High Spirits

A collection of haunting—and hilarious—ghost stories by the beloved Booker Prize finalist and New York Times-bestselling author. Robertson Davies first hit upon the notion of writing ghost stories when he joined the University of Toronto as the first Master of Massey College. Wishing to provide entertainment at the College’s Gaudy Night, the annual Christmas party, Professor Davies created a “spooky story,” which he read aloud to the gathering. That story, “Revelation from a Smoky Fire,” is the first in this wonderful, haunting collection. A tradition quickly became established and, for eighteen years, Davies delighted and amused the Gaudy Night guests with his tales of the supernatural. Here, gathered together in one volume, are those eighteen stories, just as Davies first read them.

and hilarious

A collection of haunting

From AudioFile

Offering ghost stories meant to amuse, this collection of thirteen selections originated from "gaudy nights" at Massey College where Davies was Master. Davies himself gives a charming introduction while the stories themselves are enhanced by Christopher Plummer's narration. Plummer's rich, resonant voice enlivens each character--college dons, college ghosts, undergraduates. With subtle accents and a superb use of cadence, Plummer reflects all of Davies's humor and irreverence. This excellent match of reader to material will delight Davies's fans and all lovers of good stories told by a skilled narrator. R.F.W. An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award winner (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About the Author

Robertson Davies (1913-1995) had three successive careers during the time he became an internationally acclaimed author: actor, publisher, and, finally, professor at the University of Toronto. The author of twelve novels and several volumes of essays and plays, he was the first Canadian to be inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

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