The House and The Brain by Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Join Tony as we explore Edward Bulwer-Lytton's classic short story, 'The House & The Brain'. This captivating tale, first published in 1859, follows a narrator as he investigates the strange occurrences in a haunted house. The story is notable for its suspenseful atmosphere, its examination of the power of the human mind, and its timeless themes. This is an engaging listen for those interested in the Gothic horror genre."
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[@blixten2928]

Could NOT be more beautifully read. Your readings are getting BETTER and BETTER which one would not have thought possible.

[@anou8210]

Totally 😊x

[@Tinyflydeposit]

I really enjoyed your 'ramble' Tony. It's easy to think of you as a friend. You are a treasure.

[@Bambisgf77]

Here! Here! I agree ☺️🥳 very well done Tony

[@Thomas-wn7cl]

Great story: Mystery, horror, ghosts, and philosophy. Well read.

[@yolandaaranda653]

Better than a movie! I listened twice! T you are an amazing talent! Plus, very interesting human being.

[@sadiamumtahnarhidi5888]

What an absolutely magnificent performance! Simply astonishing! I listened to that clip you shared a few days ago of the AI clone of your voice. That fake could NEVER. Thank you so much sharing your art with us.

[@ClassicGhost]

:) thanks . One day the machines will replace Us all

[@kathyputnam84]

@@ClassicGhost 😢

[@kaybowkett7931]

Thank you. As always most enjoyable. ☺️👵🏻🇦🇺

[@joehockley2610]

Well done Sir you pulled me all the way in . What a excellent story and performance The story is so different from many ghost stories. The protagonist doesn't run away in fear, But uses logic, and reason to find the Genesis of the haunting

[@thurayya8905]

Lord Lytton was certainly one of the most prestigious of English authors; I enjoyed the way his story insisted that anything of the spiritual needed to have its genesis in the material. He was a man ahead of his time. But, I don't think I would have been able to comprehend a fraction of his ideas if it weren't for your inspired reading. Thank you.

[@thurayya8905]

I admire and respect the protagonist who deliniates between horror and fear.

[@ClassicGhost]

Yes, that's good isn't it?

[@abigailnoland3771]

Wonderful as usual. I like to listen to you as I hike in the woods. Perfect setting for catching a ghost story.

[@smasome]

Oh, Tony, you are a TREASURE. I hardly stopped smiling throughout the entire story because I was so enthralled by your musical reading. Surely you should be rich and famous because I have never heard anything to compare. Let me clarify with a comparison. Everyone knows Benedict Cumberbatch, who is one of my favorite actors, but when I tried to listen to his reading, I soon turned back to your channel. There is just nothing and no one to compare. Yours is a totally unique gift, as far as I am able to see. Thank you thank you thank you, for the many times, day and night, I have listened to your voice, carrying me away from my troubles and pains, to find both entertainment and peace.

[@smasome]

So now I'm at least a SPOOK. ;)

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you so much for these extraordinarily kind words. It would be wonderful if I ever got recognition like this and who knows perhaps it might happen !

[@violetfemme411]

Another winner 👏 Thx Tony 💜

[@nicoleporter6794]

On hello my friend.. Beautifully done ❤️ many thanks for so many relaxing and enjoyable evenings due to your special gift Hope you are well

[@angelaroberts2803]

Interesting.Well read.Thank you .

[@MrMrsmcd]

What a wonderful narrative voice ❤ I have found a new favourite channel. Thankyou

[@ClassicGhost]

Welcome! thanks for being here

[@shaunlanighan813]

One of the best haunted-house stories.

[@phillip5505]

"In all the wonders which the amateurs of our age record as facts." Love that quote

[@roxanavasilakis9435]

Thank you so much dear Tony 🌳🌳🌳

[@ClassicGhost]

You are so welcome

[@sheilakirby5616]

ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING !!! SIR. YOUR VOICE AND TALENT IS ABSOLUTE PROOF OF GOD SHOWING OFF ❣️❣️❣️ THANK YOU FOR SHARING !!!

[@ClassicGhost]

ty ty ty

[@KarensOpinionsMayDiffer]

Why does the dog always have to be murdered? 😭

[@mydearvalerie]

Thanks!

[@ClassicGhost]

Much appreciated Valerie!

[@alisonkeith4216]

Thanks

[@ClassicGhost]

Thank you very much!

[@normaemanuel4975]

Yummy! Thank YOU Tony!

[@Low_Carb_Or_DIEt]

Brilliant 👏 Thank you!

[@martiwilliams4592]

Fantastic, vivid narration--could see all unfolding right before my eyes. also this time around. Love your interesting, informative commentaries and " ramblings". Thanks so much, Tony.

