Medieval Studies and the Ghost Stories of M. R. James

MontagueRhodesJamesauthoredsomeofthemosthighlyregardedghoststoriesofalltime-classicssuchas"Oh,Whistle,andI'llCometoYou,MyLad"thathavebeenadaptedmanytimesoverforradioandtelevisionandhavenevergoneoutofprint.ButwhileJamesisbestknownasafictionwriterandstoryteller,hewasalsoaprovostofKing'sCollege,Cambridge,andEtonCollege,andalegendaryandinfluentialscholarwhosepioneeringworkinthestudyofbiblicaltextsandmedievalmanuscripts,art,andarchitectureisstillrelevanttoday.InMedievalStudiesandtheGhostStoriesofM.R.James,PatrickJ.Murphyarguesthatthesetwincareersareinextricablylinked.James'sresearchnotonlyinformedhisfictionbutalsoreflectedhisanxietiesaboutthenatureofacademiclifeandexploredthedelicatedividebetweenprofessional,universitymenanderratichobbyistsorantiquaries.MurphyshowshowdetailedattentiontothescholarlyinspirationsbehindJames'sfictionprovidesconsiderableinsightintoaformativemomentinmedievalstudies,aswellasintoJames'smethodsasamasterstylistofunderstatedhorror.Duringhislife,Jamesoftenclaimedthathisstoriesweremereentertainments-pleasingdistractionsfromalifelargelydefinedbyacademicdisciplineandrestraint-andreadersovertheyearshavebeencontenttotakehimathisword.Thisintriguingvolume,however,convincinglyprovesotherwise.