Day of the Dead Books

These are the German stories that were translated into French, read by Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori that fateful night in 1816 at the Villa Diodati on Lake Leman that resulted in the writing of FRANKENSTEIN and "The Vampyre."

The stories were translated into English in 1812 by Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth as "Tales of the Dead," but the selection of stories was not the same. The type of story, Kunstmarchen, or folk tales, were often adapted into novels or short stories (See novels like THE MONK, THE MIDNIGHT BELL, and THE NECROMANCER, all of which will be available from Valancourt Press, and THE MONK is also available from Oxford with an Introduction by Stephen King) and was being devoured by the British public.

When I had first purchased this book, I was expecting something as horrific and grotesque as the novels mentioned above; instead I found that the content was more like the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, but written to an adult audience.

Certainly the highlight of this book is the essay "Searching for the Muse" that parallels passages of FRANKENSTEIN with passages from FANTASMAGORIANA; and it also draws some interesting conclusions about the origin of FRANKENSTEIN from the life of the strange alchemist, Conrad Dipple.

If you love 19th centuryEuropean horror/ghost stories you will like this. The new new translation is quite good. Take it as it is meant, forget the whole Byron incident. It's a good book for anyone who likes ghostly barbers, haunted portraits and rich landowners who INSIST on tearing down that old family tower despite a family curse on anyone who does so...

If you enjoy these stories check out the gothic novels now being published by Valencourt Books. Here is one for example...


Mystery of the Black Tower (Gothic Classics) (Paperback)
by John Palmer (Author),

This is a great book that answers lots of questions surrounding the mysterious 'party' where Mary Shelley got her idea to write Frankenstein. I had heard , and read, so much about the famous ghostly gathering at the Villa Diodati but couldn't lay my hands on a copy of the 'Fantasmagoriana' that everyone mentioned (though no-one I spoke to had ever actually seen a copy).

The book has all of the stories that Lord Byron and Mry Shelley read. Some of them are quite creepy if you read them late at night. I particularly liked 'The Family Portraits' and 'The Gey Room' which was both creepy and kind of funny (you have to read it to see what I mean).

The essay 'Searching for the Muse' was really an eye-opener. I would never have guessed that Mary Shelley based some of her novel on real people, visited castle Frankenstein and used tiny snippets from these stories in her own famous novel!!

A great book to curl up in-front of the fire on a cold winter's evening.

The spirit of Tio Fernando by Janice Levy is a book about the Day of the Dead.
Fernando wakes up and today is the Day of the Dead and they are going to see the spirit of Tio Fernando. Fernando`s mother set all Tio Fernando `s favorite foods on the table. She also put out some pictures of Tio Fernando. After Fernando`s mother gave him some pesos to go buy things that Tio Fernando liked also to remember him. Fernando went to the market and saw Senor Romero and then Senor Romero gave Fernando a skull with his name on it. Fernando saw Senora Magdalia and Senora Magdlia gave him a little ghost and Senor Magdalia tells Fernando how he will meet Tio Fernando's spirit and how he will feel good inside. After Fernando went home they went to the cemetery to Tio Fernando's cross and put marigolds there. Fernando's mother sang Tio Fernando's favorite songs. Fernando heard a heart beating but maybe it was only Fernando. Fernando feels something in his body. Then they stayed at the cemetery for the Day of the Dead.

The lesson I learned from the book was that your loved ones will always be beside you. In one part of the book I found they tell Tio Fernando's spirit to join them. Even if Tio Fernando is dead he knows he isn't forgotten. Fernando feels his uncle in his body and by the sounds too. Fernando remembers Tio Fernando by the pictures and by the second toe of his right foot. I like the way this book tells you about the Day of the Dead and that your loved ones will always be beside you.

By Graciela

El Espiritu de Tio Fernando is an excellent book describing the mexican celebration of Days of the Dead. The book follows a young boy and his mother as they remember his uncle who has died within the last year. The book is simple yet includes many aspects of the celebration. The illustrations are wonderfully detailed so as to show the emotions of each part of the celebration. The text is in both English and Spanish allowing all children to enjoy it equally.

This book features beautiful colorful illustrations and a very cute story, full of accurate cultural details. To be enjoyed by children and adults alike, it also is a great way to "teach" your kids about death, or to help them deal with mourning, whether or not you are hispanic.

A small, somewhat expensive package - but worth it if you are a serious fan of either the BABYLON 5 saga or Neil Gaiman. Also, interesting for those curious about the process of creating an episode of a TV show or the novice scriptwriter.

This is an episode script for the TV show Babylon 5 written by Neil Gaiman. It was great to see a different version of one of my favorite episodes. This script has footnotes in it from Neil about what and why and where things came from. This script also has an introduction by JMS that includes the phrase, "So you will understand why Neil Gaiman bugs the hell out of me." The introduction does, in fact, explain why Neil bugs the hell out of Joe and of course does so in a charming way. The footnotes are fascinating. Did I mention that already?

Also note that if you are wanting to get a hold of a copy, the best way is to go to Neil Gaiman.net. (Scroll just over half way down the books page and there it is.) Neil's commercial website, that's run by his local sci-fi/comic shop called DreamHaven Books and Comics. Copies of this script are $5 and priority mailed in wonderful packaging. It's really okay to trust these people with Neil's books. Even the autographed and/or first editions that you can get from them. The autographs are very definitely THE REAL THING and if it's a non-first edition you're looking for, they don't even charge extra.

