Horror for Weenies: Everything You Need to Know about the Films You're Too Scared to Watch - Paperback

by Emily C. Hughes (Author)

2024 Bram Stoker AwardÂ(R)ï, Winner for Superior Achievement in Long Nonfiction

A smart, funny crash course in 25 iconic horror movies, from Psycho to Hereditary, for people who love getting the reference but hate being scared.

You don't have to miss out just because you don't like to be frightened! Stop trying to read nonsensical Wikipedia plot summaries (we know you're doing it), and let an expert tell you everything you need to know about the most influential horror films of the past 60 years--without a single jump scare or a drop of gore.

With a rundown of the history and significance of horror cinema, explanations of common tropes, and detailed entries on 25 important movies ranging from Night of the Living Dead to The Blair Witch Project to Get Out, Horror for Weenies will turn even the scarediest of cats into a confident connoisseur.

Each entry includes:

• A detailed plot summary, with enough jokes that it won't freak you out
• Smart, illuminating analysis of the film's themes and cultural significance
• Descriptions of iconic scenes you definitely do not want to look at
• Talking points for impressing even the biggest scary-movie buffs

Horror for Weenies is the first installment in the Outsider's Guide series, which offers highly readable crash courses in major cultural phenomena, so you can catch the references and understand the big deal. Never get left out of a conversation again!

Author Biography

Emily Hughes is the former editor of Unbound Worlds and TorNightfire.com, and writes the horror newsletter Jump Scares. She has written about horror, books, and culture for the New York Times, Vulture, Tor.com, Electric Literature, Thrillist, and more. She lives in crunchy western Massachusetts with her husband and four idiot cats.