A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James Podcast

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A Podcast to the Curious - The M.R. James Podcast episodes

April 26, 2017Episode 59 – The Haunted and the Haunters by Edward Bulwer-Lytton
This episode Mike and Will cover ‘The Haunted and the Haunters‘ by Charles Dickens’s BFF, Edward Bulwer-Lytton.
M.R. James considered this story essential reading, saying “Nobody is permitted to write about ghost stories without
mentioning ‘The Haunted and the Haunters’.” (Some Remarks on Ghost Stories). Will it live up to our expectations?
Our reader for this episode is talented artist and family member, Peter Ross!
We also mention the new book from friend-of-the-podcast Patrick J. Murphy, Medieval Studies and the Ghost Stories of M. R. James, check it out!
Show notes:
Edward Bulwer-Lytton (Wikipedia)
Some basic biographical details about EBL’s life. A more detailed biography can be found at
www.victorianweb.org.
Edward Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest (www.bulwer-lytton.com)
Inspired by EBL’s famous clunker “It was a dark and stormy night…”, this competition challenges would-be writers
to come up with the worst possible opening line to a novel!
50 Berkeley Square, London (Wikipedia)
Often touted as ‘the most haunted house in England’, this place gained a fearsome reputation for ghostliness in the
latter half of the 19th century. It’s description and locations are tantilisingly close to the house described in
this story, although the story pre-dated the house’s notoriety.
The Haunted House (Wikipedia)
The ‘haunted house’ as a concept goes back for at least 2000 years, and has inspired writers for just as long.
‘The Haunted House’ by Charles Dickens et al (Wikipedia)
Could the publication of this story be connected in any way to the publications of ‘The Haunted House’, the
portmaneau story that was ‘conducted’ and published by EBL’s friend Charles Dickens in the same year that EBL’s
story was published?
Essay by Ellis Jordan (www.cherylblakeprice.com)
This essay on ‘The Haunted and the Haunters’ sheds some more light onto the story and EBL’s aims in writing it. It
also compared the two differing versions of the story that were published.
1 hr 22 min
February 27, 2017Episode 58 – The Familiar by J Sheridan Le Fanu
Illustration by M. Grant Kellermeyer
In this bumper episode we examine M.R. James’s favourite story by his favourite author, ‘The Familiar’ by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu! Praise doesn’t get much higher than that, but is it all it is cracked up to be? If you are a fan of owls, diminutive, angry men in fur caps and incredibly long sentences, then you are in for a treat.
This episode also features an interview with noted Le Fanu expert Brian J Showers of Swan River Press and readings by Debbie Wedge.
This episodes artwork comes curtesy of M. Grant Kellermeyer of Oldstyle Tales Press.
Story notes
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu (Wikipedia)
Some biographical information on the man himself.
‘In a glass darkly’ by Le Fanu (Wikipedia)
This is the volume of ghost stories in which this story most famously appears, featuring the ‘occult detective’ Dr. Martin Hesselius.
M.R. James on J. S. Le Fanu (Ghosts and Scholars)
An article based on the presentation on Le Fanu that M.R. James gave to the Royal Institution of Great Britain on March 16th, 1923.
Haunted Holidays – The Terrible Occult Detectives (Tor.com)
A very amusing essay on the ‘occult detective’ in literature, which singles out Le Fanu’s Dr Hesselius as the first occult detective.
Reminiscences of a bachelor by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (Swan River Press)
We mention this title in our interview with Brian J. Showers. The book features ‘The Watcher’ and other stories, as well as its original companion piece ‘The Fatal Bride’ and notes on both stories.
Also mentioned in this episode
Monsters – Don’t treat them gently! (Pleasing Terror Games)
The new M.R. James board game from friend of the show, James Drewitt.
‘No Diggin ‘ere’ and ‘Barchestering’ T-shirts (redbubble.com)
Two new MRJ T-shirts from our regular reader Debbie Wedge! Also available as baby-grows, mugs, phone cases etc.
1 hr 53 min
December 21, 2016Episode 57 – The White and the Black by Erckmann-Chatrian
Émile Erckmann and Alexandre Chatrian
This episode Mike and Will pop across the channel for some booze-heavy French/German shinanigans in ‘The White and the Black’ by Erckmann-Chartrian.
M.R. James says this writing partnership “produced some quite first-class romances”, but this tale of murder and mayhem is no love story!
Show notes:
Erckmann-Chatrian (Wikipedia)
About the authors
Breisach, Germany (Wikipedia)
About the town in which the story is set. Also, take a look on Google Maps.
‘Buried Treasure’ by Erckmann-Chatrian (Archive.org)
This public domain scan of an Erckmann-Chatrian anthology contains a number of translations of their short stories, including ‘The White and the Black’ (albeit in a very different translation to the version we cover in the podcast).
