Episode 56 – A Relation of the Apparition of Mrs Veal by Daniel Defoe

Happy Halloween listeners! In this bumper-bonus episode we talk about our first non-M.R. James ghost story, ‘A Relation of the Apparition of Mrs Veal‘, a fascinating early ghost story attributed to Daniel Defoe.

We also interview Leah Moore and John Reppion about their recently-published graphic novel of ‘Ghost stories of an Antiquary‘.

Finally, we are delighted to announce the publication of our new ebook, ‘Stories that inspired M.R. James‘, which features the next twelve stories we will be covering on the podcast and which is available to purchase right now!

Phew, what an episode!

Show notes:

• ‘The Relation of the Apparition of Mrs Veal’ (Wikipedia)
• Daniel Defoe (Wikipedia)
• Literacy rates in the 17th Century (UMassD)
• Charles Drelincourt (Wikipedia)
• ‘Essay on the History and Reality of Apparitions’ by Daniel Defoe (Archive.org)
• List of other works on the supernatural by Daniel Defoe (indiana.edu)
• ‘Defoe’s Spirits, Apparitions and the Occult’ by Maximillian Novak (illinoisstate.edu)
• ‘Visions of an Unseen World: Ghost Beliefs and Ghost Stories in Eighteenth Century’ By Sasha Handley (books.google.co.uk)