The United States of the Undead - Short Stories of Zombies in the Americas (Fantasy and Horror Classics) - Paperback

In the Caribbean heat and the American deep South, the dead are restless...and working.

This specialised volume explores the origins and chilling variations of the Zombie mythos, focusing on the cultural roots and terrifying evolution of the Undead in the Americas, from Caribbean folklore to American pulp fiction. It captures the initial fear surrounding the idea of the animated, enslaved corpse.

Prepare to encounter the original, complex terror of the zombi:

The Ethnographic and the Exploitative:

• The Wedding Guests and Dead Men in the Working Fields by W. B. Seabrook: Seabrook was the American explorer and journalist who, after visiting Haiti, introduced the concept of the "zombie" to Western popular culture. These pieces, whether fiction or sensationalised reportage, focus on the grim, folk-magic tradition of the zombie as a mindless, enslaved laborer, highlighting the horror of lost soul and will.

• Salt is not for Slaves by G. W. Hutter: This story looks into the specific folklore and magical defenses against zombification, emphasizing the vital role of salt in maintaining the boundary between life and the living dead.

Tropical and Island Terrors:

• Jumbee by Henry S. Whitehead: A classic of "weird tales" set in the Caribbean, where the supernatural forces are tied to native folklore. The term "Jumbee" refers to a malignant spirit or demon, often distinct from but related to the zombie, illustrating the regional diversity of Caribbean horror.

• The Country of the Comers-Back by Lafcadio Hearn: Written by the Irish-Greek author who immersed himself in folklore, this tale explores the spectral or half-living beings that return from the grave, drawing from the supernatural beliefs of the French Caribbean.

Indigenous and Regional Monsters:

• The Flying Head by A. Hyatt Verrill: This story steps away from the traditional zombie to explore a grotesque, legendary monster from Iroquois folklore. This inclusion broadens the scope of the volume to the uniquely terrifying entities born from North American Indigenous myths.

This collection is an essential study of the early, dark, and often unsettlingly real-world origins of the Undead, showing the zombie before it became the shuffling, apocalyptic figure of modern cinema.