October | 2015 | Guy Portman's Blog

12 Famous Horror Books

Oct 30 2015

As it is Halloween, I am dedicating this week’s blog post to a Halloween related theme – 12 famous horror books from the last 250 years. (Well literary works would be more accurate). The Horror genre encompasses all forms of fiction that ‘causes feelings of fear, dread, and shock.’

The following 12 books are presented in chronological order:

The Castle of Otranto by Horace Walpole (1764) – This trendsetting book is widely accepted to be the world’s first gothic novel. It became an instant bestseller. The story is about the lord of a castle and his family.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley (1818) – Mary Shelley started writing this iconic work when she was only 18-years-old. Frankenstein was published when she was 20. We all know the story – Victor Frankenstein creates a hideous, cognizant creature in a scientific experiment. Click here to read my review.

The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe (1845) – The Raven is Poe’s most famous poem. It tells the story of a talking raven’s visit to a distraught lover. The poem made the master of mystery and the macabre a celebrity.

Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897) – Dracula sees Dracula trying to move from Transylvania to England to find new blood and to spread the undead curse. This gothic horror novel defined the modern form of the vampire.

Tales of Men and Ghosts by Edith Wharton (1910) – Edith Wharton was a versatile Pulitzer Prize-winning writer. Although horror was not her usual genre, she did write ghost stories, including this eerie and fantastic compilation, consisting of 10 tales.

A Thin Ghost and Others by M.R. James (1919) – The author had published 2 collections of ghost stories prior to writing this highly acclaimed compilation. James redefined the form of the ghost story by utilising contemporary settings.

The Call of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft (1928) – First published in a pulp magazine, this short story is about the weakness of the human mind when faced by extra-terrestrial powers. Lovecraft is arguably the greatest horror writer ever.

The October Country by Ray Bradbury (1955) – This collection of 19 macabre short stories includes The Skeleton – a tale about a man convinced his own skeleton is out to ruin him. Bradbury is best known for his dystopian novel, Fahrenheit 451.

Song of Kali by Dan Simmons (1985) – Set in Calcutta, the story follows an American who discovers the macabre and horrifying activities of a cult that worships Kali. The Song of Kali won the 1986 World Fantasy Award.

IT by Stephen King (1986) – IT was the best-selling book in the U.S. in 1986. The story is about 7 children, who are persecuted by a being, which takes on various guises, more often than not that of a clown.

Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk (2005) – This innovative book comprises 23 short stories, most of which are preceded by a free verse poem. Its author has stated that his shocking and controversial creation illustrates our battle for credibility. Click here to read my review.

The Secret of Crickley by James Herbert (2006) – This supernatural thriller, written by bestselling British writer James Herbert, is set in a children’s home, which is flooded. The children who do not escape come back as ghosts to seek revenge.

Honourable Mention: Necropolis by Guy Portman (2014) – This satirical black comedy is about a psychopath who works for the burials and cemeteries department in his local council. Its many memorable scenes include a public sector Halloween party. (Amazon link).

5 Books that Affected Me

Oct 23 2015

All of us have read books that have affected us in some way. This week’s blog post is devoted to 5 books by 5 different authors that have affected me, and perhaps influenced my own writing in some small way (3 novels to date).

Post Office by Charles Bukowski

Post Office is a humorous, semi-autobiographical account of its author’s years of toil at the United States Postal Service. Although its protagonist Chinaski is a crude and cynical man with a misogynistic outlook, it is his intrinsic humanness that has endeared him to many readers, myself included.

My Review: Henry Chinaski is a heavy drinking, womanising, race track frequenting low-life, who works at the post office. The story follows his menial existence of 12 night shifts, sorting post, delivering mail, observing his fellow colleagues and facing countless disciplinary measures, … (more)

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell

Orwell’s first published novel is about the author’s time spent living amongst the destitute in Paris and later London. The book’s vivid descriptions and captivating prose give the reader an appreciation of the nature of urban poverty in the early 20th century.

