In 1843\, Charles Dickens published &ldquo \;A Christmas Carol\,&rdquo\; a story of a mean-spirited miser&rsquo\;s re demption thanks to the aid of a series of ghosts. This story immediately c aptured the imagination of many and helped to redefine Christmas as the en dearing holiday we now enjoy at the end of every year. But before Ebenezer Scrooge\, Christmas-time was a season celebrated in a much different fash ion. We now think of Halloween as the time of the year for all things spoo ky\, but for most of the 19th century it was a time when the veil between the here and the hereafter was at its thinnest. It was a time for reflecti ng on the fleeting nature of mortality and for taking account of one&rsquo \;s actions\, in particular one&rsquo\;s failings. It was a time for ghost stories.
\nThe tradition of ghost stories at Christmas provides us now with an embarrassment of literary riches that spans hundreds of years to include some of the English language&rsquo\;s finest practitioners&mdas h\;to name a few: Henry James\, M. R. James\, Elizabeth Bowen\, Edgar Alle n Poe\, Willkie Collins\, and\, of course\, Dickens (his story &lsquo\;The Signal-man&rdquo\; is drenched with dread and told with an unflinching ru thlessness). This December Under the Mountain will be continuing that trad ition with the help of award-winning voice actor Matt Godfrey!
\nWin ner of the Audiofile Earphones Award and a multiple-time nominee for the S ociety of Voice Arts &\; Sciences Awards and the Independent Audiobook Awards\, Godfrey is a fellow lover of the strange and the uncanny\; and he has performed audio recordings for works by the likes of Michael McDowell \, Poppy Z. Brite\, Jonathan Janz\, Roger Zelazny and Joe Lansdale. A bona fide southerner\, Godfrey understands the power of storytelling to take y ou anywhere in the world\, traversing even life and death.
\nOn Sund ay\, Dec. 4 join us at the O&rsquo\;Neal Library as Godfrey performs a liv e reading of a classic tale of terror from the early 20th century. We won& rsquo\;t tell you the name of this long short story in advance\, but we pr omise you an evening in the tradition of a fireside ghost story\, replete with tea\, hot chocolate\, and locally made sweets.
\nDoors at 6:30p m
\nThe reading begins at 7:00pm. A Q&\;A with Godfrey follows.\n
This event recommended for ages 16 and up.
\nThis event is br ought to you by Under the Mountain\, your local series of horror-related e vents hosted by the O&rsquo\;Neal Library. Join us for exclusive horror au thor visits\, chilling movie screenings\, and many more macabre things to come.
\nLike us on Facebook and follow us @undrmtn on Instagram and Twitter for the latest on upcoming events.
\nUnder the Mountain can be reached at undrmtn@gmail.com
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