Only 10 more shopping days 'til Christmas.
You've still gotta buy stuff for that Halloween Addict and horror fan, but what to do--- WHAT TO DO??!
Books, man.
They're small.
They travel well.
They wrap easily.
Books.
Here's 13 (Oooooo STILL spooooky 13!!!) options.
1) THE ART AND MAKING OF MONSTER HOUSE
Monster House is one of those animated films that embraces Halloween to some extent. Well, maybe not "embraces" but at least gives it a hug and a "pat-pat." There's autumn... there's kids... there's a MONSTER HOUSE. It's a fun film and I try and throw it on the DVD player every October.
This book has some GORGEOUS artwork from the pre-production of the film all the way through post-production. Really great stuff.
Check out this pic of the silhouetted house with autumn in the background. Beautiful.
2) THE TWILIGHT SAGA COLLECTION
Again... this isn't MY series... but I'm comfortable enough with my Halloween-hood to acknowledge that there are people out there who like their vampires and werewolves hunky and heartthrob-ey.
So for those people there is this full set of all of the Twilight Saga books.
Enjoy with a copy of Tiger Beat.
3) TRICK 'R TREAT: TALES OF MAYHEM, MYSTERY AND MISCHIEF.
A fantastic companion to the fantastic film. Tons of stuff in this. Pre-production art, masks, comics, postcards and MORE. Should be at the top of any Halloween Addict's list.
Though this book is out of print it's a MUST FIND for a Halloween Addict.
I found this book on a lazy afternoon in a bookstore window of a sleepy, New England seaside town. It's the book that inspired me to create HalloweenAddict.com. When the title says it's a "Celebration of Halloween" they're not kidding.
It's a compilation book featuring ALL Halloween-related material. I'll let the Amazon write-up lay it out for you because it's more succinctly put than I could be:
A winner of the International Horror Guild Award, October Dreams: A Celebration of Halloween is undoubtedly the grandest horror anthology ever compiled on the genre's signature holiday, and unlikely to be supplanted in that position. Weighing in at almost 650 pages, this intelligently selected compendium contains work from nearly every contemporary bestselling author, cult favorite, and hot up-and-comer in horror. The volume mixes a generous amount of well-written new fiction with classic reprints, several "Favorite Halloween Memories," an informative "Short History of Halloween" by Paula Guran, a well-chosen "Overview of Halloween Films" by Gary A. Braunbeck, and an equally useful "Reader's Guide to Halloween Fiction" by Stefan Dziemianowicz. Many of the authors contribute both a story and a Favorite Memory, and Ray Bradbury, to whom the volume is rightfully dedicated, contributes these and a poem.
No review can do justice to an anthology whose table of contents crowds three pages. But perhaps a taste of three stories will suggest the breadth and depth of the whole. Ray Bradbury's subtle "Heavy Set" considers what it might be like to be the mother of a muscular, disturbed, and exceptionally attached son. In the West Coast gothic "A Redress for Andromeda," Caitlin R. Kiernan presents a beautifully written consideration of the costs of a hidden secret. Artist Gahan Wilson proves himself also talented at fiction with "Yesterday's Witch," in which trick-or-treaters find the neighborhood witch isn't any such thing ... or is she?
October Dreams is highly recommended to all fans of horror and dark fantasy. --Cynthia Ward
That says it all. If you are a Halloween Addict and you were to have ONE book for your self-imposed desert island... THIS... IS... IT.
'Nuff said.
5) LIO'S ASTONISHING TALES: FROM THE HAUNTED CRYPT OF UNKNOWN HORRORS
As someone who lived through--and sorely misses-- the golden-age of newspaper comics, I appreciate the comic "Lio" for its Calvin & Hobbes-like cleverness and Bloom County-like attitude.
From the cover of this book which is an homage to Tales from the Crypt, to the fact that Lio regularly engages with zombies, spiders, giant squids and more Lio is a comic that any Halloween Addict should be reading ... AND it's funny. Pick it up.
6) IT'S THE GREAT PUMPKIN CHARLIE BROWN: THE MAKING OF A TELEVISION CLASSIC
We've all watched the special a million times. But now you can go behind the scenes and read about what it took to put the World War I Flying Ace and Linus crying to the heavens "Oh Great Pumpkin where are you?!" on the small screen.
7) THE HAUNTED MANSION: FROM THE MAGIC KINGDOM TO THE MOVIES
Any fan of scary worth his weight in screams (I'm a little punchy today) like the imagination the Imagineers (hey, I get it!) at Disney put into a quirky little dark ride called The Haunted Mansion.
This book will tell you everything you want to know (and then some) about the history, implementation, behind the scenes and magic behind the infamous ride at Disneyland, Disneyworld and Foreign markets.
LOADS of pictures from the Disney vaults.
8) HALLOWEEN COSTUMES AND OTHER TREATS
If you love the old Collegeville and Ben Cooper costumes you will love this book. Providing a pictorial history of popular culture and fads it's a fascinating look through America. The book also delves into Halloween history from the 20s on up through the 70s.
A great reference guide and coffee table book!
Another great reference guide and coffee table conversation starter. As someone who worked at a video store in the 80s I, too, believe that an art has been lost from the days of VHS to the leap to DVD. Now we mostly get "floating celebrity head" posters and artwork for films. But there was a time where a painted cover was able to get more people to rent a cheap flick than any floating head ever could.
Can't wait for the release of this book.
10) THE HALLOWEEN TREE: DELUXE EDITION - OOP
Sure you should have any version of Ray Bradbury's classic tale on your shelf... but seek out this out of print hardcover edition featuring a gorgeous painted cover and artwork.
This signed limited edition contains a typeset version of Bradbury's preferred text, the original manuscript (complete with handwritten corrections), a screenplay Bradbury wrote before he wrote the novel (in manuscript form) and the typeset version of his Hanna-Barbera screenplay. The front and back covers are Bradbury oil paintings of Halloween trees.
A big-ticket item and something you'll have to search for on eBay or through the Amazon used link, but TOTALLY worth it for this classic.
11) HOW TO HAUNT YOUR HOUSE
This was highly recommended on the Haunt Style website and I hope Santa brings it to me so that I may peruse its wonderfulness myself.
There are many of these types of books on the market but as it was endorsed by a fellow Halloween blogger, I'm inclined to think this is one of the ones to pick up. Check out the official site for the book which includes a video review HERE.
12) ANYTHING BY STEPHEN KING
He's a legend. And he seems to churn out phone-book-sized scary tomes faster than any mortal man should. Which is why I think Stephen King is a demon. Take a look at a picture of him smiling. Tell me that man's not a demon.
Regardless of whether he has a soul or not, I've been reading his stuff since before I can remember reading.
I'm always partial to his short story compilations, but should you be one of his loyal disciples you probably want his latest which is called "Under the Dome." The plot sounds a lot like The Simpsons Movie but I doubt 20th Century Fox will sue as I'm sure his plot doesn't involve Homer riding a motorcycle.
Anything by this master of the macabre will be a welcome site under the tree. Flip through the carousel widget below for a small sample of his work.
13) THE OCTOBER COUNTRY
More Bradbury can't be a bad thing. Reprinting stuff that's long been out, check out this compilation for a mixed bag o' weird from one of the masters.