Anabaptism (Wikipedia)
The following also get a mention in this episode:
Nunkie Theatre (nunkie.co.uk)
Robert Lloyd Parry is releasing another of his excellent M.R. James performances as a pay-to-stream release before Christmas.
Haunted Advent Calendar (moorereppion.com)
To entertain lovers of the strange and horrible over the festive season, authors Leah Moore and John Reppion have produced this highly enjoyable advent calendar, packed with weird and horrifying tit-bits.
1 hr
October 31, 2016Episode 56 – A Relation of the Apparition of Mrs Veal by Daniel Defoe
Happy Halloween listeners! In this bumper-bonus episode we talk about our first non-M.R. James ghost story, ‘A Relation of the Apparition of Mrs Veal‘, a fascinating early ghost story attributed to Daniel Defoe.
We also interview Leah Moore and John Reppion about their recently-published graphic novel of ‘Ghost stories of an Antiquary‘.
Finally, we are delighted to announce the publication of our new ebook, ‘Stories that inspired M.R. James‘, which features the next twelve stories we will be covering on the podcast and which is available to purchase right now!
Phew, what an episode!
Show notes:
‘The Relation of the Apparition of Mrs Veal’ (Wikipedia)
Daniel Defoe (Wikipedia)
Literacy rates in the 17th Century (UMassD)
Charles Drelincourt (Wikipedia)
‘Essay on the History and Reality of Apparitions’ by Daniel Defoe (Archive.org)
List of other works on the supernatural by Daniel Defoe (indiana.edu)
‘Defoe’s Spirits, Apparitions and the Occult’ by Maximillian Novak (illinoisstate.edu)
‘Visions of an Unseen World: Ghost Beliefs and Ghost Stories in Eighteenth Century’ By Sasha Handley (books.google.co.uk)
1 hr 19 min
September 12, 2016Episode 55 – A Vignette
Nearly five years to the day that we released Episode 1, we are pleased to bring you ‘A Vignette’, M.R. James’s very last story!
The episode also features readings from Robert Lloyd Parry and an exciting announcement about the future of the podcast!
Show notes:
A Vignette by M.R. James (adelaide.edu.au)
A Vignette, read by Scott Wichmann (Soundcloud)
The Rectory, Great Livermere (Monty’s World)
The House by the Churchyard by J. Sheridan Le Fanu (Wikipedia)
A Pleasant Terror: The Life and Ghost of M.R. James (1995 Anglia Television)
Great Livermere: A parish with ghosts by Beryl Rosalind Dyson (Amazon)
Images of Livermere Hall (demolished in 1923)
Photos of ‘Livermere Hall’ (actually the Rectory, Flickr)
1 hr 1 min
August 14, 2016Episode 54 – Eton and Kings, part two
In this epic feature-length James-fest, Mike and Will conclude their coverage of ‘Eton and King’s’, M.R. James’s memoir of a life spent in two of the UK’s most celebrated educational institutions.
This part covers M.R. James’s time as an undergraduate, Fellow, Dean and Provost at King’s College, his somewhat unhappy stint as Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge, and his final return to Eton as Provost.
Our reader for this episode was Peter Ross, thanks pa!
Image is M.R. James in Westmorland, in 1903 (aged about 40).
Show notes:
Oscar Browning (wikipedia)
Henry Bradshaw (wikipedia)
Fitzwilliam Museum (wikipedia)
King’s College, Cambridge (kings.cam.ac.uk)
1 hr 32 min
June 26, 2016Episode 53 – Jacqueline Simpson interview
This episode Mike and Will interview folklorist Jacqueline Simpson about the influence of Scandinavian and English folklore on M.R. James’s ghost stories, as well as Jacqueline’s collaboration with Terry Pratchett on ‘Folklore of the Discworld’.
Many thanks to Jacqueline for her hospitality!
More about Jacqueline:
Jacqueline Simpson on Wikipedia
Dictionary of English Folklore by Jacqueline Simpson and Steve Roud
Folklore of Sussex by Jacqueline Simpson
Green Men & White Swans by Jacqueline Simpson
The Lore of the Land by Jacqueline Simpson and Jennifer Beatrice Westwood
Folklore of the Discworld by Jacqueline Simpson and Terry Pratchett
Also:
Evald Tang Kristensen on Wikipedia
42 min
May 22, 2016Episode 52 – Eton and King’s, part one
It’s back to school this week as Mike and Will pack their tuckboxes and top hats and join Monty for the first part of his memoir “Eton and King’s: recollections, mostly trivial”. How will James deal with the traditions and quirks of Eton? Will he avoid a midnight wedgy? And who exactly is the mysterious Goat Sucker?
Links:
Eton and King’s is readily available from Ash Tree Press as an ebook.
Mike and Will at Temple Grove School (it’s changed a bit since Monty’s day). More on his prep school in our episode on “A School Story“.
