January Reads and Recommendations: Never Whistle at Night

 

My sweet daughter gave me a copy of this wonderful anthology this year for Christmas, and it's truly a fantastic collection of compelling storytelling. Editors Shane Hawk and Theodore C. Van Alst, Jr. have compiled an amazing batch of dark tales that share a kinship in their rich characterization, vivid settings, and haunting incorporation of folklore and myth.

I grew up hearing stories that tread some of these same paths as an adolescent in Eastern Oregon, where the indigenous people of the Umatilla Indian Reservation have a long history and enduring tradition. Reconnecting with elements of some of these tales has been both frightening (there are many grim, grim stories in this book) and invigorating, and the writing has been both engaging and engrossing. These stories leave a bruise, and I mean that in the best possible sense.

If you're drawn to literature that combines folklore, history, and compelling narrative, this is a book that should find a home on your shelf. I'll be looking further into the work of some of these authors in the coming months as I add to my TBR pile for 2025...