Why people recommend it
20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill is a chilling and acclaimed short story collection that showcases the author's versatility and mastery of supernatural fiction, featuring inventive tales that explore grief, nostalgia, and terror. On The Book Review podcast, host Gilbert Cruz discussed reading the collection years prior for an interview with the author, noting that the book had stuck with him persistently over time. Joe Hill reflected on the volume during the same conversation, specifically noting how one of his most famous included stories, The Black Phone, was written without specific outside intentions, yet when viewed later, clearly bore the literary influences of the surrounding collection. Gilbert Cruz reiterated his admiration for the book, recalling his experience reading the short stories on the commute and how the memorable narratives lingered long after closing the volume. Together, the speakers emphasized the collection's lasting impact on the horror genre and its ability to resonate deeply with readers through emotionally resonant, eerie storytelling. The podcast segment celebrated the volume as a cornerstone of modern scary fiction, proving Joe Hill's immense talent for crafting compact, deeply unsettling narratives that explore the haunted corners of the human psyche.
Who recommended it
- Gilbert Cruz Discussed
- Joe Hill Discussed
Gilbert Cruz — 2 mentions
“The first time I read you before interviewing you, I feel like years ago for Time magazine for Horns, this was a very long time ago, was 20th Century Ghost, which is a short story collection.”
“for horns this was a very long time ago was 20th century ghost which is a short story collection and I don't know if I said this at the time but it is stuck with me”
Joe Hill — 1 mention
“I think I did a short story called The Black Phone that was in 20th Century Ghost and at the time I wrote it, it was the furthest thing from my mind, but when I look at it now, I see the influence of that book all over that story.”