CASTLE OF OTRANTO (PENGUIN CLASSICS)

A Penguin Classics edition of a founding work of Gothic fiction which was first published pseudonymously in 1764, purporting to be an ancient Italian text from the time of the crusades. With its compelling blend of sinister portents, tempestuous passions and ghostly visitations, it spawned an entire literary tradition and influenced such writers as Ann Radcliffe and Bram Stoker.