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The Book Of Dreams And Ghosts
Andrew Lang (1844-1912) was a prolific Scots man of letters, a poet, novelist, literary critic and contributor to anthropology. He now is best known as the collector of folk and fairy tales. As a journalist, poet, critic and historian, he soon made a reputation as one of the ablest and most versatile writers of the day. Lang was one of the founders of the study of "Psychical Research," and his other writings on anthropology include The Book of Dreams and Ghosts (1897), Magic and Religion (1901) and The Secret of the Totem (1905). He was a Homeric scholar of conservative views. Other works include Homer and the Epic (1893); a prose translation of The Homeric Hymns (1899), with literary and mythological essays in which he draws parallels between Greek myths and other mythologies; and Homer and his Age (1906). He also wrote Ballades in Blue China (1880) and Rhymes à la Mode (1884).
212 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1897
About the author
Andrew Lang
3,022 books521 followersTales of the Scottish writer and anthropologist Andrew Lang include
The Blue Fairy Book
(1889).
Andrew Gabriel Lang, a prolific Scotsman of letters, contributed poetry, novels, literary criticism, and collected now best folklore.
The Young Scholar and Journalist
Andrew Gabriel Lang, the son of the town clerk and the eldest of eight children, lived in Selkirk in the Scottish borderlands. The wild and beautiful landscape of childhood greatly affected the youth and inspired a lifelong love of the outdoors and a fascination with local folklore and history. Charles Edward Stuart and Robert I the Bruce surrounded him in the borders, a rich area in history. He later achieved his literary Short History of Scotland .
A gifted student and avid reader, Lang went to the prestigious Saint Andrews University, which now holds a lecture series in his honor every few years, and then to Balliol College, Oxford. He later published Oxford: Brief Historical and Descriptive Notes about the city in 1880.
Moving to London at the age of 31 years in 1875 as an already published poet, he started working as a journalist. His dry sense of humor, style, and huge array of interests made him a popular editor and columnist quickly for The Daily Post, Time magazine and Fortnightly Review. Whilst working in London, he met and married Leonore Blanche Alleyne, his wife.
Interest in myths and folklore continued as he and Leonore traveled through France and Italy to hear local legends, from which came the most famous The Rainbow Fairy Books . In the late 19th century, interest in the native stories declined and very few persons recounting them for young readers. In fact, some educationalists attacked harmful magical stories in general to children. To challenge this notion, Lang first began collecting stories for the first of his colored volumes.
Lang gathered already recorded stories, while other folklorists collected stories directly from source. He used his time to collect a much greater breadth over the world from Jacob Grimm, his brother, Madame d'Aulnoy, and other less well sources.
Lang also worked as the editor, often credited as its sole creator for his work despite the essential support of his wife, who transcribed and organised the translation of the text, to the success.
He published to wide acclaim. The beautiful illustrations and magic captivated the minds of children and adults alike. The success first allowed Lang and Leonore to carry on their research and in 1890 to publish a much larger print run of The Red Fairy Book , which drew on even more sources. Between 1889 and 1910, they published twelve collections, which, each with a different colored binding, collected, edited and translated a total of 437 stories. Lang, credited with reviving interest in folklore, more importantly revolutionized the Victorian view and inspired generations of parents to begin reading them to children once more.
Last Works
Lang produced and at the same time continued a wide assortment of novels, literary criticism, articles, and poetry. As Anita Silvey, literary critic, however, noted, "The irony of Lang's life and work is that although he wrote for a profession... he is best recognized for the works he did not write," the folk stories that he collected.
He finished not the last Highways and Byways of the Border but died.
Andrew Gabriel Lang, a prolific Scotsman of letters, contributed poetry, novels, literary criticism, and collected now best folklore.
The Young Scholar and Journalist
Andrew Gabriel Lang, the son of the town clerk and the eldest of eight children, lived in Selkirk in the Scottish borderlands. The wild and beautiful landscape of childhood greatly affected the youth and inspired a lifelong love of the outdoors and a fascination with local folklore and history. Charles Edward Stuart and Robert I the Bruce surrounded him in the borders, a rich area in history. He later achieved his literary Short History of Scotland .
A gifted student and avid reader, Lang went to the prestigious Saint Andrews University, which now holds a lecture series in his honor every few years, and then to Balliol College, Oxford. He later published Oxford: Brief Historical and Descriptive Notes about the city in 1880.
