By H.P. Lovecraft
Edited by
S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz
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Dust Jacket Text
A prolific and fascinating letter writer,
the renowned science fiction author H. P. Lovecraft chronicled the most
minute particulars of his life in his correspondence. Whether he is
describing the antics of his favorite cats, evaluating baked beans or
cheese, or debating the purchase of a suit, Lovecraft’s remarkable
letters reveal much about him as a writer and as a man. They also outline
his views on history, aesthetics, society, politics, and economics –
among a myriad of subjects that engaged his wide-ranging intellect. This
selection of Lovecraft letters and essays, some of which have never been
published, bring to light much about the era, the circle in which he
worked, and his candid and sometimes surprising reactions to the
circumstances of his life.
H. P. LOVECRAFT (1890-1937) has achieved renown as the leading author of
supernatural fiction in the twentieth century. His novels have been
translated into a dozen languages, and his work has inspired many
contemporary authors in the fields of horror and science fiction, including
Stephen King, Peter Straub, Ramsey Campbell, and Philip K. Dick.
In Lord of a Visible World, the editors
have amassed and arranged the letters of this prolific writer into the story
of his life. The volume traces Lovecraft’s upbringing in Providence,
Rhode Island, his involvement with the pulp magazine Weird Tales, his
short-lived marriage, and his later status as the preeminent man of letters
in his field.
In addition to conveying the candid details of
his life, the volume also traces the evolution of his wide-ranging opinions.
Lovecraft shows himself to be deeply engaged in the social, political, and
cultural milieu of his time.
The editors, two of the leading Lovecraft
scholars, have meticulously edited the text, transcribing the letters from
manuscript sources and supplying explanatory annotations throughout.
Lord of a Visible World is of interest to both the general reader and
the scholar, presenting for the first time a well-rounded portrait, in his
own words, of a writer whose work has fascinated millions of readers.
S. T. Joshi is the author of H. P. Lovecraft: A Life,
H. P. Lovecraft: The Decline of the West, and other studies.
David E. Schultz, a technical editor for an environmental engineering
firm in Milwaukee, has prepared several editions of works by Lovecraft and
Ambrose Bierce.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- 1. Childhood and Adolescence (1890-1914)
- Ancestry; Infancy;
Youthful Interest; The Loss of His Birthplace; “Blank” Period
- 2. Amateur Journalism (1914-1921)
- A Permanent Amateur; The
Providence Amateur Press Club; The Conservative; Amateur
Controversies; Attempted Enlistment; Early Philosophical Views; Aryan
Supremacy; Metrical Mechanic; Early Writings: Fiction; Discovery of Lord
Dunsany; Dreams; Amatory Phenomena; Illness and Death of Lovecraft’s
Mother
- 3. Expanding Horizons (1921-1924)
- Romance with Sonia; Travels;
Philosophical Development; Literary Development
- 4. Marriage and Exile (1924-1926)
- Elopement; Job Prospects;
Dieting; The Kalem Club; Robbed!; Clinton Street and Red Hook; Travels;
Writings; Jews and Foreigners; Impending Return
- 5. Homecoming (1926-1930)
- Paradise Regain’d; Reflections on
Marriage; Reflections on New England; A Torrent of Fiction; Theories of
Literature and the Weird; Further Philosophical Ruminations; Travels;
Colleagues
- 6. The Old Gentleman (1931-1937)
- Weird Fiction: Theory and
Practice; Literary and Personal Setbacks; The Move to 66 College Street;
Daily Life; Cats!; Travels; Revisionist; Continuing Philosophical
Discussions; Literature versus Hackwork; Problems of Politics and
Economics; Supporting Hitler; Late Work; Lovecraft as Mentor; The End
- Appendix: Some Notes on a Nonentity (1933)
- Glossary of Names
- Notes
- Sources
- Further Reading
- Index
Bibliographic Information
Lord of a Visible World: An Autobiography in Letters. By H.P. Lovecraft, Edited by S.T.
Joshi and David E. Schultz. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press; 2000.
Hardback: ISBN
0-8214-1332-5, 1.42" x 9.49" x 6.46", 424 pages.
Paperback: ISBN
0-8214-1333-3, 1.14" x 9.23" x 6.08", 424 pages.
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