe something even though reality stands in contrast.

Conclusion

Good short story collections can be hard to come by for a variety of reasons. Often, many stories retread old ground or don’t utilize the genre of short fiction well. But, that is simply not the case with 20^th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill. There are a variety of different stories and genres in this collection, from the truly horrific to the heartwarming and approachable.