Moving to London at the age of 31 years in 1875 as an already published poet, he started working as a journalist. His dry sense of humor, style, and huge array of interests made him a popular editor and columnist quickly for The Daily Post, Time magazine and Fortnightly Review. Whilst working in London, he met and married Leonore Blanche Alleyne, his wife.
Interest in myths and folklore continued as he and Leonore traveled through France and Italy to hear local legends, from which came the most famous The Rainbow Fairy Books . In the late 19th century, interest in the native stories declined and very few persons recounting them for young readers. In fact, some educationalists attacked harmful magical stories in general to children. To challenge this notion, Lang first began collecting stories for the first of his colored volumes.
Lang gathered already recorded stories, while other folklorists collected stories directly from source. He used his time to collect a much greater breadth over the world from Jacob Grimm, his brother, Madame d'Aulnoy, and other less well sources.
Lang also worked as the editor, often credited as its sole creator for his work despite the essential support of his wife, who transcribed and organised the translation of the text, to the success.
He published to wide acclaim. The beautiful illustrations and magic captivated the minds of children and adults alike. The success first allowed Lang and Leonore to carry on their research and in 1890 to publish a much larger print run of The Red Fairy Book , which drew on even more sources. Between 1889 and 1910, they published twelve collections, which, each with a different colored binding, collected, edited and translated a total of 437 stories. Lang, credited with reviving interest in folklore, more importantly revolutionized the Victorian view and inspired generations of parents to begin reading them to children once more.
Last Works
Lang produced and at the same time continued a wide assortment of novels, literary criticism, articles, and poetry. As Anita Silvey, literary critic, however, noted, "The irony of Lang's life and work is that although he wrote for a profession... he is best recognized for the works he did not write," the folk stories that he collected.
He finished not the last Highways and Byways of the Border but died.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 21, 2016
Best known for his collection of fairy tales, Andrew Lang also wrote about other subjects, including ghosts. This is not a collection of ghostly short stories. Rather, it is Andrew Lang's exploration of the "true" ghost stories and prophetic (or supposedly prophetic) dreams.
There is the account of the Ogilvie family, all five of whom dream the same night that Mrs Ogilvie's poodle Fanti goes mad (rabid). Fortunately, this does not happen. The dog lives to a ripe old age. However, how do you explain such a coincidence? As Lang says, "Thus, as several people may see the same ghost at once, several people may dream the same dream at once."
Lang recounts the tale of the Swithinbank family. The father and two sons all dreamed the same night that Mrs Swithinbank had died. As it turned out, she had died that night. As Lang points out, "some such dreams must occasionally hit the target."
Dreams can also come in handy when trying to solve a problem:
A young boy is walking home after running an errand and finds he has an unusual traveling companion - the a coworker who died several months earlier. A woman dreams of her mother's death, and then months later finds a letter describing the actual event, which is identical to her dream. People gaze into a crystal ball and see visions of varying accuracy. Catherine the Great and her court witness what appears to be her double sitting on her throne - so the czarina orders the vision to be shot. It promptly vanishes and she calmly takes her throne as if nothing happened.
This is an interesting collection of tales and legends, though I take issue with Lang's theory that some of the visions due to telepathy or "telegraphy." I personally don't believe in psychic phenomena or ghosts, though I enjoy reading about them. The accounts in this book remind me of a large book of English legends in my high school library. I kept that book constantly checked out (along with "The Thousand and One Nights"), and it led in large part to my love of myths and legends.
Andrew Lang looked at the stories of ghosts, visions, and prophetic dreams with a skeptical eye, though I doubt he would be considered a skeptic by today's definition. He is inclined to find mostly rational explanations for what happened, rather than believe someone actually saw a ghost or dreamed of an event before it happened. However, when faced with something he can't quite explain, he admits it. For example, the tale mentioned above of the woman who dreamed of her mother's death.
This is a good read if you're into "true" ghost stories, but if you want ghost short stories, then I recommend trying out these volumes instead:
Winter Ghosts: Classic Ghost Stories for Christmas
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R. James
The Fourth Ghost Story MEGAPACK TM: 25 Classic Haunts!
