Reading in the Garden

All About Edgar Edgar Allan Poe is an American icon in literature. He’s known as the “America’s Shakespeare” or “The Master of Macabre” for his genius in poetry and spinning tales of suspense and horror. Most notably recognizable works include “The Fall of the House of Usher,” “The Tell-Tale Heart,” and the poem “The Raven” among others. Poe was born on January 19, 1809, the second of three children.  Sadly, within three years of his birth, both of his parents died, and Poe was sent to live with a tobacco merchant while his older brother and younger sister were sent to live with other family members.  The Allans took Edgar in as one of their own.  They even sent him to college, sort of.  Poe attended the University of Virginia with less than one-third of the funds he needed.  Soon he was hitting the gambling tables in an attempt to pay his debts—just like Justin Timberlake in the movie Runner, Runner.  Unlike Justin, he didn’t turn to the drug trade to support his education

Ghostcapades The Canterville Ghost by Oscar Wilde is an amusing short story about a brash American family that knowingly moves into a haunted English house.  They’re not afraid, no siree.  The ghost, Sir Simon de Canterville, wastes no time in starting his tricks the moment the family of six settles in. But, this time, he’s the one in for a shock, as this American family proves more difficult to scare.  In fact, his tenured position as head horrorfier is no match as the Otis gang has their own tricks up their sleeves. Instead of fainting at a blood stain that continuously returns on a rug, the elder son quickly pulls out Pinkerton’s Champion Stain Remover and Paragon Detergent to clean it. When the rattling chains prove to interrupt Mr. Otis’s sleep, he opens the door and insists the apparition uses Tammany Rising Sun Lubricator on his manacles.  Even the mother is tough as nails.  The ghost is getting frustrated and demonstrates his most demonic laugh, only to have Mrs. Otis offe

Headless Horseman Horror Story In the spirit of Halloween, this month I will suggest some creepy, ghostly short stories by famous authors.  Don’t worry. I’m not into the ghastly chilling scene. I don’t like horror movies and rarely read scary books, with an exception of some Stephen King novels.  I don’t really care to be scared senseless by watching dolls come to life or people inversely crab crawling up a staircase.  I prefer my ghosts to be friendlier, like Casper.  With that said, Washington Irving’s classic short story about a headless horseman chasing a scared school teacher, is a milder kind of fright.  The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving is a short story about a gangly, superstitious, nerdy school teacher named Ichabod Crane, who comes to teach in the small village of Sleepy Hollow.  It isn't long before he is smitten by the coquettish Katrina Van Tassel.  Unfortunately, big and boisterous Abraham, aka Brom Bones, also has his eye on this flirty d