My Review: George Orwell’s first published novel, Down and Out in Paris and London, is an account of the author’s time spent living in abject poverty, first in Paris and later in London. Having spent his savings and with tutoring work having come to … (more)

The Old Man And The Sea by Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man And The Sea is a novella about endeavour, endurance and man’s place within nature. Written in the author’s trademark simple, concise, economy of prose style, this is a carefully constructed, moving and memorable work that is replete with symbolism.

My Review: Set in the Gulf Stream off the coast of Cuba, this is a tale about an old man, a boy and a colossal Marlin. The old man, Santiago, is a veteran fisherman, who is on a run of bad luck having been 84 days… (more)

The Killer Inside Me by Jim Thompson

The Killer Inside Me is a thought provoking, suspenseful and unrelentingly bleak first person narrative about a psychopath, in which the author adeptly employs suspense and realistic, simple prose. It is without doubt the most disturbing work of fiction I have read to date.

My Review: 29-year-old Lou Ford is a Deputy Sheriff from the West Texas town of Central City. Lou, who is in a long-term relationship with childhood sweetheart Amy Stanton, is a hard-working, trustworthy, simple character with a keenness for clichés; at least this is … (more)

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Set during the Great Depression, this Pullitzer Prize winning book follows the Joads, a poor family from Oklahoma, travelling to California in search of a better life. If there is a better novel in this world than The Grapes of Wrath I am yet to read it.

My Review: Unfortunately there is no review. I read The Grapes of Wrath prior to starting this blog. No doubt many of you have read it anyway. I know Americans study it in school, and perhaps for that reason aren’t as fond of it as I. There are reviews of 5 Steinbeck books in the review section of this blog.

My Revamped Blog

Oct 16 2015

March 12th 2012 saw the launch of this blog with a post titled Miami Day One. It was followed 4 days later with a post dedicated to my first and last visit to Taco Bell (Fort Lauderdale). I am not sure anyone other than myself ever read these posts.

Today, 3.5 years and 36,000 page views later, I finally got around to getting a professional to redesign this blog. It was out with the all-encompassing grey, including grey font, and in with a tasteful white and blue scheme with a clear, large, black font.

You can find my 2 novels (Necropolis and Charles Middleworth) on the right hand side of the page. I went with a red font for the Amazon links. The rationale being that red encourages action. Wishful thinking perhaps, only time will tell.

I write a blog post every Friday afternoon (16:03 GMT) and hope to continue to do so for many decades to come. There are now over 50 instalments of my famous author series, in addition to posts devoted to books, as well as the occasional update on my travels, including a trip around a high-tech Japanese house and tours of 3 cemeteries (The Brompton Cemetery in London, Recoleta in Buenos Aires and Zentralfriedhof in Vienna). I am interested in cemeteries. The protagonist in my second novel, Necropolis, works for the burials and cemeteries department in his local council.

In the My Reviews section (see top of page) you will find 81 of my book reviews. The titles, unlike before, are now neatly nested in a table. There are books to interest all tastes. I look forward to sharing many more reviews in the forthcoming years.

You might be interested in joining my mailing list (see right hand column). I will be sending out occasional newsletters.

Have a good weekend.

15 Authors’ Epitaphs

Oct 09 2015

This week sees the latest instalment in my famous author series. Here are 15 famous authors’ epitaphs:

John Keats – (1795 – 1821) – Here Lies One Whose Name was Writ in Water

Edgar Allan Poe – (1809 – 1849) – Quoth the Raven, Nevermore

Emily Dickinson – (1830 – 1886) – Called Back

Oscar Wilde – (1854 – 1900) – And alien tears will fill for him. Pity’s long broken urn, For his mourners will be outcast men, And outcasts always mourn. (from Wilde’s poem, The Battle of Reading Goal).