"The author has frequently been asked, both publicly and privately: 'Do you believe in ghosts?' One can only answer: 'How do you define a ghost?' I do believe, with all students of human nature, in hallucinations of one, or of several, or even of all the senses. But as to whether such hallucinations, among the sane, are ever caused by psychical influences from the minds of others, alive or dead, not communicated through the ordinary channels of sense, my mind is in a balance of doubt. It is a question of evidence."
There is the account of the Ogilvie family, all five of whom dream the same night that Mrs Ogilvie's poodle Fanti goes mad (rabid). Fortunately, this does not happen. The dog lives to a ripe old age. However, how do you explain such a coincidence? As Lang says, "Thus, as several people may see the same ghost at once, several people may dream the same dream at once."
Lang recounts the tale of the Swithinbank family. The father and two sons all dreamed the same night that Mrs Swithinbank had died. As it turned out, she had died that night. As Lang points out, "some such dreams must occasionally hit the target."
Dreams can also come in handy when trying to solve a problem:
"A little girl of the author's family kept ducks and was anxious to sell the eggs to her mother. But the eggs could not be found by eager search. On going to bed she said, "Perhaps I shall dream of them". Next morning she exclaimed, "I did dream of them, they are in a place between grey rock, broom, and mallow; that must be 'The Poney's Field'!" And there the eggs were found."
A young boy is walking home after running an errand and finds he has an unusual traveling companion - the a coworker who died several months earlier. A woman dreams of her mother's death, and then months later finds a letter describing the actual event, which is identical to her dream. People gaze into a crystal ball and see visions of varying accuracy. Catherine the Great and her court witness what appears to be her double sitting on her throne - so the czarina orders the vision to be shot. It promptly vanishes and she calmly takes her throne as if nothing happened.
This is an interesting collection of tales and legends, though I take issue with Lang's theory that some of the visions due to telepathy or "telegraphy." I personally don't believe in psychic phenomena or ghosts, though I enjoy reading about them. The accounts in this book remind me of a large book of English legends in my high school library. I kept that book constantly checked out (along with "The Thousand and One Nights"), and it led in large part to my love of myths and legends.
Andrew Lang looked at the stories of ghosts, visions, and prophetic dreams with a skeptical eye, though I doubt he would be considered a skeptic by today's definition. He is inclined to find mostly rational explanations for what happened, rather than believe someone actually saw a ghost or dreamed of an event before it happened. However, when faced with something he can't quite explain, he admits it. For example, the tale mentioned above of the woman who dreamed of her mother's death.
This is a good read if you're into "true" ghost stories, but if you want ghost short stories, then I recommend trying out these volumes instead:
Winter Ghosts: Classic Ghost Stories for Christmas
Ghost Stories of an Antiquary by M.R. James
The Fourth Ghost Story MEGAPACK TM: 25 Classic Haunts!
March 29, 2020
Originally published in 1897, this book is like traveling back in time and having a conversation about, well, dreams and ghosts by the fireplace on a cold, stormy night. It is a little old-fashioned, and some stories were written in old English and were, therefore, hard to read. The theories are amazingly modern, considering this was before modern psychology, and spread through different countries and cultures. There are too many details sometimes, and the style is a little dated, but I mostly enjoyed the stories. Beware, though, this is not really a collection of tales, but more of the author compiling different and varied short stories, so the style isn't consistent.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Dover Publications!
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ Dover Publications!
May 28, 2020
This book was not at all what I thought it would be. It is more like an essay then a book. It has several accounts of people dreaming about ghosts and other weird happenings, and even occasionally seeing ghosts. It is pretty dry and I would not call it fascinating. Parts are written in old english and a bit hard to read. The book was originally published in 1897. I think I would of gotten more from it if when it was transcribed it was updated a bit. I guess that really couldn't happen but it would of made it easier to read.
June 16, 2020
Sorry folks and lovers of short stories such as myself, try as I might, I couldn't download this! Because I love short stories I would like to read this before I rate it so I'm just going to give it a down-the-middle 3 stars. I would love to read this, so I will acquire it myself and come back with a better rating or Oh dear! A worse one.
Special thanks anyway to NetGalley and Dover Publications for trying to provide me with this ARC.
Special thanks anyway to NetGalley and Dover Publications for trying to provide me with this ARC.
