Among the Primeval Shadows

Join us this Halloween for a ghostly talk and tour of The Mount with author Robert Oakes!

After reading her first ghost story, Edith Wharton was plunged into “a world haunted by formless horrors,” and felt that a “dark undefinable menace forever dogging [her] steps, lurking and threatening.” Some mysterious magic contained in this particular kind of tale, when mingled with Wharton’s own “intense Celtic sense of the supernatural,” seemed to produce such a fearful effect on the young author that, for years after reading her first ghostly tale, she “could not sleep in the room with a book containing a ghost story” and “had to burn books of this kind, because it frightened [her] to know that they were downstairs in the library!”

And yet, amazingly, Wharton went on to write ghost stories of her own. Indeed, she became a master of the form, taking her place among the great ghost story writers who inspired her, like Sheridan Le Fanu, Marion Crawford, and Fitz-James O’Brien. As Wharton wrote her ghostly tales, she thought about what made these stories work, how it was that they could affect us so deeply as to send “a cold shiver down one’s spine…”

Though we know it’s just a story, right?

Join Robert Oakes, author of Ghosts of the Berkshires and long-time ghost tour guide at The Mount, as he explores Wharton’s ideas on ghosts and ghost stories and shares excerpts from her tales that reveal some of their mysterious magic. Following the talk in The Mount’s Drawing Room, we’ll bring the tales to life as we explore the Main House by flashlight and hear reports of hauntings at the estate. Wharton invited her readers to meet her “halfway among the primeval shadows.” In this program, we’ll look into the darkness and see what we may see!



Robert Oakes writes books about ghosts, leads tours in haunted places, and sings soulful original songs. He has written three books, The Ghostly Tales of the Berkshires (2023), Ghosts of Northwestern New Jersey (2022), and Ghosts of the Berkshires (2020), all published by Arcadia Publishing. He has also released numerous recordings, both as a solo artist and as part of the folk duo Oakes and Smith. Since 2010, Robert has led immersive ghost storytelling experiences at historic locations in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts, including Ventfort Hall, Edith Wharton’s The Mount, and Herman Melville’s Arrowhead. He has also given talks and readings for both children and adults at many libraries, schools, and cultural centers. Robert has appeared on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters, Jeff Belanger’s New England Legends series on PBS, and The Apple Seed show on BYUradio and has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Berkshire Eagle, and numerous other media outlets. Robert earned his master’s degree from the Middlebury Bread Loaf School of English and has taught elementary, middle, and high school English, as well as adult writing workshops.

“You’ll never look at the region the same way after chatting with Robert Oakes.”

— Diane Bair, The Boston Globe

“Robert Oakes is an incredible speaker and tells … stories so elegantly you feel like you’ve stepped back in time!”

—Drew Babineau, paranormal investigator

 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW:

Book Here!

Saturday, October 18, 7:30 – 9:30 pm

$40

 

This two-hour program consists of a seated presentation in The Mount’s Drawing Room, followed by a fully-accessible ghost tour of the Main House. Seating is first come, first served. If you have seating preferences, we recommend arriving fifteen minutes early.

Please park in the lower parking lot near the Main House. Accessible parking is available in spaces directly adjacent to the Main House.

Questions? Email: ticketbooth@edithwharton.org

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What accessibility accommodations does The Mount offer? The Mount is a Massachusetts Cultural Council UP designated organization welcoming participants of all disabilities. Please contact us by phone: 413-551-5100 or by email: info@edithwharton.org to discuss accommodations needed to participate fully in this event. Golf carts will be available to shuttle those with mobility concerns between the parking lot and event venue. View The Mount’s Health and Safety Guidelines.