A glossary of Eton terms, for the initiated.
HE Luxmoore was an Eton master for 44 years. He was MRJ’s tutor and perhaps the biggest influence on him besides his father.
Our cover art by, of course, Alistair Wood – do have a look at his new website!
1 hr 5 min
March 31, 2016Episode 51 – M.R. James Conference 2016
This episode Mike and Will report on the the M.R. James conference, aka ‘Haunted Studies: The Ghost Stories of M.R. James’ and bring you interviews with a range of Jamesian luminaries present at the event.
For more information on the conference, visit the conference website.
People we interview in this episode:
Dewi Evans (Acedemia.edu)
Dewi, along with Jane Mainley-Piddock, organised the conference. You can read more from Dewi at his blog, or follow him on Twitter.
Ruth Harris
Ruth impressed us with her paper ‘”If I’m not careful, something of this kind may happen to me!”: M.R. James and the Academic Nightmare’
Ramsey Campbell (ramseycampbell.com)
As England’s most celebrated living horror author, Ramsey Campbell needs little introduction. His opening keynote ‘M.R. James and the Ghost Story Tradition’ got the conference off to a flying start.
Steve Manthorp (manthorp.co.uk)
Steve was at the conference exhibiting his fascinating full-size dolls house based on ‘The Haunted Doll’s House’ by M.R. James. You can find our more about Steve at his website and at ADEPT.
Dr Andrew Smith (shef.ac.uk)
Andrew is Reader in Nineteenth Century English Literature at the University of Sheffield, and provided the day’s final keynote on ‘M.R. James and the Ghosts of World War 1’.
Richard Mansfield (mansfielddark.com)
Richard is one half of Mansfield Dark, who have been impressing us for a number of years with their haunting shadow puppet films of M.R. James stories, two of which were shown at the conference. Find out more about these at their website.
1 hr 6 min
February 06, 2016Episode 50 – A Night in King’s College Chapel
This episode Mike and Will pack their sleeping bags and bed down for ‘A Night in King’s College Chapel’ by M.R. James.
The episode also features an exclusive interview with James Drewett and Richard Svensson, creators of ‘Monsters and Miscreants’ a new M.R. James-themed card game available to order now. You can also watch an unboxing video of the same game featuring your humble hosts, Will and Mike, recorded live in Will’s kitchen. The glamour!
About Monsters and Miscreants:
Order your copy at pleasingterror.wordpress.com, or find out more at their Facebook page
View more of Richard’s artwork at his website loneanimator.com, where you can also find some of his awesome M.R. James animated short films. Also check out Richard on DeviantArt.
Props also go to Ivory Graphics, the company responsible for printing the card game.
If you are curious about James’s other still-in-development M.R. James card game ‘Cards for the Curious’, watch this Youtube video to find out more.

Show notes:
A Night in Kings College Chapel by M.R. James (Ghosts & Scholars)
You can read the full text of this story at the ever-useful Ghosts & Scholars website.
A Guide to the Windows of King’s College Chapel, Cambridge by M.R. James (Cambridge University Press)
After writing this story M.R. James went on to write this book on the King’s College Chapel glass. It was published in 1899.
The Medieval Stained Glass Photographic Archive (therosewindow.com)
This website contains images of nearly all the stained glass mentioned in this story, including their locations within the chapel. More detailed text about the windows can also be found at vidimus.org, and this video from The Guardian explores the chapel.
The Univeristy Pitt Club
The final fragment of this story was found written on Pitt Club note paper, hinting at where James may have been sitting when he wrote it.
‘Dare to be a Daniel’ (Youtube)
It is likely that this is the sort of thing James was afraid of when he makes his sniffy comments about ‘congregational singing’!
Reuben and the well (Biblehub.com)
Genesis 37:29 – the scene from the bible that Reuben is supposed to be representing in his window when ‘on duty’.
Moses and the Manna from heaven (biblegateway.com)
Exodus 16 – where the Manna comes from which the naughty children of Israel are throwing at Reuben in the story.
Biblical typology (theopedia.com)
When Reuben says “I may only be a type…” he is referring to this.
The most misunderstood woman in the bible (todayschristianwoman.com)
In this story Job’s wife is portrayed as an unsympathetic nagging tyrant, a traditional interpretation of her character. However, more modern minds have reassessed her character and come to a different conclusion.
Window of opportunity (spectator.co.uk)
During the episode Mike mentions the surprising story of how King’s College Chapel got it’s famous west window. This is it!
The windows themselves (mostly at therosewindow.com):
Reuben
Gathering the manna (or throwing the bread rolls)
Naomi, she of the deceased and hen-pecked husband
Job, tormented by demons (and his wife)
Jonah and one crazy-ass looking whale
Tobias and his mother
And here’s the vicious dog
49 min