Over The Plum Pudding

A dozen spectral tales from the golden age of American wit, Over The Plum Pudding blends phantom frights with festive cheer and the kind of sparkling humor that defined an era. John Kendrick Bangs, the brilliant satirist who once made readers laugh at the afterlife itself, turns his pen to Christmas ghosts, mischievous spirits, and otherworldly encounters that range from gently creepy to delightfully absurd. These are not your typical Victorian specters - they argue, they gossip, they show up at dinner parties uninvited, and they seem far more interested in a good joke than in terrorizing mortals. The title itself promises warmth and wit: plum pudding, that richest of Christmas traditions, stands for everything cozy and civilized about the holiday. Bangs delivers ghosts who are as likely to critique your table manners as to bewail their own unhappy ends. For readers who loved A Christmas Carol but wished Marley might crack a smile, these stories are a gift from the spirit of Christmas past, present, and jokes yet to come.