collection includes a preface that sets the stage for its subject matter, discussing the history and evolution of the supernatural in literature. It highlights the influence of war and human emotion on the rising interest in psychical research and spirituality. French emphasizes how modern literature has embraced supernatural themes, suggesting that the stories to follow will explore the enduring connection between the earthly and the ethereal. The first story, “When the World Was Young” by Jack London, introduces a mysterious encounter in a darkened forest, setting an ominous tone that foreshadows the unsettling and thought-provoking tales that unfold throughout the anthology. (This is an automatically generated summary.)