31 Days of Halloween: Day 8 “Richard Matheson”

~post by Joe T.

On June 23rd of this year, Richard Matheson died. He probably ranks up there with H.P. Lovecraft as being one of the most influential horror writers of the 20th century. On his death, Stephen King wrote:  “He fired my imagination by placing his horrors not in European castles and Lovecraftian universes, but in American scenes I knew and could relate to. ‘I want to do that,’ I thought. ‘I must do that.’ ” George Romero has gone on record multiple times talking about how Matheson’s iconic vampire novel I Am Legend was the inspiration for his groundbreaking zombie movie Night of the Living Dead.

Richard Matheson, like another horror/speculative fiction writer Charles Beaumont, was perhaps most famous for being a writer on Rod Serling’s Twilight Zone where many of his short stories were turned into episodes. He also wrote the novels Hell House, the aforementioned I Am Legend, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and many other books and short stories which have been turned into films.

An author who never stopped working, even up to his death at age 87, there’s a handful of books that can help get you started becoming a lifelong fan of Richard Matheson.

Nightmare At 20,000 Feet
“Matheson is the man! Long considered to be the most influential horror writer of the 20th century, these are among his most memorable stories, including the classic eponymous story from The Twilight Zone!”  (Mark F)

Hell House
“Richard Matheson’s Hell House is so scary even the bad movie adaptation left my knuckles white! Tag along as four investigators explore the mystery behind the Belasco House – a house with the reputation of being the most haunted ever! Sure to rouse your ghoulish tendencies, as this book is the haunted house book everyone else has tried to write and failed! If anything, Matheson just might frighten you into a completely different costume this year!” (Joe)

I Am Legend
“The immensely influential story of the last man after an epidemic, I Am Legend is a must-read for fans of zombies, vampires, drunks, and classical music. A true work of horror!” (Alexander)

Pick up one of these books or any of his hundreds of other ones and find out why millions of genre fans mourned when this master passed on.

We miss you Richard Matheson (1926-2013)!