Getting into the Halloween Spirit

This October I have been trying to celebrate Halloween in my own little way all month. My merrymaking has included reading books and watching movies with a scary, thrilling, or fantasy theme. I've watched Misery, Stir of Echoes, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and fell asleep during Shaun of the Dead. I've read Twilight by Stephenie Myer (vampires!), The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield ("gothic strangeness"), and this morning I finished Night Chills by Dean Koontz ("The nightmare is real. And death is the only cure...").

I've been eyeing The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Tales by Washington Irving on my bookshelf for the past few weeks, so after I put down Night Chills this morning I found myself pulling out that old hardcover I've had probably since high school. What I discovered inside were illustrations by Arthur Rackham. Spooky! There are over 10 pen and ink drawings with watercolor that instantly made me happy I picked up the book.

I've spent the morning looking at Mr. Rackham's art on the internet instead of grading papers and doing the things I should be doing on a Sunday. If you want to put aside your responsibilities and read about him also, this is a good website: clarke.cmich.edu/rackhamarthur/biography.htm. I hope Arthur Rackham helps put you in the Halloween Spirit too.

Only the top picture is from my book.

Still on my Halloween to do list:

Corpse Bride

The Shining

Brothers Grimm

E.T.

It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

finish Shaun of the Dead

put up decorations