Danel Olson's massive new volume on the Gothic includes contributions by Australian critics Leigh Blackmore, James Doig and Rob Hood

Danel Olson's massive (660 pages) new volume of critical essays on the Gothic novel, 21st Century Gothic: Great Gothic Novels Since 2000, out now from Scarecrow Press, includes essays by various Australian critics including SSWFT's own James Doig and Leigh Blackmore. Rob Hood, another well-known Australian essayist on horror topics also has an essay in the volume.

Doig's essay is "The Perils of Reading: The Gothic Elements of John Harwood's The Ghost Writer". Hood, who has previously contributed fiction to Olson's anthology series ''Exotic Gothic'', contributes "Making Fish Out of Men: Gothic Uncertainty in Gould's Book of Fish by Richard Flanagan". Blackmore's essay is "Marvels and Horrors: Terry Dowling's Clowns at Midnight".

21st Century Gothic contains 53 essays by Gothic specialists ranging from creative writers, professors, critics and Gothic Studies program developers. The works discussed represent the most impressive Gothic novels written around the world 2000 and 2010.

Olson's anthology, which has a perceptive Foreword by horror scholar S.T. Joshi and an equally impressive Introduction by Olson, is an absolute must for university library collections, and for other libraries with an interest in the Gothic as a literary form. Not only does the volume include some of the pioneer critical voices in the Gothic field, but the up to date nature of the essays (studying novels which are so new as to have received little or no previous critical attention) makes the volume essential reading for anyone with an interest in the cutting edge of the field right now.

Handsomely presented in pictorial glossy boards, the book is more attractive than the usual library cloth-bound edition without dustjacket, and is as attractive on the shelf as it is fascinating to read. Olson is to be congratulated for assembling such a stellar cast of contributors. A reading of 21st Century Gothic will broaden the perspective an understanding of any student of Gothic and horror literature.

The book is available from Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0810877287/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=1278548962&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1903111285&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0FQ92128Y55T9GWCHCEG

or direct from Scarecrow Press http://www.scarecrowpress.com/Catalog/SingleBook.shtml?command=Search&db=^DB/CATALOG.db&eqSKUdata=0810877287