December 8, 2018
Love it! Interesting, fascinating, a bit psychological with a dose of mystery. This is not really an art of fiction, more like a story collection.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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March 16, 2023Only read a single story, The Beresford Ghost aka The Tyrone Ghost. Included coverage of how we know the story. Anne's ancestors feature.
Available in the public domain so don't pay for it.
Available in the public domain so don't pay for it.
April 6, 2024
Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFYrQ...
Shelved as 'set-aside-to-be-picked-up-again'
February 1, 2013Available here on Gutenberg.
[As always, when this is on the currently reading shelf I'm not done and will continue adding bits to this. And it will continue to pop up again and again in your updates feed when I forget to check that "add to my updates box. Sorry 'bout that.]
Because of the other work of Lang's (specifically the fairy tales) I've read I thought that this book would be a collection of stories. So far it appears to be an essay on dreams, ghosts and reality, with brief anecdotes/accounts here and there to illustrate a point. (I'm still just starting this so this could turn out to be a really long introduction.) This looks to be the book I'll slowly read, specifically before going to bed, as I've found that anything highly interesting/suspenseful/etc. will not make me at all sleepy. This is important as I've accidentally stayed up all night reading more than once.
Random quotes:
Noting this one because I had to immediately look something up (3% in):
History link time! (Thanks to google of course.) The quote refers to Mary of Modena, and via that wikipedia link:
[As always, when this is on the currently reading shelf I'm not done and will continue adding bits to this. And it will continue to pop up again and again in your updates feed when I forget to check that "add to my updates box. Sorry 'bout that.]
Because of the other work of Lang's (specifically the fairy tales) I've read I thought that this book would be a collection of stories. So far it appears to be an essay on dreams, ghosts and reality, with brief anecdotes/accounts here and there to illustrate a point. (I'm still just starting this so this could turn out to be a really long introduction.) This looks to be the book I'll slowly read, specifically before going to bed, as I've found that anything highly interesting/suspenseful/etc. will not make me at all sleepy. This is important as I've accidentally stayed up all night reading more than once.
Random quotes:
Noting this one because I had to immediately look something up (3% in):
"...Arbuthnot, in his humorous work on Political Lying, commends the Whigs for occasionally trying the people with "great swingeing falsehoods." When these are once got down by the populace, anything may follow without difficulty. Excellently as this practice has worked out in politics (compare the warming pan lie of 1688), in the telling of ghost stories a different plan has its merits."Lang goes on to say that a narrator who begins with stories of the familiar and then goes on to those more incredible can make ghosts seem more possible. What did I have to look up? The warming pan comment of course!
History link time! (Thanks to google of course.) The quote refers to Mary of Modena, and via that wikipedia link:
"Born a princess of the Italian Duchy of Modena, Mary is primarily remembered for the controversial birth of James Francis Edward, her only surviving son. It was widely rumoured that he was a changeling, brought into the birth-chamber in a warming-pan, in order to perpetuate King James II's Catholic dynasty. Although the accusation was entirely false, and the subsequent privy council investigation only reaffirmed this, James Francis Edward's birth was a contributing factor to the Glorious Revolution. The revolution deposed James II and replaced him with his daughter from his first marriage Mary and her husband, William III of Orange."I do love immediate gratification. And knowing that in 1897 when this book was published apparently everyone would have understood the warming pan reference. Or so Lang thought, anyway.
May 31, 2013
Versatile Scots literary critic and man of letters Andrew Lang is at it again. In this commodious and rangy essay Land collects many stories of ghosts---or, as he intimates at times, hallucinations or outright lies---with an eye towards their fascinating qualities as everyday encounters with the uncanny. His pose is one of the critic, but shades into curatorship towards the end of the book, especially the collected Icelandic and Chinese stories. (Fair warning: Lang, a man of his time, does not here rise above racial prejudice.) This is a worthwhile research object into historical perspectives, too, as it collects many documented stories from newspapers, journals, magazines, correspondence, and personal experience. A nice little book, all told, if a little dry from history's dust these days.
September 12, 2014
I chose this title because of the author. It was fascinating to read Andrew Lang's "other" interests (besides folk and fairy tales). This read a bit dry and was not "stories," but the mindset of the day and retellings of actual sightings and events of people in the late 1800's and earlier. There was nothing spooky about it, as it was written very matter-of-factly. Interesting, but not a quick read. Curious people and thoughtful (thinking) people who wonder about such things could benefit from its contents.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews