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THE BOOKS

 

Eric Stanway has written over 30 books, primarily on the subject of local history. His subject matter tends toward the macabre, the supernatural, the unexplained. He also delves into the history of food, and how certain dishes evolved through the years.

History on a Plate

  • ISBN-10: 1461044448

  • ISBN-13: 978-1461044444

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The history of mankind can be traced through the culinary traditions of various cultures that have interacted with each other over the centuries. "History on a Plate" attempts to trace some of those connections, while recalling such luminaries as Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens, Mr. Beeton and a pantheon of heroes, rascals and characters who have shaped how we think, and what we eat.

 

Another Course

  • ISBN-10: 146812952X

  • ISBN-13: 978-1468129526

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In this sequel to “History on a Plate,” Eric Stanway continues his foray into the history of various dishes and the people and cultures that inspired them. Caesar Cardini, inventor of the Caesar Salad, is profiled, as are the creators of Moxie and the Salisbury Steak. Along the way, we’ll also look at the history of Spam, Licorice, and even delve into the deep-fried Twinkie. This volume is indispensable to anyone with an interest in food -- and, basically, everyone who eats.

 

The Old Rindge House

  • ISBN-10: 146808433X

  • ISBN-13: 978-1468084337

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There is an ancient legend in Rindge, New Hampshire, pertaining to one old house. In the year 1817, a fugitive artist came to this home, starting a series of events that would end in terror and death. “The Old Rindge House” recounts this local legend, as well as examining the history behind it. Lavishly illustrated with paintings, photographs and maps, this volume brings to life a little-known slice of New England history.

 

Madame Sherri

  • ISBN-10: 1475203853

  • ISBN-13: 978-1475203851

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Take a walk through West Chesterfield, New Hampshire, and you will discover, deep in the woods, the crumbling remains of Madame Sherri’s castle. Theatrical, eccentric and flamboyant, Madame scandalized the locals for years, before succumbing to poverty. Here, illustrated with a smorgasbord of illustrations and photographs, is the diva’s full story, told here for the first time.

 

Vintage Blood, Volume 1

  • ISBN-10: 1468129546

  • ISBN-13: 978-1468129540

 

Edgar Allan Poe. Ambrose Bierce. Robert Louis Stevenson. Charles Dickens. Over the centuries, these famous writers have all tried their hand at crafting stories of the macabre. Now, gathered for the first time in one volume, are Eric Stanway's adaptations of famous tales of terror from these masters. Many are culled from the pages of FantaCo's "Gore Shriek" magazine; others, such as the epic retelling of Bram Stoker's "The Judge's House," are published here for the first time. Let the young and squeamish beware, however; this is far from being your standard comic book.

Vintage Blood, Volume 2

  • ISBN-10: 1475183526

  • ISBN-13: 978-1475183528

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Eric Stanway returns for a second helping of classic horror, courtesy of some of the greatest writers in literature. The Brothers Grimm hold forth with "Godfather Death;" Ambrose Bierce spins a tale of "The Boarded Window;" an anonymous author takes us into the pit of terror in "The Monk of Horror;" Edgar Allan Poe regales us with "King Pest" and "Masque of the Red Death;" Jerome K. Jerome warns us of the dangers of technology in "The Dancing Partner;" and Bram Stoker offers a missing chapter in the saga of the undead vampire lord in "Dracula's Guest." These are tales meant to be read on a dark and stormy night, with the lights turned down low, and nary a sound to be heard, save the creaking of your house in the wind.

The Blood Is The Life

  • ISBN-10: 1478204338

  • ISBN-13: 978-1478204336

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Travel with us into the dark world of the undead, as they stalk our nightmares in their never-ending quest for human blood. Here are gathered eleven classic tales of vampiric horror, courtesy of such literary luminaries as F. Marion Crawford, E. F. Benson, Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol, and others. These are tales meant to be savored in the darkest hours of the night, when the dogs are howling, and the wind is rattling at your windows.

