NPR Series: Halloween Tricks And Audio Treats http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4974459&ft=1&f=4974459 After a difficult autumn, it's time for some Halloween fun. Though it's hard to forget the news (even when you're carving pumpkins) take a minute to step back, relax, and enjoy this ancient Pagan holiday. This year, we bring you stories about clever costumes, spooky songs and grown-up Halloween desserts. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:10:00 -0400 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Halloween Tricks And Audio Treats http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4974459&ft=1&f=4974459 Ghosts In The Machine: A Haunted Mix A holiday designed to alleviate our fears through mockery, Halloween tends to inspire songs that, to put it lightly, aren't terribly subtle. Which brings us to Ghosts in the Machine, in which NPR Music staffers and station partners observe the holiday by assembling a chilling collection of songs about ghosts, hauntings and otherwise disembodied and discombobulated spirits. These ghosts are sure to alternately soothe and rattle your nerves as the big day approaches. Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:10:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114079107&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114079107&ft=1&f=4974459 A holiday designed to alleviate our fears through mockery, Halloween tends to inspire songs that, to put it lightly, aren't terribly subtle. Which brings us to Ghosts in the Machine, in which NPR Music staffers and station partners observe the holiday by assembling a chilling collection of songs about ghosts, hauntings and otherwise disembodied and discombobulated spirits. These ghosts are sure to alternately soothe and rattle your nerves as the big day approaches.

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]]> In Serial Killer's Former Home, A Search For Ghosts Musician Chris Butler was looking for a house where he could make loud music without disturbing his neighbors. He found the perfect house and for a deal, but it came with certain "conditions." The house was the childhood home of Jeffrey Dahmer and the scene of Dahmer's first killing. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:25:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114303723&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114303723&ft=1&f=4974459 Musician Chris Butler was looking for a house where he could make loud music without disturbing his neighbors. He found the perfect house and for a deal, but it came with certain "conditions." The house was the childhood home of Jeffrey Dahmer and the scene of Dahmer's first killing.

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]]> Quoth The Raven: 'Baltimore' The Halloween season has an extra chill factor in Baltimore, the adopted city of writer Edgar Allan Poe. This year, an exhibit at the city's art museum features work inspired by some of the author's scariest stories. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:20:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114296657&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114296657&ft=1&f=4974459 The Halloween season has an extra chill factor in Baltimore, the adopted city of writer Edgar Allan Poe. This year, an exhibit at the city's art museum features work inspired by some of the author's scariest stories.

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]]> Halloween Theme Parks Bring Spooks ... And Jobs The economy might be scarier than the Halloween theme parks cropping up this time of year, but people will pay good money for a fright that doesn't involve their 401(k). Haunted house theme parks are expected to rake in more than half a billion dollars this season. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114005564&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114005564&ft=1&f=4974459 The economy might be scarier than the Halloween theme parks cropping up this time of year, but people will pay good money for a fright that doesn't involve their 401(k). Haunted house theme parks are expected to rake in more than half a billion dollars this season.

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]]> Devilishly Good Books Terrify ... And Delight How long has it been since you felt the needle jab of panic or were startled to glimpse a pale face in the window? Nothing makes you feel more alive — or cherish the relative safety and normalcy of life — than dangling your foot over the edge of a cliff and then withdrawing it. These books will do just that. Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:33:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95989825&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95989825&ft=1&f=4974459 How long has it been since you felt the needle jab of panic or were startled to glimpse a pale face in the window? Nothing makes you feel more alive — or cherish the relative safety and normalcy of life — than dangling your foot over the edge of a cliff and then withdrawing it. These books will do just that.

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]]> 300 Years of American Terror, Insanity And Awe The impulse to scare ourselves has been around for centuries, as <em>American Fantastic Tales,</em> the new two-volume horror anthology from The Library of America, proves. Editor Peter Straub has done a superb job with both his story selections and hyperliterate introductions. Thu, 29 Oct 2009 14:47:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114249339&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114249339&ft=1&f=4974459 The impulse to scare ourselves has been around for centuries, as American Fantastic Tales, the new two-volume horror anthology from The Library of America, proves. Editor Peter Straub has done a superb job with both his story selections and hyperliterate introductions.

