M. R. James

Montague Rhodes James (1862–1936) was an English writer and medievalist. He taught at Cambridge and served first as Provost of King’s College, Cambridge, and later of Eton College. He is best known for his ghost stories, which are regarded as influential examples of the antiquarian ghost story. In place of the elaborate horrors of Gothic fiction, James used more subtle supernatural elements and contemporary settings, often drawing on his interests in the Middle Ages. He originally wrote many of these stories as entertainment for Christmas gatherings and read them aloud to a select circle of friends.