 

Mad Ghosts and Englishmen

  • ISBN-10: 1478307986

  • ISBN-13: 978-1478307983

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The British have always savored the dark and macabre, and are renowned for their taste in ghost stories. Gathered here is a selection of the best spine-chillers that the Brits have to offer. Literary luminaries such as M. R. James, Algernon Blackwood, Bram Stoker and W. W. Jacobs pull out all the stops in their quest to chill your bones and turn your blood to ice.

Yuletide Spirits

  • ISBN-10: 1478382856

  • ISBN-13: 978-1478382850

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There is a long-standing British tradition of telling ghost stories at Christmas. Collected within are a baker’s dozen of creepy seasonal offerings from such authors as Charles Dickens, M. R. James, Amelia B. Edwards and many others. So, gather round the fire, roast some chestnuts, mull some punch, and get ready for a delightfully scary Christmas Eve.

 

Mysteries of Monadnock

  • ISBN-10: 1480261882

  • ISBN-13: 978-1480261884

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The small towns and villages that cluster around the base of Mount Monadnock in Southwestern New Hampshire are a treasure trove of legends, including murders, ghosts, and strange phenomena that defy explanation. Contained herein is a collection of true stories of villians and victims, curious and fantastic events that echo from the past and resonate into the present day. Lavishly illustrated with photographs and archival material, “Mysteries of Monadnock” is sure to fascinate anyone with a taste for uncanny stories and the history of New England.

 

Cannibal of the Mountains

  • ISBN-10: 1482500183

  • ISBN-13: 978-1482500189

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The Bay State has more than its share of weird stories, resonating throughout the centuries. Join Eric Stanway on an exploration of some of its strange tales, from the “Boy Fiend” of Chelsea to the mysterious tomb of Asa Snow of Dana, the brutal murder of Captain Joseph White of Salem, and much more. Bizarre and violent beyond description, these are tales you never learned in school.

 

The Victorian
  • ISBN-10: 1492711039
  • ISBN-13: 978-1492711032

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In the city of Gardner, Massachusetts, stands an imposing old house. Built by chair-manufacturing magnate Sylvester K. Pierce in 1875, the home became the scene for a number of heinous tragedies. The mansion stands empty now -- except for the numerous ghosts that still walk its rooms and corridors. Featured on an episode of the SyFy Channel's "Ghost Hunters," the house has attracted the attention of paranormal investigators nationwide. Join Eric Stanway as he takes you inside what could easily be the most haunted house in the Commonwealth.

 

Stone Cold Murder

  • ISBN-10: 1482649217

  • ISBN-13: 978-1482649215

 

From the pages of 19th-century newspapers comes a rogue’s gallery of homicidal maniacs, from Joseph Lapage, who decapitated his young victim in Pembroke, to George Abbott, whose career of violence led him to the hangman’s noose, and Franklin B. Evans, whose murderous exploits only ended when he victimized his own family. Largely forgotten today, these villains commanded the attention of our ancestors in the days before television and radio.

 

Haunted Hillsborough County

 

  • ISBN-10: 162619324X

  • ISBN-13: 978-1626193246

 

Hillsborough County's haunts, mysteries and mystical places are finally revealed from Nashua to Weare. When a house moved from Dunstable, Massachusetts, to Davis Square in Nashua, its resident poltergeist appeared to feel at home in its new town. Elizabeth Ford seems to have gotten over the tragedy of her death, and now her friendly ghost teases the guests of the Country Tavern on Route 101. Discover the history behind the nasty reputation of Haunted Pond in Francestown, from its grisly fire to its strangely high number of premature deaths. The county's specters float from New Ipswich to the shadows of Amherst, and phantoms linger just around the corner of Wilton's Main Street on the banks of the Souhegan River. Author Eric Stanway takes the reader on a ghostly tour of Hillsborough County history.

