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Natural History of Hell: Stories
Natural History of Hell: Stories | Jeffrey Ford
16 posts | 12 read | 126 to read
Emily Dickinson takes a carriage ride with Death. A couple are invited over to a neighbor's daughter's exorcism. A country witch with a sea-captain's head in a glass globe intercedes on behalf of abused and abandoned children. In July of 1915, in Hardin County, Ohio, a boy sees ghosts. Explore contemporary natural history in a baker's dozen of exhilarating visions. Praise for Jeffrey Ford: "Outstanding. . . . Ford uses . . . incongruously lyrical phrases to infuse the everyday with a nebulous magic.""Publishers Weekly, " Best Books of the Year(Starred Review) "For lovers of the weird and fantastic and lovers of great writing, this is a treasure trove of disturbing visions, new worlds and fully realized craft.""Shelf Awareness "(Starred Review) "Properly creepy, but from time to time deliciously funny and heart-breakingly poignant, too.""Kirkus Reviews "(Starred Review) Jeffrey Ford was born on Long Island in New York State in 1955 and grew up in the town of West Islip. He studied fiction writing with John Gardner at S.U.N.Y. Binghamton. He's been a college English teacher of writing and literature for thirty years. He is the author of eight novels including "The Girl in the Glass "and four short story collections. He has received the World Fantasy, Nebula, Edgar, and Shirley Jackson awards. He lives with his wife Lynn in a century old farm house in a land of slow clouds and endless fields."
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OddBookishBee
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#RiotGrams Day 10. A book + a mug! While not exactly a mug, I'm at work so we work with what we got!!

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Blair_Reads
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Finished the first story about a couple going to their neighbor‘s daughter‘s exorcism and I can‘t even y‘all. I want to read everything he‘s ever written. His grocery list even!! If you like horror or the weird or science fiction...read him! #canteven #horror #everydayexorcism #theweird

RiaWritten Not horror, but my first and favorite of his books: 7y
RaimeyGallant Every author should be so lucky as to receive this high praise. Grocery list, lol. 7y
Blair_Reads @SewItGoes yes!! I really want to read that book! I‘ve heard great things about it 7y
ohyeahthatgirl I think about that story all the time! 7y
62 likes4 stack adds4 comments
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SeeJaneRead
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Pickpick

Seems wrong to review a book only 3 stories in but even if the rest are awful - still worth it! Also highly unlikely! Ford is reminiscent of Stephen King at his very very best short story-wise. So unsettling and original and weird and chilling and funny and just read it already okay?

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tracyrowanreads
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The housemate had a birthday recently and her sister gave her this book. It was one I'd had on my wish list for a long time, but deleted because I couldn't recall why I wanted it. She talked about how much she liked it even though she found it unsettling. I took that as a rec and started reading, and liked it so much that I looked for more by Ford. Tonight I found book of his stories on my shelf. I'm wondering if this means something.

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ohyeahthatgirl
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Pickpick

These weren't the horror stories I thought they would be, but there's so much more to them. Rich details leave you with a fully realized world in each short story. Even the ones that I initially thought I'd dislike, I found myself racing to finish.

monalyisha I'm starting a Short Stories book club in the Spring! Definitely adding this to the list of books to be considered. Thanks! (edited) 8y
20 likes5 stack adds1 comment
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ohyeahthatgirl
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A full day of cats and reading. Nero is usually the big spoon.

21 likes2 stack adds
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NerdyRev
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Read three stories so far. So far, they are the right size for a short story and they aren't straightforward horror. I am avoiding spoilers as some state what each story is about, but it is more fun figuring it out. One might call it creative horror.

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Jamiedemo
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ericarobynreads
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There were times during the journey when Talejui would completely forget where he was going and be taken up by the beauty of the landscape and the sounds of the birds that filled the forest to either side of the path. #allhallowsread

Beckys_Books Love the title 8y
10 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Chrys
This post contains spoilers
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"What's wrong sir?" "I shat a populace" ?? I guess that's one way to manufacture faeries

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Chrys
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In a bit of a slump, I cannot seem to focus on any one book right now. So I am switching it up to short stories and knocking one off my TBR list

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Liberty
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Pickpick

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

BookBabe Hey, nice Danzig shirt! 🤘🏻☠ 8y
Liberty @BookBabe Thank you. It's my ex-boyfriend's lucky shirt. Guess it wasn't so lucky. 😈 8y
BookBabe 😂😂🙌🏻 8y
159 likes14 stack adds3 comments
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Liberty
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Pickpick

My @bookriot pick for book of the week! A twisted and delightful mix of stories combining horror, history, science fiction and folklore – there‘s a little something for everyone! These thirteen meticulously-crafted tales will shock and amuse you. You don‘t need Halloween for scary stories – treat yourself now!

MrBook 😎👍🏻 Looks too to handle. 8y
TsahaiMakeda I must say, excellent visual effects. 8y
Liberty @TsahaiMakeda Thank you. 😊 8y
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wanderaven Your photographs are awesome. 8y
Genrebending Proper oven usage. 👍💥🔥 8y
NovelGirl82 This sounds amazing!! 8y
BookishBron Fantastic photo! This sounds great! 8y
150 likes32 stack adds7 comments
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bookriot
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Pickpick

A twisted and delightful mix of stories combining horror, history, science fiction and folklore – there‘s a little something for everyone! These thirteen meticulously-crafted tales will shock and amuse you. You don‘t need Halloween for scary stories – treat yourself now!

StaceyKondla Great picture!! 8y
MrBook How you feelin'? Hot, hot, hot!How you feelin'? Hot, hot, hot! 8y
111 likes40 stack adds2 comments
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theboozybookworm
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New books!

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brendanmleonard
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Sunday book mail - yes! My first GoodReads giveaway- double yes! Came with a brochure for other Small Beer Press books (including a new M. Rickert collection) - triple yes!

Liberty So good! 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 Omg...I don't know if this is the same Jeffrey Ford, but I took an English class with him his last semester before retiring!! 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 It definitely sounds like something he would write! Lol 8y
BookishFeminist **want** I love Small Beer Press & basically anything with Kelly Link's stamp of approval on it. Looking forward to seeing your thoughts on it. 8y
54 likes6 stack adds4 comments