Halloween reading list: Traci Thomas recommends horror and true crime
The 'The Stacks' host provides a curated selection of novels, anthologies, and nonfiction for readers looking to find scary reads this weekend.
By Tomas Gonzalez ·
Halloween arrives this weekend, prompting a surge in interest for spooky literature. Traci Thomas, the creator and host of “The Stacks,” has compiled a list of recommendations for listeners who want to elevate their holiday reading. Thomas selected titles that range from classic novels to modern anthologies and true crime accounts.
In the fiction category, Thomas suggests a mix of established and contemporary authors. The list includes Stephen King’s “Carrie” and Shirley Jackson’s “The Haunting of Hill House.” It also features Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and Ira Levin’s “Rosemary’s Baby.” Other selections include “The Buffalo Hunter Hunter” by Stephen Graham Jones and “Friday Black” by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah. Translated works such as “Tender Is the Flesh” by Agustina Bazterrica and “A Plagued Sea” by Kim Bo-Young round out the novel recommendations.
Thomas also highlighted horror anthologies edited by prominent figures in the genre. “Never Whistle at Night” and its sequel were edited by Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst Jr. Jordan Peele and John Joseph Adams edited “Out There Screaming,” an anthology of new black horror. Cynthia Pelayo edited “Something Followed Us Home,” which focuses on Latiné horror stories.
The nonfiction section offers true crime and historical horror. Lizzie Johnson’s “Paradise” details a town’s struggle to survive an American wildfire. Ben Wickey’s “More Weight” tells the story of a case in Salem. Wright Thompson’s “The Barn” explores the secret history of a murder in Mississippi. Philip Gourevitch’s “We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families” recounts stories from Rwanda.
Further nonfiction recommendations include Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry’s “Helter Skelter,” which covers the Manson murders. Daniel James Brown’s “The Indifferent Stars Above” tells the saga of the Donner Party. Heather Ann Thompson’s “Blood in the Water” examines the Attica prison uprising of 1971. Iris Chang’s “The Rape of Nanking” addresses the forgotten Holocaust of World War II. The list concludes with Richard Lloyd Parry’s “People Who Eat Darkness,” a journey into Japan’s shadows.
This selection was originally published on WBUR.org for its audience. Thomas presented these choices to provide a variety of options for readers seeking a good scare. The list spans multiple decades and origins, ensuring a broad range of horror experiences for this year’s holiday.
Source: WYPR
