All right, folks, it’s time to jump on the bandwagon and give you my top reading recommendations for Halloween.
Except I’m not going to recommend books. No, I suspect your reading list is long enough already.
Instead, I’ve gathered up my favorite stories, poems, songs, and poem-songs, which you can enjoy in 15 minutes or less. (Each at a time, of course.)
Happy Halloween!
Short Stories
“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” by Alvin Schwartz – I was obsessed with this folklore-based series as a child, and Stephen Gammell’s illustrations haunt me to this day. Choose any story. Don’t read it at night.
In 40 minutes you can also listen to the full audiobook with a slideshow of illustrations … if you dare.
“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving – OK, so depending on how fast you read, this will probably take you more than 15 minutes. But it’s absolutely a classic, and if read by candlelight, it’s sure to set the mood for Halloween. Feel free to follow it up with Disney’s whimsical 1949 animated version … but if I were you, I’d steer clear of Tim Burton’s 1999 horror film retelling. Too dark, not much fun.
“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman – While technically not a Halloween sort of story, this classic feminist tale of a woman’s descent into madness is as haunting as any ghost story.
“The Masque of the Red Death” by Edgar Allan Poe – One of my favorites from Poe — a horrific cautionary parable with unforgettable imagery. I’d also recommend “The Fall of the House of Usher” as a top pick, but it’d be a bit harder to read that in 15 minutes …
(And honestly, all you really need is a book of Poe’s short stories and you’re good to go.)
“The Monkey’s Paw” by W. W. Jacobs – I saw this creeptastic classic on the stage and never forgot it. “Be careful what you wish for…”
Poetry
The Witches’ Spell from Macbeth, by William Shakespeare – THE classic of classic Halloween poems. Bonus points if you read the whole play.
“The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe – Seriously, what kind of person would I be to leave out “The Raven”? If you’ve already read it 100 times, check out the celebrity readings on YouTube. I have a particular affinity for this clip of “The Raven” performed by Vincent Price, but another great reading is the one performed by none other than Saruman himself (er, Christopher Lee).
“The Highwayman” by Alfred Noyes – This long narrative poem tells the story of — you guessed it — a highwayman, whose beloved Bess sacrifices herself to save him from redcoats. On top of the darkly romantic story and the driving, hoofbeat-like rhythm, “The Highwayman” has a ghostly touch that is perfect for Halloween.
After you’ve read it through, I highly recommend you listen to Loreena McKennitt’s spellbinding musical version.
Any poem from Spoon River Anthology by Edgar Lee Masters – This is one of my favorite poetry collections EVAR, simply because the concept is so compelling. In a nutshell: the dead speak. Each poem is spoken from the point of view of a person buried in the Spoon River Cemetery. Read enough of them, and you’ll get a fascinating peek into their closely-intertwined small-town life, the secrets they kept from each other, and the lies they told themselves.
“Erlkönig” by J. W. von Goethe – Never fails to creep me out at any time of the year. Bonus points if you can read it in German. Definitely listen to the musical version composed by Franz Schubert, preferably sung by Anne Sofie von Otter.
Songs and Videos
“All Soul’s Night” by Loreena McKennitt – Though All Soul’s Night technically refers to November 2 — not All Hallows — this song never fails to put me in the mood for Halloween. With a stirring rhythm and a powerful Celtic-inspired melody, it’ll get your body swaying and your imagination whirring.
“Gothique,” the opening song to Bara no Seidou by Malice Mizer – This album isn’t for everyone, I suppose, but it’s one of my favorites: a Baroque-style gothic gem by Japanese visual rock band Malice Mizer. It was their last album, and many refer to it now — pejoratively — as the “Graveyard Album.” But if you like symphonic rock, dark Baroque music, and powerful operatic voices … give them a try! Klaha, their main vocalist at the time, was opera-trained — and it shows. Mmmmmmm, I get the spook-chills just listening to it.
“Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” by J. S. Bach – This is that song you always hear creepy characters playing on the organ.
“Ghost Band” by Rancid – For those punk fans out there, this is a rather more energetic song — the kind you could actually play at a Halloween party. Or any party. I’m rocking out right now.
“Thriller” by Michael Jackson – YOU WERE WAITING FOR IT, WEREN’T YOU? Anyway, if you’re watching the music video, make sure you’re watching the full version. Vincent Price, we love you!
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Annnd that’s a wrap! (I just barely stopped myself from making a cheesy mummy joke.) If you’re still hungry for more Halloween goodies online, I recommend you check out this list of “classic spooky poems” in the English language.
Now leave your own recommendations in the comments!
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