[@garybryant4293]

Absolutely fantastic, the story and the narration, just fantastic.

[@Hazel_Fox22]

Thanks, Mr. Tony, for providing wonderful distraction!

[@waltercook4868]

Great story. Very engrossing.

[@lesleykaygosson315]

Such a unique, different and unusual story. Interesting and intriguing. Except the part about the dog, that bothered me. Once again, you read it beautifully and flawlessly. I absolutely love your ramblings. ❤️

[@Scarter63]

I love this ghost story, but never knew the other title.

[@patriciaflynn3095]

Ive heard and read this a few times never liked it, til now.... you have a gift my man

[@glosteiger2517]

I truly enjoy this author. And your reading of course

[@hollywebster6844]

Excellent.

[@JennyLane8666]

What a lovely surprise to find a new story tonight! I really dug that one. I'm happy as a kid in a sweetshop to have found your channel... All these new authors to devour muahaha PS never stop

[@ClassicGhost]

I try to do a new one each Friday

[@JennyLane8666]

@@ClassicGhost you're an effing legend

[@jasperfen3754]

I only knew this story as Haunter and Haunted. Never heard of "the house and the brain". I still enjoyed listening again .

[@mariameere5807]

My God Tony you are spoiling us! This one is excellent! Well performed as usual! BTW Have you seen the trailer or the movie yet ( on KZbin I l have just rented it ) about the life of Shirley Jackson? Thank you so much for introducing me to her! And all these other awesome writers!✨✨🌟🌟🌟

[@ClassicGhost]

Ah need to catch up with that one

[@Jynxxxycat]

Oh, dear! I have so much to catch up on! Sorry for my absence from your stats, Tony! I've been a gardening fool, for the past month. Clicking this long story, with relish, as I transfer my coriander plants into larger containers. 🥰

[@ClassicGhost]

Welcome back! Gardening is good.

[@MsMak12356]

that is an extremely involved story.

[@donaldmccleary9015]

Wow! I was unsure how I would like this story at first. Then, it just took off and got better and better! Fantastic story and narration! Great job. This story is filled with mystery, horror, and great details! Thanks, and keep up the good work!

[@ClassicGhost]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@donaldmccleary9015]

​@Classic Ghost Stories Podcast - Tony Walker, it is awesome! I really enjoyed it. I was taken aback by the "Billy Badass" attitude of the main character at first. He seemed to be a bit of a braggart, but he was very resourceful and smart. The underlying adage of "what you do may come back to haunt you" really holds true in this one!

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

I feel sorry for the child and poor dog.

[@gillrippingale1173]

Yes! I agree with previous comments - beautifully read and very enjoyable tale! I liked his style! ( although I won't be bowing down in adoration.. 🤣) So sorry to hear your sad news about the puppies though, must have been tough) Nice to be making plans for summer excursions 😊 Maybe you can do some live stuff from various sacred sites along the way...

[@Story-Voracious66]

Victorian weirdos! Yes!!! Despite all your delving through the motivations, history, and minutiae, you have a refreshing way of cutting through the bulls***! Like a burst of citrus on a heavy meal. (I'm a cook, what can I say). I must say that it was worth putting off listening until I could devote my limited attention to this story; I would never have experienced it without your method of presentation, and that would have been a shame. So sorry to hear about the puppies, such a painful event. I hope that this message finds you and yours in clearer skies, like in a Kate Bush song, "Somewhere a door is opening... maybe the Sun will come out." 🌦🌥⛅️🌤🌈

[@evelanpatton]

Wow, does he have any more worthy to share with us poor folk out here in cyber land? This brings to recall several written stories that come post this print… The images that lead others to others & more images inspired… Truly, lovely. Thank you.

[@garybernstein3527]

Your comments after the story apparently spontaneous improvised, fascinated me and I thought they were brilliantly educated and insightful.. They range from Hemingway and Norman Mahler to the Golden Dawn, to the historical literary era and a great deal about the Victorians, The rise the popularity of ectopasm and all kinds of things. Has it happens I myself had read up on many of these the subjects in the In the past it was fascinated by the way you related them to each other and to the story. Your personal literary criticism and insights or focused and intelligent and informative and the least pretentious way unlike the false academic exercises of pretentious criticism, yet you seemed as informed and thoughtful as any critic I have encountered. One thing I did not know much about was a life of the author, which was fascinating to hear you talk about. I had actually read this story perhaps 50 years ago when I encountered it and then an anthology a favorite horror stories edited by Boris Karloff. I had meant to get back to it and we read it because I think it's a fascinating story but hadn't that done so until now. One thing that struck me was that the psych investigator is a kind of romantic during hero, any shoes these noble qualities with his servant. While the author seems to show no sign

