Algernon Blackwood

Algernon Henry Blackwood (March 14, 1869 – December 10, 1951) was a British writer of tales of the supernatural. Although Blackwood wrote a number of horror stories, his most typical work seeks less to frighten than to induce a sense of awe. Good examples are the novels The Centaur, which climaxes with a traveller's sight of a herd of the mythical creatures; and Julius LeVallon and its sequel The Bright Messenger, which deal with reincarnation and the possibility of a new, mystical evolution in human consciousness. His best stories, such as those collected in the book Incredible Adventures, are masterpieces of atmosphere, construction and suggestion.

Related Topics:
March 14 - 1869 - December 10 - 1951 - Supernatural - Horror stories - Reincarnation - Evolution

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Born in Shooter's Hill (today part of south-east London, but then part of north-west Kent), Algernon Blackwood had a varied career, farming in Canada, operating a hotel, mining in the Alaskan gold fields, and working as a newspaper reporter in New York City before moving to England and starting to write horror stories. He was very successful, writing 10 books of short stories and appearing on both radio and television to tell them. He also wrote fourteen novels and a number of plays, most of which were produced but not published. He was an avid lover of nature, and many of his stories reflect this.

Related Topics:
Shooter's Hill - London - Kent - Canada - Alaskan - New York City

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Blackwood wrote an autobiography of his early years, Episodes Before Thirty (1923).

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There is a biography by Mike Ashley (ISBN 0786709286) and an extensive critical essay on Blackwood's work in S. T. Joshi's The Weird Tale (1990).

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