Can Such Things Be?

By: Ambrose Bierce

Narrated by: Anthony Heald

Prepare yourself for the shocking, the strange, and the terrifying in Ambrose Bierce’s 1893 story collection Can Such Things Be? One of the greatest masters of horror brings you 25 tales of the supernatural and the unexplained. Whether in stories of ghosts sending desperate warnings to their human counterparts, psychics attempting to bridge unknown dimensions, howling werewolves, or a robot who takes on a life of his own, Bierce plumbs the depths of fear and fascination. Spooky thrills and mind-bending mysteries await all who dare to open the cover of Can Such Things Be?

Public Domain (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

Praise for the works of Ambrose Bierce: “These pieces are not dated, nor are they lacking any of the narrative elements necessary to attract and hold the attention of anyone interested in the horror genre.” ( SF Booklog)

oldie but a goodie

stories are abrupt so if you hate having questions... otherwise an enjoyable journey great narrator

a fine selection of Bierce's stories

narrator did a good job of personifying Bierce's diverse characters. The stories themselves are a great glimpse of a rural and post-Civil War America, a great deal of it sparsely habited. While there are gothic or even supernatural causes for many of the plots, it is the everpresent threat of human violence that is the real horror here.

Excellent narration of the classics

I loved listening to Anthony Heald reading these wonderful old tales from Bierce. He was just perfect here! If you've read Bierce, you'll love the collection. If not, you'll love it all the more. He's the kind of author you wish you could read again for the first time because there's no one quite like him. As with Poe, many have attempted to imitate him, but all fail in the attempt. He remains his own twisted, unique self and I love him for it. May you enjoy this collection as much as I did.

Not Bierce's strongest stories but wonderfully performed.

Some of the tales here are still effective but many others haven't aged well. Bierce's writing is as crisp and evocative as ever but his twists have been copied and reused thousands of times since publication and today's readers can see them coming well in advance.

The performance is great. Captures Bierce's wry voice and humor perfectly.

Dated, but Enjoyable

While stories haven't aged well, the narration is letter-perfect and Bierce is an excellent stylist.