The Canterville Ghost

Written by Oscar Wilde

Narrated by Rupert Degas

A terrifying ghost is haunting the ancient mansion of Canterville Chase, complete with creaking floorboards, clanking chains and gruesome disguises – but the new occupants seem strangely undisturbed by his presence. Deftly contrasting the conventional gothic ghost story with the pragmatism of the modern world, Wilde creates a gently comic fable of the conflict between old and new. Rupert Degas’s hilarious reading brings the absurdity and theatricality of the story to life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Naxos Audiobooks
• Release date: Oct 1, 2009
• ISBN: 9789629548735

Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was a Dublin-born poet and playwright who studied at the Portora Royal School, before attending Trinity College and Magdalen College, Oxford. The son of two writers, Wilde grew up in an intellectual environment. As a young man, his poetry appeared in various periodicals including Dublin University Magazine. In 1881, he published his first book Poems, an expansive collection of his earlier works. His only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, was released in 1890 followed by the acclaimed plays Lady Windermere’s Fan (1893) and The Importance of Being Earnest (1895).

Reviews for The Canterville Ghost

[ririko_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One day Mr.Otis buy a house of Canterville.Lord Canterville says "This house has a ghost."But Mr.Otis doesn't believe the ghost,so he buys this house with the ghost.You may think this story is horror,but it is not.The Otis Family live together with the ghost,Sir Simon.Sir Simon trys to scare this family,but every plan is failing.These situation are very funny.And surprisingly,I was impressed with the end of this story.

[y8kazamaturi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Otis family move ina house.But there is a ghost in the house.The ghost try to surprise Otis family,but they are not afraid and counterattack to the ghost.While 300 years years,the ghost surprised and killed many people.But I think this ghost is admirable because try to surprise in desperetely.So I have attachment to the ghost in the end of story.

[aruasifu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Canterville Chase is very big and old house.Hiram B Otis the American businesman buy this house.But the ghost live in this house.I was very fun. A modern American is not afraid for ghost.The 19th century people belive science is better than old supersition. But the ghost were saved by the love.It was great.

[umech_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One day the Otis family moved to Britain and began to live in the house called Cantervill Chase.It had a ghost, but they surprised the ghost rather than were afraid of it.So the ghost tried to frighten them harder.Then he met the daughter of the family, he began to change...This story was very moving, so please read it!

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've read some of Wilde's other work, and in general I like it more than this; the first story, 'The Canterville Ghost', is kind of funny, making a comedy out of a ghost story, and some of it is genuinely funny. The second and third stories in this little collection, though, were more disappointing: 'Lord Arthur Savile's Crime' seems a pretty standard exercise in a story of self-fulfilling prophecy, and 'The Sphinx Without A Secret' was just kind of bloodless.

Still, Wilde's writing is always good, which kept the mediocre level of plotting from being just boring. 'The Canterville Ghost' is the best of the three, I think.

[panipopo37 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mr.hiram B.Otis buy grand old house.To be surprised,there has been a ghost in the house for three hundred years.But Mr.Otis,American, don?t believe in ghosts.The ghost try to frightening the life of Otis family.But they don?t frighten easily and the poor ghost feel so sad.....At first, I don?t think I want to read this book because I?m weak in horrors.But I introduced about this story in my English class,and I decided to read it.in deed, this story is very interesting for me, especially happenings between the Otis family and the ghost.I recommend that you should read it.

[gata_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Canterville ghost is very cute because he is tricked by little twins. And he has a weakness for beautiful women.

[milky2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This story is the story about ghost house.Mr Otis buys the house where a ghost appears.The ghost hate Otis's family.The ghost thinks about a strategy, but continues failing.I thought that this book was the story that a family was frightened by a ghost.This story was interesting in unexpected development.

[0706_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a rich America family story. I know this book because of I read in the class.this book is easy to read and develop is fast. So I enjoyed.First, I thought this is horror. But it was not horror. I think this is comedy

[momo3104 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There has been a ghost in the house for a long time.The Cantervile's family have met him.In this story,a ghost is appeared.But,it is not scared.Very funny and heart-warming.

[peyopeyo · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This book's cover illustration is horrible,but the story isn't horror. I think the genre is comedy and LOVE! Otis family bought a house with ghost! The ghost wanted to frighten family members. But they had strong minds,and they frightened the ghost. Poor ghost! However,there was a family member who had pity on him. Who? And what does he do next...?

[umeboshi2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One day Mr.Otis(American) bought a house in Britain,and moved to there with his family.But this house has a ghost.And this ghost wanted to scare his family?The cover of this book looks horror.So at first, I had misunderstanding about this book. This is a funny,and a heart-warming story.I recommend it.

[gacyayoshi · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One day, An family bought a house.But,the house lived Gohst!!But,They weren't scaryied of ghost at all.The ghost did not like them.So, he try to frighten them, but always the plan was failure.What do you think the ghost to be ?When I see this book at first,I think this book was very scasely.But,this book is very funny.First, the ghost is very funny.Second,this book is not horror.This bbok is very interesuting.I think 'To see is to believe'

[Lucia Garcia · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Cute and funny. I almost felt bad for the ghost... Almost.

[3141592_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story is about a family and a ghost. Mr Hiram B. Otis bought an old house. In the house, there is a ghost. The ghost tries to frighten the family but...This story is very inretesting for me. The genre of the story is fantasy and forror. But the story is like a comedy story. The actions of the ghost are very funny. I recommend you the book.

[utada_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is funny story about a ghost and strong American. To kill other people is very bad behave, but this ghost suffered for the cause of his death for three hundred years! He died of hunger. I felt pitty about him.Finally he could go to Heaven because of a little prety girl from America.

[E. O'Shea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tongue-in-cheek satire that sees both sides, there is beauty and truth in this little fable, too.

[Sudeshna Banerjee · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really Good Narration And The Background Music Really Added A Charm To This Audiobook. Loved Listening To It.

[kaera_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Mr Hiram B. Otis bought a house which has a ghost.The ghost tried to frighten Otis family.But Otis family weren't afraid of the ghost.At first I thought this book was horror.But now I think this is comedy.The story is humorous and impressive.I like this book.

[yukin_28 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Not only the ghosts but the Otis family are so charming.The ghosts try hard to frighten the family though, things always get worse. It was very fun.

[pear_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mr.Otis bought aold house in England.There are ghost in the house.Mr.Otis and his family enjoy their life.I like this story.I was very fun.But I don't want to meet ghost.

[shabuko · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In this story,there is a ghost.But this is funny story.a rich American family buy a old house.Ghost wants to surprise the family,but his strategies do not go well.This story is so interesting because this story is included not only horror element but also other various elements.

[suie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book is not horror.A family move to a house where ghost live.Ghost frightened the family. But, to the contrary, ghost is frightened by family.It's a poor ghost story.

[ynm_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Hiram B. Otis, American businessman, bought the house in which people said ghosts appeared. In fact, real ghosts appeared in the house. However the family were not afraid of them. This book is interesting for me. I am afraid of ghosts, but I have been not afraid of them since I read this book. If you are afraid of them, you should read this book.

[Mariam Shah-Rais · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a charming and quite funny short story. It is very well-narrated.

[grapevine_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I knew this book in my English class. I was interested in it,so I read it.This is a story about an American family and a ghost. The American family are not worried about the ghost. The ghost is not happy,because his job is to frighten people.This book is a horror,but I enjoyed it. I like this book very much.

[yuhoa_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mr. Sir Simon is a ghost.He lived in Canterville's house for many many years.One day, modern American family bought this house.They weren't scaryied of ghost at all.So he try to frighten them, but always the plan was failure.Virginia, the daughter of the family, decided to help the despondent ghost.What do you think the ghost to be at last ?I have read this book's introduction in class.I was interested in the story, so search this book.It's about ghost, but isn't horror.The ghost is funny, and it's hard to hate him.I want to meet such ghost.

[numahiko · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This story is a story from?which the ghost occurs. Mr.Otis family do not fear the ghosts though they started fearing Mr.Otis family.They were very pleasant ghosts.I think that this story was so-so interesting.

[parissea · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the story about The Canterville Ghost who was terrible before meet with Otis family. The ghost want Otis to be afraid of him, but he can't succeed it. And he is tricked by them.I think you will feel this story fearful when you see book's cover. But this is very funny and heart-warming story. I like the pitiful ghost very much.

[mniaknuacat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In one house,there was a ghost who has lived for three hundred years.One day,american family who don't fear ghost bought this house from house's owner and start living.What will become of relation between ghost and family?At first,I thought that this is very dreadful story.But there is funny scene.And around the last scene moved me.This book is easy to read and I was satisfied with this book's content.