 

 

Cranks: Geniuses, Weirdos and Eccentrics from All Over New England

  • ISBN-10: 149757028X
    ISBN-13: 978-1497570283

 

New England has more than its share of bizarre personalities, from Lord Timothy Dexter, who made a fortune from the most twisted circumstances, to Walter E. Tillinghast, who claimed to have buzzed all over the region in his own airship. Then there’s the famous “Leather Man,” who spent 30 years traveling in a wide circle, and General Daniel Pratt, whose nonsensical lectures made him a weird celebrity. Join us in an exploration of the most noted oddballs of the northeast, as we recount the exploits of these notorious eccentrics.

 

 

Dark Tales of Gardner

  • ISBN-10: 1508597014

  • ISBN-13: 978-1508597018

 

The city of Gardner, Massachusetts has long been known as a forefront in the furniture manufacturing industry. There is, however, a dark side to this metropolis. Join Eric Stanway as he takes us on a trip through the dark side of the city's history, from the brutal murder of the Kneeland sisters to the bizarre case of John Carlton, accused of trying to dispose of the body of an infant. Along the way, there are train disasters, explosions and drownings -- part and parcel of any old city.

 

Bill The Butcher:
The Life and Death of Willliam Poole
 

  • ISBN-10: 1511600837

  • ISBN-13: 978-1511600835

    when director Martin Scorcese released his acclaimed film Gangs of New York, he introduced a whole generation to the character of the vicious gang leader William Poole, more popularly known as Bill The Butcher. The narrative, while impressive, did jettison historical accuracy in favor of dramatic tension. Here, then, is the full and true story of this notorious villain, set against the rough and tumble background of New York’s Five Points, as set forth in newspaper reports and contemporary accounts.
     

 

Strange Tales of Fitzwilliam
 

  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

Every small town has its hidden stories, and the hamlet of Fitzwilliam, New Hampshire is no exception. There are, for instance, such strange tales as a desperate mother who abandoned her child in the woods; an act of kindness from a traveling musician that changed the life of a family; a man who traveled to Boston, only to be dismembered, floating in the Charles River; a fiddling contest that led to bloodshed, and much, much more. Strange Tales of Fitzwilliam will forever change the way that you think about small town life.

 

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Dickens in Boston​
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

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When Charles Dickens first visited Boston in 1842, he was less than impressed with his American cousins, and the feeling was mutual. Now, 25 years later, he has returned, bringing with him all the charm and joy of the Christmas Season. Join us, now, as we visit the Hub in that chilly yuletide of 1867, when a nation wearied by war embraced all the happiness Christmas can bestow. Come back, smell the roasting potatoes and chestnuts, listen to tinny carols cranked out by an old hurdy-gurdy, bathe in the scent of a thousand evergreen wreaths, and feel the tangible excitement that must have gripped the city in the knowledge that the Great Man had returned. Drawn from contemporary newspapers and accounts, and lavishly illustrated with engravings and period photographs, Dickens in Boston is sure to enthrall anyone who loves Dickens, Boston, history, and the Spirit of Christmas itself.
“Eric Stanway’s Dickens in Boston is a like a time machine. It places you right there, with Dickens, as he dazzles the populace of Boston with his unique genius. If you love Dickens, you’ll love this book.”
Dennis Daniel, award-winning author and critic

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Spectral Whalers ... and Other Nautical Legends of Olde New England
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

Avast Ye Scurvy Dogs! Climb aboard and immerse yourself in the nautical tales of olde New England. You'll find it all here — the skeletal crew that drove a treacherous sea captain to madness; the long and bloody history of Nix's Mate in Boston Harbor; the Mooncusser who has to shovel out a sandbar for eternity; a fire and brimstone preacher who engaged the Devil himself in mortal combat; the bizarre gibbet erected on Boston Common to accommodate three criminals at once; and the sea serpent that keeps coming back to Gloucester, just to terrify the locals. There's blood and salt water in all of these tales. So settle back, pour a glass of rum, and get ready for some of the darkest legends ever to rise from the ocean depths.

