Walter de la Mare?

[Thadlerian]

So, at my most recent library visit, I noticed some new books on the SF/F shelf: Two short story collections by Walter de la Mare. I've heard faintly of the guy before, primarily through Watership Down, where he is quoted early on ("Master rabbit I saw.").

Would anyoe here recognize this name, and perchance inform me whether or not his work can be defined within the Fantasy genre?

 

[Dave]

Would anyone here recognize this name?

Only from GSCE English Literature. His poems were in the book of selected poetry I had to study. I can't remember the poems now, most likely one was 'The Listeners', but it doesn't ring a bell. I had to look this up because I hadn't heard of stories by him, certainly never SF. As usual, the Wiki page on him is quite comprehensive: Walter de la Mare - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've read some of his short fiction and two of his novels: The Return and Memoirs of a Midget. They were both good, but I liked Memoirs by far the best. It's not SFF or Horror, though. The Return is a Gothic tale about possession, so it qualifies. As do some of the short stories.

And I'm moving this thread to Classic SFF.

 

[j d worthington]

De la Mare was one of the masters of the spectral tale; very understated, yet very powerful. Look up the section on his tales in Lovecraft's Supernatural Horror in Literature, and you'll likely see why he's included as sff. Pieces such as "Seaton's Aunt" (surely one of the quietest, most original, and most ambiguously disturbing tales of vampirism ever written), or "Out of the Deep", would alone merit him a place with any lover of the eerie side of literature. He had a delicate touch, dealt more in implication than statement, and therefore his work has a tendency to get in there and haunt because it brings one right to the brink of something "beyond the veil", close enough to feel a wind from a place that is totally other... and to leave you balanced precariously between the two.

And yes, much of his poetry is also in a spectral vein; "The Listeners" being a particularly fine example. The following link not only has the poem, but a tribute to de la Mare by T. S. Eliot:

[minstrels] The Listeners -- Walter De La Mare

I'd highly recommend reading some of his work, and his complete short stories have now been collected together into a three-volume set....

 

[Lobolover]

I can give you online versions of "Seaton's Aunt","All Hallows" ,"Out of the deep" and "ABO" (is it any good,I didnt read it?)

But,ive been looking on the net like MAD for "The tree" and then in a lesse decree for "Mr. Kempe" and nadda.

 

[j d worthington]

"ABO" is, but it is definitely one of his lesser tales; rather nasty and disturbing for all that... but he also walks a fine line here between being disturbing and being ludicrous, and I'm not entirely sure he always pulls it off....

 

[Lobolover]

Okay.

You wouldnt happen to know of any location of "The tree",would you ?