M. R. James (1862 – 1936) was a writer and British medieval scholar. His well-known classic ghost stories have a Victorian Christmas theme. Although James is best known for his ghost stories he produced many excellent scholarly works. He is also credited with cataloging libraries at Oxford and Cambridge. Stories in this collection include "The Ash Tree", "Canon Alberic's Scrapbook," "Lost Hearts," "The Mezzotint," "Number 13," "Count Magnus," "'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad'," and "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas."