The Monkeys Paw

What would you wish for if you could have anything? William Wymark Jacobs raises this age-old question when the White family stumble upon a monkey’s paw with the power to grant wishes. When their wish for riches goes awry, they are forced to face the truth - that all actions have consequences, magically granted or not. Over time, Jacobs’ novel has become a classic horror story, boasting an impressive amount of adaptions. Including an episode of ‘The X-Files’, ‘The Simpsons’, and ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. William Wymark Jacobs (1863-1943) was an English author. Despite being famed for his quick-witted comedies, his most successful novel came from his experiments within the horror genre. His most notable works include ‘The Monkey’s Paw’, ‘The Toll House’, and ‘Jerry Bundler’. Jacob’s unique ability to couple the everyday with the unthinkable makes his works unmissable for fans of Stephen King, and all classic horror.

Eighteen humorous tales of the macabre and supernatural from W.W. Jacobs, including his classic, “The Monkey’s Paw.” Considered one of the foremost humorists in England at the turn of the century, W.W. Jacobs (1863–1943) is best known for his masterpiece of horror, “The Monkey’s Paw.” He was the author of thirteen volumes of short stories—all of which were commercially successful—and eighteen of these are included together for the first time in this gripping collection of macabre fiction. This book features Gothic narratives, stories of the macabre and supernatural tales. But they are also infused with shrewd and sardonic humor, for which Jacobs was justifiably famous. They demonstrate vividly his masterful instinct for weaving terror and suspense into scenes of ordinary life. His boyhood memories of South Devon Wharf lend authenticity to the many stories with nautical backgrounds or that feature seamen as protagonists. Because of its immense popularity, “The Monkey’s Paw” has tended to overshadow a good deal of Jacobs’ other work, and it is undoubtedly the most readily recognized and by far the most anthologized story in the collection. But readers will be delighted to know that Jacobs’ craftmanship is abundantly apparent in many of his other tales, as they will discover in this volume. Horror and mystery aficionados will be intrigued and delighted by his range of skillful and witty prose; and they will at last come to appreciate a writer whose other work has been for so long “lost” to the general public. “Eighteen of [Jacobs’] admirably rich stories are gathered in this collection, which shows off to advantage his absolute mastery of the form. Obvious in his stories is a vein of humor, regardless of whether they are conventional mysteries or tales of the macabre or the supernatural. . . . These stories will be at home in the hands of any admirer of the form.” —Booklist

What is the price of greed? What is the cost of desire? The White family have come to possess a relic of supernatural power, a monkey's paw that grants three wishes....but at what price? How far must they journey down the path of terror to undo what they have done? Based on the short horror tale by W.W Jacobs, "The Monkey's Paw" is a story that will have you sitting on the very edge of your seat. This resource includes: -The full short screen play for "The Monkey's Paw," the gothic horror masterpiece that can be performed and filmed in the classroom. -The comic or graphic novel of "The Monkey's Paw." A great way to visually engage with the story. -The full short stage play for "The Monkey's Paw," which can be performed in the classroom and on the stage. -Teacher's notes and lesson ideas.

This edition contains the classical horror story 'The Monkey's Paw' as well as the following other gothic tales by William Wymark Jacobs : Jerry Bundler, The Toll-House, The Well, A Black Affair, The Three Sisters, Keeping Up Appearances

This early work by William Wymark Jacobs was originally published in 1902 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. Jacobs worked as a clerk in the civil service before turning to writing in his late twenties, publishing his first short story in 1895. Most of Jacobs' work appeared before the onset of World War I, and although the majority of his output was humorous in tone, he is best-remembered now for his macabre tales, particularly those contained in his 1902 collection The Lady of the Barge, such as 'The Monkey's Paw' and 'The Toll House'.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The Monkey's Paw and Other Tales of Mystery and the Macabre, Compiled by Gary Hoppenstand, brings together a unique collection of W.W. Jacobs's horror stories never before collected. There are eighteen stories altogether in this collection of the macabre and supernatural. Jacobs's own boyhood memories of South Devon Wharf lend an authenticity to the many stories with nautical backgrounds or that feature seamen as protagonists.