The Cambridge Companion to American Horror

Taking Horror seriously, the book surveys America's bloody and haunted history through its most terrifying cultural expressions.

Stephen Shapiro (Edited by), Mark Storey (Edited by)

9781316513002, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 4 August 2022

222 pages
23.5 x 15.7 x 1.9 cm, 0.48 kg

'The signal work of 2022 received is Stephen Shapiro and Mark Storey's collection 'The Cambridge Companion to American Horror'.' James Gifford, The Year's Work in English Studies

Opening up the warm body of American Horror – through literature, film, TV, music, video games, and a host of other mediums – this book gathers the leading scholars in the field to dissect the gruesome histories and shocking forms of American life. Through a series of accessible and informed essays, moving from the seventeenth century to the present day, The Cambridge Companion to American Horror explores one of the liveliest and most progressive areas of contemporary culture. From slavery to censorship, from occult forces to monstrous beings, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in America's most terrifying cultural expressions.

Introduction: American Horror: Genre and History Mark Storey and Stephen Shapiro
Part I. Histories: 1. Slavery Maisha Wester
2. Capitalism Mark Steven
3. Religion and Spirituality Carl H. Sederholm
4. Settlement and Imperialism Johan Höglund
5. Censorship and State Regulation Kendall R. Phillips
6. Schlock, Kitsch, and Camp Esther Leslie
Part II. Genres: 7. Body Horror Xavier Aldana Reyes
8. Queer Horror Laura Westengard
9. Folk Horror Bernice M. Murphy
10. Occult Horror Darryl Jones
11. SF and the Weird Betsy Huang
12. Monsters and the Monstrous Dawn Keetley.

Subject Areas: Horror & ghost stories [FK], Literary theory [DSA], Films, cinema [APF]