"America is the world's biggest haunted house and American Scary is the only travel guide you need. I loved this book." —Grady Hendrix, New York Times  bestselling author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group From the acclaimed author of American Comics comes a sweeping and entertaining narrative that details the rise and enduring grip of horror in American literature, and, ultimately, culture—from the taut, terrifying stories of Edgar Allan Poe to the grisly, lingering films of Jordan Peele   America is held captive by horror stories. They flicker on the screen of a darkened movie theater and are shared around the campfire. They blare out in tabloid true-crime headlines, and in the worried voices of local news anchors. They are consumed, virally, on the phones in our pockets. Like the victims in any slasher movie worth its salt, we can’t escape the thrall of scary stories.   In American Scary , noted cultural historian and Columbia professor Jeremy Dauber takes the reader to the startling origins of horror in the United States. Dauber draws a captivating through line that ties historical influences ranging from the Salem witch trials and enslaved-person narratives directly to the body of work we more closely associate with horror today: the weird tales of H. P. Lovecraft, the lingering fiction of Shirley Jackson, the disquieting films of Alfred Hitchcock, the up-all-night stories of Stephen King, and the gripping critiques of Jordan Peele.   With the dexterous weave of insight and style that have made him one of America’s leading historians of popular culture, Dauber makes the haunting case that horror reveals the true depths of the American mind. Named a Best Book of 2024 by the Boston Globe  and the  Washington Independent Review of Books Goodreads Choice Awards Finalist Finalist for the Stoker Prize Amazon Editor's Pick, Best History Books of October Named a Most Anticipated/Recommended Book of the Season by the Washington Post ,  Chicago Review of Books and  Goodreads. “Casually magisterial, endlessly erudite… This is a book that could launch a thousand reading lists... [Dauber] is the best kind of cultural historian, one who does an epic amount of research to make the big picture accessible... I'm not sure whether anyone has approached the task with Dauber's combination of thoroughness, lucidity and wit... expansive and revelatory.”― Los Angeles Times "Brisk, stylish… There’s a surfeit of treats in Mr. Dauber’s bucket, plus a few tricks tucked up his sleeve… It’s a testament to his talent… Dauber has drawn generously from his research and teaching, in all the best ways… Accomplished [and] darkly alluring."― Hamilton Cain , Wall Street Journal "A satisfying, sweeping overview of the United States’ homegrown horrors (real and imagined)... offers myriad ways to understand the cultural, political, historical and psychological issues tackled by popular narratives that aim to thrill and chill... Remarkable."― Washington Post “A comprehensive and continuously compelling exploration of our national obsession with horror and the legacy of the genre. Columbia professor Jeremy Dauber takes readers on a haunted history lesson for the ages... American Scary is sure to deepen your love for the horror genre or give you the push you need to begin to indulge in the terrifying delights.”― Chicago Review of Books, “12 Must-Read Books of October 2024” "America is the world's biggest haunted house and American Scary is the only travel guide you need. I loved this book.”― Grady Hendrix, author of How to Sell a Haunted House and The Final Girl Support Group " American Scary —a rigorous history of American horrors, real and fictional—is clear-eyed, unflinching, comprehensive in scope and detail, and entertaining as hell. A remarkable achievement."― Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts and The Cabin at the End of the World “Vividly written and encyclopedic in scope, American Scary traces the history of horror through sources both classic and surprising, from Washington Irving and Jordan Peele to Emily Dickinson and the literature of the Holocaust. Jeremy Dauber uses his engaging style and deep knowledge of the genre to illuminate the question that lies beneath the gore: the way the things we fear reflect who we are, as individuals and as a nation.”― Ruth Franklin, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author of Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life “ American Scary reveals an essential part of the American soul. Dauber masterfully integrates history, myth, religious beliefs and the inner lives of the American people from different times, under various circumstances. A must read for students of American literature, history, and culture and a fascinating book for all who love the scary.”― Bora Chung, author of National Book Award Finalist Cursed Bunny and Your Utopia “Scary-smart, scary-deep. Dauber understands and captures that