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]]> Miami's Deering Estate: A Real Haunted House? A team of people who investigated a 1920s mansion in Miami says they found evidence that it's haunted. The estate expected about 75 visitors to come hear the first presentation of that evidence. Almost 400 people showed up. The big turnout is in line with a national uptick in ghost-hunting TV shows. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:58:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114247717&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114247717&ft=1&f=4974459 A team of people who investigated a 1920s mansion in Miami says they found evidence that it's haunted. The estate expected about 75 visitors to come hear the first presentation of that evidence. Almost 400 people showed up. The big turnout is in line with a national uptick in ghost-hunting TV shows.

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]]> Submissions To The 'Wait, Wait' Pumpkin Carving Contest We asked, and you carved! Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114240165&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114240165&ft=1&f=4974459 We asked, and you carved!

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]]> A Southern Reflection On Halloweens Past Halloween isn't all candy and goblins, cauldrons and spiderwebs; for commentator Teresa Nicholas, Halloween in the Deep South is a time for wistful remembrance of Halloweens long gone. Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:24:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114203866&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114203866&ft=1&f=4974459 Halloween isn't all candy and goblins, cauldrons and spiderwebs; for commentator Teresa Nicholas, Halloween in the Deep South is a time for wistful remembrance of Halloweens long gone.

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]]> Rule Of The Undead: Zombies Invade Bookstores As Halloween approaches, new generations of literary zombies are rising from the dead and shambling towards the bookshelves &mdash; ready to entertain (and frighten) readers of all ages. Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:05:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113862140&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113862140&ft=1&f=4974459 As Halloween approaches, new generations of literary zombies are rising from the dead and shambling towards the bookshelves — ready to entertain (and frighten) readers of all ages.

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]]> In Tricky Economy, Halloween A Treat For Retailers Despite the scary economy, retailers expect more adults will participate in the holiday this year. Americans are turning Halloween into a weeklong celebration, and they're projected to spend nearly $5.8 billion. That's good news in an otherwise grim economic outlook. Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:01:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96357789&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96357789&ft=1&f=4974459 Despite the scary economy, retailers expect more adults will participate in the holiday this year. Americans are turning Halloween into a weeklong celebration, and they're projected to spend nearly $5.8 billion. That's good news in an otherwise grim economic outlook.

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]]> The Scariest Movies You Haven't Seen Forget <em>Nightmare On Elm Street</em>. In honor of Halloween, <em>Slate.com's</em> Mark Jordan Legan goes to the celluloid vault and shines a light on some of the most frightening films ever made. Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:03:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96378470&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96378470&ft=1&f=4974459 Forget Nightmare On Elm Street. In honor of Halloween, Slate.com's Mark Jordan Legan goes to the celluloid vault and shines a light on some of the most frightening films ever made.

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]]> Goosebumps And Guffaws In Stine's 'HorrorLand' Can a children's author strike gold twice? R.L. Stine's <em>Goosebumps</em> series sold more than 300 million copies in the 1990s. Now, he's hoping to revisit that success with <em>Goosebumps: HorrorLand.</em> Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:18:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96332083&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96332083&ft=1&f=4974459 Can a children's author strike gold twice? R.L. Stine's Goosebumps series sold more than 300 million copies in the 1990s. Now, he's hoping to revisit that success with Goosebumps: HorrorLand.

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]]> Defining Dracula: A Century Of Vampire Evolution Dracula can't see his own reflection in the mirror because he <em>is</em> a reflection of the culture around him. Vampire expert Eric Nuzum explains how depictions of Transylvania's most famous son vary widely from the Victorian era to the Cold War. Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:31:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96282132&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96282132&ft=1&f=4974459 Dracula can't see his own reflection in the mirror because he is a reflection of the culture around him. Vampire expert Eric Nuzum explains how depictions of Transylvania's most famous son vary widely from the Victorian era to the Cold War.

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]]> Nightmare Before Closing: A Housing Horror Tale Why should one be scared if they find a toilet in the sunroom? This is only one of the lessons a California couple learns when they try to become homeowners for the first time. A bank-owned property in California doesn't require a disclosure form, which makes it easy to miss the ghosts of a home's past. Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96329351&ft=1&f=4974459 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=96329351&ft=1&f=4974459 Why should one be scared if they find a toilet in the sunroom? This is only one of the lessons a California couple learns when they try to become homeowners for the first time. A bank-owned property in California doesn't require a disclosure form, which makes it easy to miss the ghosts of a home's past.

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