Jack London – (1876 – 1916) – The Stone the Builders Rejected

Joseph Conrad – (1857 – 1924) – Sleep after toyle, port after stormie seas, Ease after warre, death after life, does greatly please.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – (1859 – 1930) – Steel true, Blade Straight.

D. H. Lawrence –  (1885-1930) – Homo sum! the adventurer

H.P. Lovecraft – (1890 – 1937) – I am Providence

F. Scott Fitzgerald – (1896 – 1940) & Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald – (1900 – 1948) – So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past. – (The Great Gatsby).

Virginia Woolf – (1882 – 1941) – Against you I will fling myself, unvanquished and unyielding, O Death!

Sylvia Plath – (1932 -1963) – Even amidst fierce flames the golden lotus can be planted. (From Monkey by Wu Ch’Eng-En)

C. S. Lewis – (1898 – 1963) – Man must endure his going hence

Dorothy Parker – (1893 – 1967) – Excuse my dust

Billy Wilder – (1906 – 2002) – I’m a writer but then nobody’s perfect

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Necropolis by Guy Portman — Dyson Devereux works in the Burials and Cemeteries department in his local council. Dyson is intelligent, incisive and informed. He is also…(more)

21 Famous Authors’ Last Words

Oct 02 2015

Here are 21 famous authors’ purported last words. They are presented in chronological order.

Voltaire (1694–1778) – On his deathbed when asked by the priest to renounce Satan, Voltaire allegedly said, ‘Now, now, my good man, this is no time for making enemies.’

Jane Austen (1775–1817) – When her sister, Cassandra, asked the dying author if she wanted anything, Jane Austen replied, ‘Nothing, but death.’

George Gordon Byron (1788–1824) – ‘Now I shall go to sleep. Goodnight.’

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) – The Victorian poet was close to death when her husband enquired as to how she felt. Browning replied, ‘Beautiful.’ She then passed away.

Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) – ‘Moose. Indian.’ Perhaps not the most rational last words ever uttered, but apt, considering the subject matter of Thoreau’s writing.

Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) – ‘So, this is death. Well!’

Victor Hugo (1802–1885) – ‘This is the fight of day and night. I see black light.’

Emily Dickinson (1830–1886) – ‘Let us go in; the fog is rising.’

Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) – Immediately after Chekhov told his wife that he was about to die, he purportedly picked up a glass of champagne and said, ‘It’s a long time since I drank champagne.’ After drinking the glass, he died.

Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) – The Norwegian playwright and poet allegedly uttered his last words to a nurse, who commented that he seemed to be improving. Ibsen said, ‘Tvertimod!’ (‘On the contrary!’) He then died.

O. Henry (1862–1910) – ‘Turn up the lights, I don’t want to go home in the dark.’

Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) – ‘But the peasants…how do the peasants die?’

Saki (1870 –1916) – Immediately prior to being killed by a sniper’s bullet in a First World War trench, the author allegedly said, ‘Put that bloody cigarette out.’

Franz Kafka (1883–1924) – Suffering from tuberculosis, Kafka demanded his doctor give him an overdose of morphine. He shouted, ‘Kill me, or else you are a murderer!’ These were his last words.

J. M. Barrie (1860–1937) – Prior to dying of pneumonia the Peter Pan author said, ‘I can’t sleep.’

James Joyce (1882 –1941) – ‘Does nobody understand?’

George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) – ‘Dying is easy, comedy is hard.’

Eugene O’Neill (1888–1953) – ‘I knew it. I knew it. Born in a hotel room, and God damn it, died in a hotel room.’

Walter De La Mare (1873–1956) – ‘Too late for fruit, too soon for flowers.’

Vladimir Nabokov (1899–1977) – ‘A certain butterfly is already on the wing.’ Fitting last words for a lepidopterist.

Truman Capote (1924–1984) – ‘It’s me, it’s Buddy… I’m cold.’

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My 3 novels include the satirical black comedy Necropolis. It is about a sociopath who works for the burials and cemeteries department in his local council.