The Sociable Ghost and Other Curious Tales

Trade paperback. One evening, a young newspaper reporter, grieving over a broken love affair, wanders into the Trinity Church cemetery in New York City and stumbles upon an annual banquet celebrated by those who are buried there. In recounting the antics of the lively ghosts of Trinity, Olive Harper (1842-1915) offers a pointed, hilarious, and often poignant commentary upon human follies and foibles, as relevant today as when first published in 1903. In addition to Harper’s remarkable satirical fantasy novel, 'The Sociable Ghost and Other Curious Tales' collects an earlier short version of the novel, three additional fantasy stories, a fantastic excerpt from an adventure novel, and an account of an actual ghostly encounter that Harper herself allegedly experienced in room 242 of the Metropolitan Hotel in New York City, all of which have never been re-issued since their original newspaper and magazine publication. Also included in this volume are the original illustrations from the novel, an informative introduction and notes to the novel by award-winning anthologist and author Johnny Mains, and an overview of Harper’s fantasy works and an account of her extraordinary life by David Balfour. Together with 'A Fair Californian' (Ramble House, 2018), this volume comprises all of Harper’s known, original works in the fantasy field.