Paula Guran’s 2012 anthology, Witches: Wicked, Wild & Wonderful, provides a broad survey of stories involving women with magical powers. One of my favorite stories is Tanith Lee’s “Mirage and Magia” where a powerful witch uses her powers to steal the sight and thoughts of young men in her domain.
Neil Gaiman’s “The Witch’s Headstone”–a short story that Gaiman later included as a chapter in his The Graveyard Book–opens new depths to witchery. Madeleine L’Engle–best known for her classic A Wrinkle in Time–delivers a powerful story about a young boy who discovers a witch living in his neighborhood, but only he knows she’s there. “Skin Deep” by Richard Parks explores witchcraft and love.
If you’re looking for an entertaining anthology of stories to get you into the Halloween spirit, give Witches: Wicked, Wild & Wonderful a try! GRADE: B+
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Introduction / Paula Guran — 7
Walpurgis afternoon / Delia Sherman — 11
Nightside / Mercedes Lackey — 34
The cold blacksmith / Elizabeth Bear — 50
Basement magic / Ellen Klages — 59
Mirage and magia / Tanith Lee — 85
Lessons with Miss Gray / Theodora Goss — 101
The world is cruel, my daughter / Cory Skerry — 127
Ill met in Ulthar / T.A. Pratt — 138
The witch’s headstone / Neil Gaiman — 157
Boris Chernevsky’s hands / Jane Yolen — 180
Bloodlines / Silvia Moreno-Garcia — 188
The way wind / Andre Norton — 199
Poor little Saturday / Madeleine L’Engle — 227
The only way to fly / Nancy Holder — 242
Skin deep / Richard Parks — 248
The robbery / Cynthia Ward — 270
Marlboros and magic / Linda Robertson — 276
Magic carpets / Leslie What — 294
The ground whereon she stands / Leah Bobet — 307
Afterward / Don Webb — 320
April in Paris / Ursula K. Le Guin — 328
The goosle / Margo Lanagan — 339
Catskin / Kelly Link — 352
About the Authors & Acknowledgements — 376
“April in Paris” was an oldie from LeGuin’s early career. I don”t recognise some of the other authors, but then, I’m about thirty years out of step with current SF/fantasy.
Fred, WITCHES isn’t exactly current since it was published in 2012. As you pointed out, “April in Paris” first appeared in 1962.
Fun to look for seasonal stories and spooky ones seem the easiest to find.
Patti, Halloween anthologies and collections pour into bookstores at this time of year. I’ve had WITCHES on my shelf for over a decade and decided to read it for WEDNESDAY’S SHORT STORIES this week.
I saw a witch when I was a little kid! That was enough for one lifetime!
Bob, which witch was that?
I don’t know! It walked into the house, looked and my kid sister and me, and walked out again! It scared the tar out of us!
Bob, witches can do that.
Did you know that the last European witch was tried and murdered around 1780 – in Switzerland!
And the mother of famous astronomer Kepler was also accused to be a witch – but her son’s image saved her.
So witches had it not so good …
Wolf, in the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, 19 people were hanged as witches. Not a good time to be accused…