Segment from American Horror Story

These Houses, They Haunt Me

Stories about haunted houses have been around forever, but Hollywood didn’t start giving them starring roles until movies like “Poltergeist” and “Amityville Horror.” David Edelstein, a film critic for New York Magazine, tells us why.

00:00:00 / 00:00:00

Well, That Sucks

In the late 19th century, the residents of a small New England town thought a vampire might be preying on them. Michael Bell, the author of “Food for the Dead: On the Trail of New England’s Vampires,” helps the hosts sink their teeth into this story.

00:06:53

Where The Windigos Are

Historian Shawn Smallman talks about the windigo, a “monster” from the Native American oral tradition and how the pop culture versions of the windigo bear a small resemblance to the real thing.

00:08:56

A Trip Down Legendary Lane Pt. 1

We asked listeners to share with us their stories of legend tripping, which are local legends with a long shelf life. Here are stories from Bailey Bowthorpe and James Kirkpatrick.

00:04:11

Nevermore

Edgar Allan Poe helped invent the modern horror story. We talked to Paul Jones, an English professor at Ohio University, about Poe’s enduring appeal.

00:10:15

Listener Call

A BackStory listener asks about exorcisms.

00:05:33

A Trip Down Legendary Lane Pt. 2

We asked listeners to share with us their stories of legend tripping, which are local legends with a long shelf life. Here are stories from Kevin Gallagher and Josh Wadsworth.

00:02:21

These Houses, They Haunt Me

Stories about haunted houses have been around forever, but Hollywood didn’t start giving them starring roles until movies like “Poltergeist” and “Amityville Horror.” David Edelstein, a film critic for New York Magazine, tells us why.

00:05:15

Oh, The Horror!

The hosts wrap up the show by reflecting on what they’ve learned about American Horror.

00:05:09