Added bonus, the footnotes are fun to read, much like having Neil commenting in your ear as you're reading. Or have I already told you about the footnotes?

Set in the 1960s, "Day of the Dead" is a political novel about a young Foreign Service Officer who comes to Saigon, Vietnam to be the Ambassador's Aide. Cast amid competing agents, a jaded general, a Catholic Bishop, Buddhist monks, a beautiful Vietnamese woman, an alluring Southern belle and more, he strives to keep afloat of turbulent events as the assassination of President Ngo Dinh Diem and his brother lead to full-scale war. A dark saga of trans-cultural ignorance that led to destruction of human life, "Day of the Dead" is a powerful and gripping saga grounded heavily in history, and offers a striking metaphor for modern U.S. policy in the Middle East.

"Day of the Dead" is a tautly written, inticately woven tale of a fateful time in recent American foreign policy and history. Seen largely through the eyes of David Marnin it recounts the complex military and political events that ensued in 1963 culminating in the coup which overthrew Ngo Dinh Diem, his assasination, and the end of the First Republic of Vietnam. There are eerie echoes of today here. I found this to be artfully crafted, a compelling piece of historical fiction, a must read. It is, too a cautionary tale-perhaps, for some an enlightenment, for others a vindication.

Our heroine, Sookie Stackhouse is a waitress in a small southern town. She is basically a normal human, except she can read other peoples' thoughts. Considering there are vampires, werewolves, witches etc, being able to read minds is essentialy normal. Isn't it?
Charlaine Harris, the writer, is obviously influenced by Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Bryant, vampire executioner necromancer detective series; but nevertheless, there are enough originality in the Sookie Stackhouse, mind-reading waitress stories to make it worth reading.
Oh yeah, there are explicit sex scenes, so you probably shouldn't be reading this to your kids as their bedtime story.
Otherwise, highly recommended.

This book has 2 novels...Dead to the World and Dead as a Doornail. You really need to read the first 3 books before tackling this or you will be lost. In Dead to the World, Eric is back with Sookie as the main story. She finds the former Viking running down the road naked and he's lost his memory. Eric without a memory of his former arrogant self is hilarious, although it's always a lot of fun when he's around anyway. A bad witch has cast a spell over him because he refused her advances and refused to give her money made from his bar...Fangtasia. Sookie must keep him and protect him until the other vampires find out how to get the spell reversed. In the meantime, Eric plays the meek and helpless act to a t and soon Sookie is infatuated with him. You will laugh out loud at him at times, especially when he appears in the next story Dead as a Doornail. He is back to his old arrogant self in it and I about cracked up when Sookie handed him a broom to sweep up some glass. Imagine an arrogant Viking being ordered to do something so menial. No wonder the vampires are so fascinated with Sookie...such a no nonsense gal. I don't normally read vampire or supernatural stories but I have always loved this authors books and her stories are so lively that I had to get this series. I have laughed my way through 5 stories now and getting ready to read the next in the series. I never cared for the Anne Rice series (too scary for me) but this is like reading a cozy mystery series....well, except for all the vampires, were's, witches, shapeshifters, and some supes that I have never heard of! The stories take place in a small town in Louisiana which is a plus as it's more personal that way. Read them. You'll love them too!

Mary Andrade's bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Day Of The Dead In Mexico: Through The Eyes Of The Soul presents the celebration of one of Mexico's most beautiful, pre-Hispanic traditions as observed in Mexico City, Mixquic, and Morelos, when families honor their ancestors through ritual, festival, and celebration. Beautifully presented color photography enhanced the text throughout, including information on the celebratory preparations, buying of items in the marketplace (tianguis) that will be used in the altars; the offerings (ofrendas) in homage to the souls of the dad; and the cemetery vigil. Also very highly recommended for multicultural studies collections and Hispanic culture reading lists are Mary Andrade's companion volume, Day Of The Dead In Mexico: Oaxaca (0966587618) which focuses on how the festival observances in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

This book gives much insight to the celebration of Day of the Dead. It provides a lot of information of how the Day of the Dead celebration is done in the state of Michoacan, Mexico. This book is bilingual which is great.

The color photographs are outstanding.

It was given as a gift to someone who is preparing his thesis and he loved it

This book is wonderfully illustrated, and kids love it. It has a great deal of re-read value for kids because the illustrations are so detailed. The Spanish is easy and many of the words listed are very similar to their English counterparts. El Dia de los Muertos is fun anytime of the year, and this book is a visual treat...

Mary Andrade's bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Day Of The Dead In Mexico: Through The Eyes Of The Soul presents the celebration of one of Mexico's most beautiful, pre-Hispanic traditions as observed in Mexico City, Mixquic, and Morelos, when families honor their ancestors through ritual, festival, and celebration. Beautifully presented color photography enhances the text throughout, including information on the celebratory preparations, buying of items in the marketplace (tianguis) that will be used in the altars; the offerings (ofrendas) in homage to the souls of the dad; and the cemetery vigil. Also very highly recommended for multicultural studies collections and Hispanic culture reading lists are Mary Andrade's companion volume, Day Of The Dead In Mexico: Oaxaca ... which focuses on how the festival observances in the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

Presenta el día festivo con explicaciones de su historia y cómo se celebra hoy. Las manualidades del final muestran al lector cómo crear un símbolo importante del día. El texto es en Español y contiene muchas fotos a color para ilustrar el tema.