[@garybernstein3527]

(continued for my previous post) While the author seems to so nice shine of challenging the class system, He recognizes the same heroic field virtues in the servant as in the master. I enjoyed your coming so much that you should have someone type them up and possibly there might be room for some slight editing or rewriting, and you should publish this as an essay on the story in the author.. I expected the story to be excellent and I had heard you readings before so so I knew it would be good, But this wonderful commentary was a huge surprise to me. Thank you for all of it

[@ClassicGhost]

That is a nice idea though certainly would need sone editing . Thank you for taking the time to comment at such length and so thoughtfully

[@StalinLovsMsmZioglowfagz]

This is one of my somewhat favorites, thanks, Tony. Oh, reminds me I recall your saying people were mad at you for killing the fictional dog in one of your stories, and laughing. If it’s the story I’m thinking of, a nice contrast for those people is the Algernon Blackwood story, with the dog and the cat where the protagonist exorcises a writers witch demon. I think you read that one, too. Cheers, T et al [excellent voice acting in this, enjoyed the tramp and the affected drawl of the hero, and “noctuhrnaal adVENt’cha”, well done, hahaha.]

[@skeleczar]

😬 Yeah, what kind of a weirdo would get worked up over the death of a fictional dog, hey, Tony? 😅

[@StalinLovsMsmZioglowfagz]

@@skeleczar Hahaha, true. It’s a little sad, just cuz it’s so true to life. But a tad absurd. I’m sorry, if you did, I do, half, understand. ;)

[@KristinChoruby]

At this point, I'm resigned to the knowledge that any dog appearing in a horror story is inescapably doomed 😮‍💨. If we learn any one lesson from these tales, it is that if your dog enters a house and starts acting frightened for no discernable reason--or resists entering the house at all--RUN!

[@KristinChoruby]

Also, I like that this story managed to work in the word "eidolon"--it's sad to me that the English language has such a large vocabulary (the largest of any extant language, I believe), and yet we seem to use less and less of that wealth of words as the years pass.

[@ClassicGhost]

It's true. If a dog is featured it's either going to be a plucky hero and saviour, or if it's a horror story, die.

[@violetfemme411]

I was thinking about the comment I wanted to leave, when you mentioned Shade and the 2 babies that didn't make it. So I had a good cry and forgot what I had wanted to say in my comment. I hope mama and the other 8 are doing well. And that Sheila is over her health issues 💜

[@ClassicGhost]

The other 8 are thriving. They are the cutest little things and fat. They bite my nose and ears. But I quite like that

[@violetfemme411]

@@ClassicGhost I like that too. Wish my 2 were still babies...biting my nose. What breed are they?

[@ClassicGhost]

@@violetfemme411 staffies

[@violetfemme411]

@@ClassicGhost awwwww, I LOVE 'em! My favorite breed actually. Enjoy those babies while they still have puppy breath...the best smell ever! 💜

[@krakow95]

He should have opened with: "it was a dark and stormy night..."

[@normaemanuel4975]

No AI there......that was Most Excellent!

[@evelanpatton]

Oh I just loved this one. I’m not sure why, but it seemed to just FLOW so easily (off your tongue) and kind of É X p a n D e d time… Excited about your journey. Health to Shelia. Wealth to you and to your daughter. Happiness in the moments to all the others. ☠️👻💀Thank you! All the ghostly, otherworldly, United Kingdom, world history, literature, creative writing, spiritual & political inclinations of the everyday that you share with us at the end as you discuss the writer’s lives & their work in general & the story is really wonderful! 😊 Cheers❣️

[@rickkennett8505]

Love this story. However this is the shortened version. The longer version goes another 3000 words or so and comes to a very sinister conclusion.

[@SamuelBlack84]

Imagine if haunting occurrences where actually the surrounding building showing you past events through your brain That sounds a lot like the stone tape theory

[@theroseinthelibrary7975]

This is beautifully done (as always) but I was wondering if you could credit the artists and photographers of the thumbnails in the descriptions? As an artist and an art historian I would be greatly appreciative, and so would many others. Thanks for all of your hard work!

[@ClassicGhost]

Well. That’s a thorny subject. The image is Midjourney AI. I know it is trained on historical examples but I don’t know how to search for that or even if it would work. There was something called tin eye ?

[@sparklemotion8377]

I am really enjoying this. The writing reminds me of Jane Austen and your narration of Simon Callow. Kept waiting for 'A body in the libry?!' I know it's library...

