Welcome to Litsy!

Algernon Blackwood never disappoints: TheTarn of Sacrifice is a story of reincarnation set in the Lake District just after WWI. Veteran, John Holt, seeks the balm of nature to soothe the horrors of war, Blackwood making trenchant comments about the political hypocrisy of that conflict. Hearing the legend of Blood Tarn, Holt discovers his immemorial connection to both the myth & the strange man & his bewitching daughter who live at the tarn's side.

The introduction to H. R. Wakefield's 1940 story, "The First Sheaf" says it's an early example of the folk horror genre, and there are definite vibes of the films The Wicker Man and Hot Fuzz (without the humour), set in an isolated farming community in darkest Essex.
Told as a reminiscence of a childhood incident, the feeling of oppressive threat is well handled.

I'm sorry I'm a little late with this, I've been under the weather the last few days and not online much. I hope everyone has read and enjoyed July's selection of I, Robot. It's now time for to nominate for August's #ClassicLSFBC selection. Since we did Asimov in July, I'm going to nominate another of the Big 3 for August. My pick is A Fall of Moondust by Arthur C. Clarke.
@Bookwomble @Ruthiella @TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern @wanderinglynn

#CoverLove #Hat

The third story, "The Spirit of Stonehenge" by Jasper John (pseudonym of Rosalie Muspratt), covers a little of the terrain traversed by Benson in the previous story, though not as skillfully. It's still an interesting tale, atmospheric but no physical shivers with this one. John didn't build up the tension quite so well, but I'm happy to give it 3½ ?for locale and mention of occult histories ?
I should, perhaps, mention a CW for suicide in both.

The first story is an extract from a novella, "Ringstones", by Sarban, which is really just a taster to set the scene for the rest of the stories, but it has piqued my interest to track down the complete tale.
The second is by the magnificent E. F. Benson, "The Temple", set in a rainy July (so exactly fitting my reading circumstances!) and it gave me gooseflesh more than once!
The narrator and Frank take a too-cheap-to-be-true holiday let in an ⬇️

I just read the first 80 pages with my morning coffee. Not every story landed for me, but most of them did intrigue me. The Nick Medina story. Holy hell. Incredible.

#BookmarkMatching ?
Hmm, I don't have many megalithic/Neolithic themed bookmarks as the sites tend to be in isolated muddy fields without tourist gift shops (obviously a good/bad situation), but I'm pleased to have the ones I've got. La Hougue Bie is a fantastic "passage tomb" on Jersey, the others speak for themselves ?
I've decided to use the Stonehenge one for this book - I mean, it's the Guvnor isn't it?! ?

I bought this in Kendall on May Day 2024 following a visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle: a collection of weird stories featuring British ancient monuments. Probably should read it at a solstice or equinox, but never mind: I'll consider it an early samhain read!

Powerful!