We’re currently visiting Wales with bookish friends for our Readers Weekend at Trevor Hall. But since Halloween is coming, we thought you might like to revisit our previous episode devoted to Spooky Season.

In this episode from 2020, we talk about the origins of Halloween monsters and the tricky laws around selling a haunted house. And we recommend a bunch of books for Halloween, including some fun titles for people who want to get in the spirit but don’t like to be scared.

Trick or treat!

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SSoP Podcast Episode 17 — Halloween: Costumed Revelry, Voices From Beyond, and YAY, Candy!

It’s no surprise that most Halloween stories delve into the dark corners and shadows of life. That premise is in the very name of the holiday. Originally known as All Hallows' Eve, it’s celebrated just before All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day — two holidays meant to honor the dead. For thousands of years, people all over the world have remembered the lost with candles, rituals, costumes, and revelry.

The best Halloween stories produce tingles up the back of the neck, while also, maybe, breaking one’s heart just a little bit. After all, good scares and sorrow often go hand-in-ghostly-hand.

In this episode, we get curious about Halloween traditions and explore the lore around classic creepy creatures., Then we recommend books that celebrate the spirit (and spirits) of Halloween, including stories for self-proclaimed scaredy-cats, titles that should come with a ‘don’t read this at night’ warning label,‘ and a few in-between.

For more on the books we recommend, plus the other cool stuff we talk about, visit the show notes.

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Transcript of Halloween: About 31% More Gothic than Normal

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