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Granite State Legends
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

Contained herein are a half-dozen tales of New Hampshire. Some are true, some half-true, others outright fiction. But all of them, from the Faustian Jonathan Moulton, to the eccentric, frog-eating English Jack, the ever-traveling Peter Rugg, the blood-lusting Doc Benton, the hapless Ruth Blay, and the twice-convicted Joseph Buzzell, exhibit that particular sense of wonder and ancient mystery which pervades the Granite State. Come with us again, and see what oddities can be excavated from this ancient and rocky ground.

Weird Tales of Keene​
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

Visit The Darker Side of Keene... Since its settlement in 1733, many strange events have transpired in the seemingly quiet City of Keene. Join us as we explore a few of the more bizarre anecdotes from its history, including the persecuted Tory who hid in a cave; the man who was found dead by chloroform in the middle of a busy street; a tragedy at a bowling alley that ended in violence and suicide; and a young man who discovered he could tame lions at his whim. All this lies within, along with many more tales that make up the tapestry of this ancient city.

Satan's Kingdom​
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

Travel with us through the back roads of the Bay State, where we’ll discover the darkest secrets of the Commonwealth. Visit a roadside stand, where dinosaur footprints are to be found right under your feet. Explore the tale of the other woman who was murdered with an axe in Fall River, only to be eclipsed by Lizzie Borden. Uncover the tale of the ghost which haunts a supermarket in Wilmington, and the bizarre story behind it. Find out about the sad ending of founding father John Hancock, and the neglect that visited his home. Finally, take a stroll through Satan’s Kingdom, and relive those dark and bloody days that gave the community its name. You’ll soon find that Massachusetts is a much darker place than you ever imagined.

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Keene Through Time​
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

Keene is, first and foremost, a city of reinvention. Since its founding in 1736, it has prospered as an agricultural community, an industrial and transportation center, the home of a major state college, and, most recently, a hub for culture and the arts. Throughout all these changes, it has remained resilient, and many of the older buildings are still there, repurposed to new businesses. This volume traces those changes and shows how the past is still inextricably intertwined with the present.

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The Treasure of Dungeon Rock​
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

When the pirate Thomas Veale was trapped in a cave in Lynn, Massachusetts, back in 1658, along with his treasure, a succession of events ensued that defy explanation. With a strange pantheon of characters, including the famed Hutchinson family, the self-proclaimed messiah Murray Spear, and the dogged work of Hiram Marble, this legend has all the aspects of a great epic. The best thing about it, though, is that it all happens to be true.

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The Adventures of Dr. Korvus​
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

Enter the twisted world of Dr. Korvus..
Join us as we explore the fog-shrouded streets of Victorian London, coming face to face with hideous creatures rising from the bowels of the earth, malevolent giant insects from the depths of space, 17th century vampires arising to take control of the world, and ancient Egyptian gods attempting to settle old debts.
Facing all this is Dr. Korvus, a mysterious and enigmatic genius, and his companion, a mechanically augmented rat named Plato. Together, they fight threats to the human race, both ancient and alien. This volume contains four complete novels of the weird and fantastic. Follow at the risk of your own sanity.

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Dr. Korvus: Children of the Abyss​
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  • ISBN-10: 1503383342

  • ISBN-13: 978-1503383340

     

The setting is London in the 1890s. The capital of Britain is at the height of its powers, holding sway over the largest empire the world has ever seen. But now it is under attack, by creatures rising out of the ground, attacking the populace. Standing in their way is Dr. Korvus, inventor, visionary and, quite possibly, madman. With the aid of Plato, his biomechanical rat, and his two other companions, he is determined to rid the world of a threat which could destroy the entire human race.
This graphic novel collects the four issues of the adaptation published by FantaCo Enterprises

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