[@garybernstein3527]

Someone commented that there's another version perhaps 3000 words longer and with a different ending. I would like to get hold of that and wish I knew where to find it what books or anthologies might contain it. Perhaps the fact that there were two versions published would be responsible for the story having two titles

[@ClassicGhost]

+Gary Bernstein I think that’s probably true. www.gutenberg.org is a good first place to look

[@scottmiller2591]

As an aficionado of Lovecraft, walking the ancient track probably has special meaning for you. Interesting that you mention gnosticism. I've been immersed in it lately, tracing gnosticism in Critical Theory of the Frankfurt School, as well as Hegel and the various mystical lodges - it's all kind of spooky how it ties together. I didn't want to believe that there was such a thread at first, it all sounds very conspiratorial, but digging into various references from original papers, it shows through quite clearly - the CT crowd don't really believe in physical law at all, but rather how the world is plastic and can be bent to their will. This seems to be their justification for rejecting rationality, science, etc., and renaming, infiltrating, and ultimately destroying such subjects. A few of the more recent, philosophical types reject this, of course (there's probably more types of CT than there are adherents to CT), but that seems to be uncommon. Having an engineering frame of mind, I actually found the technology in the story the most interesting part - actually a little frustrated that it wasn't explained more clearly.

[@ClassicGhost]

Have you read Focault’s pendulum about the weird occult links between things and then there’s The Zelator by Mark Hedsell

[@scottmiller2591]

@@ClassicGhost I read Foucault's Pendulum so long ago I've forgotten it - I'll have to reread it, and The Zelator, now.

[@ropeburnsrussell]

I wonder that dogs are so affected by hauntings. I'd have thought that only humans could feel human spiritual forces, yet the Victorians use this trope constantly. I wonder if you have ever considered this, Tony?

[@ClassicGhost]

I haven't but yes, it is very common. I will ponder this one and no doubt at some point will ramble on about it

[@ropeburnsrussell]

@@ClassicGhost great, I value your opinion on ghostly/horror fiction and I've wondered about this for years. The comments reveal a lot if interest in the fate of animals in these stories. I will add that your engagement with your audience is a mighty strength of your channel. Thankyou for all your work and your willingness to share yourself with us.

[@evelanpatton]

Anyone recall the name of the story where a visitor of a haunted house is invited down by the butler (refused 3 times) to come down for dinner & finds the 18th c. coven at the table? Or, the runaway alley Walker who walks into the scientific advancement of science that feeds on souls…only to find he is alone in the room…(?)

[@spotthespy]

This one of the truly great horror stories, nothing quite like it, and definitely a few decades ahead of its time. However, this is the slightly shorter version which was more widely published, the original has a stranger ending that reveals all of the oddness was caused by a Count of St. Germain-type figure who reveals some occult secrets to our protagonist. He also wrote "Vril, the Power of the Coming Race" which had a large effect on the Nazis and numerous other occult groups.

[@amandine512]

With the advent of AI video you could perhaps have Darkworlds made into a film. I’ve seen some impressive videos made by AI.

[@ClassicGhost]

+@amandine512 that may become possible

[@StalinLovsMsmZioglowfagz]

I do gotta say it is true, that were MY dog, it’d be my first bloody priority. Not some ghosts, real or no. [Edit]: Bk in the day, my pug tried to bite an MS-13 gangbanger’s face tats off who had AGGRESSIVELY wanted to hitch, leaping out of my 01 Volvo st.wagon’s window- and I was WAY more concerned for HIM than me. Course I said F off. God, I miss that dog.

[@ClassicGhost]

Yes, although he said he loved his dog he didn’t show it. He was more interested in demonstrating his own courage. I thought the dog would bring some dislike to this video. It has had more than its fair share of dislikes, but you can’t see them anymore, even though I can

[@StalinLovsMsmZioglowfagz]

@@ClassicGhost Actually, there’s a Firefox add-on. They used to have some direct access to data, IDK how they do it now, but there’s also a restore the dislike button extension. It would be interesting to know for yourself, perhaps, how accurate these two are, I won’t ask you. And of course, anyone hating on your stuff is some sort of a fool or another, congrats on ignoring it.

[@tuomasronnberg5244]

Expertly read, of course, but the story itself was so tedious that it failed to hold my attention for long. A note to aspiring writers: build some *tension* in your mystery story, and not just narrate a series of supernatural occurrences as if you're writing a shopping list!

[@renzo6490]

Read well , sure. But the story is written in such an antiquated style that I failed to follow it. A barrage of purple verbiage.