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"Wandering Ghosts" is a collection of supernatural stories by F. Marion Crawford (Francis Marion Crawford), first published in 1911 under the title Wandering Ghosts in the U.S. and as Uncanny Tales in the U.K. Crawford, known for his gothic and weird fiction, explores themes of hauntings, curses, and eerie phenomena in these tales.
"The Dead Smile" - A chilling tale of a cursed family and a grotesque, unchanging smile on a dead man's face.
"The Screaming Skull" - One of Crawford's most famous stories, about a skull that screams and brings doom to those who possess it.
"Man Overboard!" - A ghostly maritime encounter where a drowned sailor reappears.
"For the Blood Is the Life" - A vampire story set in Italy, involving a murdered woman who returns to drain the life from the living.
"The Upper Berth" - A terrifying account of a haunted ship's cabin where a malevolent spirit drowns its victims.
"By the Waters of Paradise" - A romantic yet eerie tale of a man haunted by visions of a mysterious woman linked to his past.
"The Doll's Ghost" - A more sentimental ghost story about a child's spirit connected to a beloved doll.
Crawford's stories blend Gothic horror, psychological terror, and folkloric elements. Unlike some of his contemporaries (like M.R. James or Poe), Crawford often infused his supernatural tales with emotional depth and tragedy, making the hauntings feel deeply personal.
"The Screaming Skull" and "The Upper Berth" are particularly famous and have been frequently anthologized in horror collections. "The Upper Berth" is considered one of the greatest haunted ship stories ever written.
Crawford's ghost stories remain influential in the weird fiction and early horror genres. His ability to merge the uncanny with human emotion makes his work enduringly unsettling.
About the Author
Francis Marion Crawford (1854-1909) was a prolific American writer, best known for his numerous novels and classic weird and fantastical stories. Born in Italy, he spent much of his life abroad, particularly in Italy, which became the setting for many of his works.
Crawford was born in Bagni di Lucca, Italy, the only son of American sculptor Thomas Crawford. He received a diverse education, studying at St. Paul's School, Cambridge University, the University of Heidelberg, and the University of Rome. In 1879, he traveled to India, where he studied Sanskrit and edited the Allahabad Indian Herald. Upon returning to America, he continued his Sanskrit studies at Harvard and contributed to various periodicals.
His literary career took off with the publication of his first novel, Mr. Isaacs (1882), which quickly achieved success. This was followed by Doctor Claudius (1883). In 1883, he returned to Italy, where he resided permanently, eventually purchasing and remodeling the Villa Renzi, which became Villa Crawford, in Sant'Agnello. He also wrote historical works, including Ave Roma Immortalis (1898) and The Rulers of the South (1900).
Crawford was incredibly prolific, producing some forty novels and a play. At the height of his career, his books outsold those of any other contemporary fiction writer in England or the United States. He died in 1909 in Sorrento, Italy.
