How is it that the age of Enlightenment gave rise to the genre of the literary ghost story? What did the term 'Gothic' mean, when Horace Walpole used it in the subtitle of his experimental novel The Castle of Otranto? How did a type of writing which broke. Based on intensive research, it demonstrates the importance of a historical understanding of the genre, and will be influential in the development of Gothic studies. It is prestigious and timely: Gothic is a highly active research area and has a growing presence in the university syllabus. Clery and Miles are well-respected and much cited critics who have alredy published widely in this field. This is a unique anthology filling an important gap in the market; an indispensible resource for students, teachers and scholars.