20th Century Ghosts

This collection of short stories is beautifully written. The stories range from creepy and disturbing to Twilight Zone macabre--which I like. Not all horror should be filled with over-the-top situations and gore, and Joe Hill gets this. Fans of good writing, psychological horror/dark suspense and quirky characters will enjoy this. Hill has a wonderful imagination. My only comment is that these are not ghost stories, so the title is misleading. These tales were original, well written and I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Hard to describe other than extremely well written. At times it is scary, others it is spooky, or melancholy or hilarious. Sometimes severasl things at once. I've read some other Joe Hill and this is my favorite

I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. It's a good mix of horror, humor, happiness, and sadness. It's fun to read such a mix of topics and length. I have read almost all of his books, but I think I like Joe Hill even more now.

The stories are good but with surprisingly few elements of horror. Some, in fact, are not horror related at all but are still generally good stories. The endings, on the other hand, are wholly unsatisfying and left me mostly disappointed. I was secretly hoping for something along the lines of Nightshift but sadly this doesn't even come close.

The short stories in this collection are completely off the wall. Some are supernatural and some are mysterious. All left me scratching my head. I thoroughly enjoyed each one. Be sure to read the afterward at the end.

I have enjoyed Joe Hill very much, having recently discovered him. I'm not really in love with 20th Century Ghosts, but there are some really imaginative and well written stories in it. I can see that this is his early work, and it is great to see how he has developed as a writer.

This collection had some fantastic stories and few that fell a bit short.
I enjoy Hill's pacing but a few stories like Dead-wood seem more suited a creepy haiku. 20th Century Ghost, My Father's Mask and the Black Phone left me thinking about the stories long after I was finished reading.
Overall this is well worth your time.

Some are very spooky...some a very creepy....a few are very very scary but all of them are different and not your run of the mill horror. Good writing style and even though I like full length novels best I totally enjoyed this book.

Absolutely delightful. I've come to appreciate Hill's work in both comics and novels, and now I have enjoyed these short stories to the utmost. Excelent for horror fans, but the characters and language far surpass your average fright jockey.

I liked most of the stories overall, but my favorite of all was the final in the collection , Voluntary Committal. Some of the stories are very similar in style to Stephen King , but most of them have very singular Joe Hill elements. Definitely worth buying.

While I loved his novels 'Heart Shaped Box' and 'Horns', this collection of short stories didn't quite resonate with me. There are a few stories here that are wonderful, (the last two in particular, 'My Father's Mask' and 'Voluntary Commital', are both amazing), but others just fall flat. 'Better Than Home', about a boy and his father who manages a baseball team, felt grossly out of place - it reads like a Newbury Award short story for young readers. In addition, about half of the stories in this collection only loosely qualify as horror, many settling for being just slightly strange. If you are new to Joe Hill, I would recommend starting with HSB; pick this up if you already know you like his style.

Wow. I don't usually like short stories this well. These are very thought provoking and each one grabs you right in. I am totally hooked on this guy. Some of the stories are scary and some just make you think. The characterization is vivid. This guy is a winner.

This audio book lends more atmosphere to reading a horror story. Remember sitting around the campfire with the camp counselor with a flashlight under his (or her) chin creating the added dimension of terror and surprise? its like that.

These stories are all great I their own right. Joe Hill manages to keep you turning pages in suspense if what's to come and you rarely ever know. The characters all seem like real, thinking, individuals. Loved this book,

These stories are beautifully haunting. They've been haunting me since I read them a year ago. There is so much feeling, it just pulls you along story after story. Lost love, death, human fragility, revenge, I could do better after I read it again but I would probably try to 'explain' each one for the people who don't understand how awesome it is.

I did not think I would love "20th Century Ghosts" as much as I did "Heart Shaped Box," both by Joe Hill. I do! Joe Hill's imagination is beautiful and horrific. His stories are dark, clever, and at times humorous. But, Hill's stories also have a tenderness I've never seen in other stories of this genre. I've never read anything like them. Wow!

I have recently discovered Joe Hill. Little did I know at first that this is Stephen King's son. I am so pleased that Joe Hill can really tell a great story (long or short). I enjoy the suspense he builds as the story progresses. His stories are thought provoking and entertaining.

I read Heart-Shaped Box and very much enjoyed it. I've always been a huge Stephen King fan and wondered if the apple would fall close or far from the tree.
Any trepidation I felt was washed away with Heart-Shaped Box and then with just the first of the stories in 20th Century Ghosts. Button-Boy alone is worth buying this book. All of the stories are vastly different and all are entertaining and skillfully written.
No comparison to SK necessary. I would have enjoyed Joe Hill if I hadn't even known about his famous father and I'll continue to read him.

Joe Hill writes stories that make you feel uncomfortable or scared or creeped out or curious or amused. Most of all though he just makes you feel both for the characters and in reflection to those around you. A talent to have in novels that is all the more amazing in brief and efficient tales as these. Read and enjoy.

Joe Hill's books are excellent. He develops his characters very well and the stories are unique. I didn't think his writing would be any where near as good as his dad's (Stephen King), but I was wrong. Love this guy!!!!

This short story collection contains a range of horror. From the comedic and the wistfully tragic, all the way grimm and soul crushing. I recommend this book for any reader willing to take the trip through a thoroughly nasty set of stories.

All very tight with incredible pacing. Endings that make you say, "what? I need to read this one again." I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading this book. Looking for more great literature from Joe. BZ!