Iä, Cthulhu Fhtagn! Gesundheit.
This reading project was originally conceived as a personal goal in two parts:
- Read all of H. P. Lovecraft’s fiction, including collaborations, fragments, and juvenilia. Also a representative selection of his poetry, and the essay Supernatural Horror in Literature.
- Read broadly from those authors who influenced or were influenced by HPL and the Cthulhu Mythos, including modern writers of cosmic horror.
Perhaps because second piece is so ill-defined, the project has sprawled into something rather unwieldly, but no less interesting for it. In the intervening years, I have come to think of this less in terms of Lovecraft and more in terms of cosmic/weird fiction generally, but it’s still very HPL-heavy. That balance will continue to change, along with this site, as things progress. For now, feel free to poke around and peruse the various lists, mini-essays, and quotations scattered about. And please excuse the mess.
Background, or How a Fun Reading Project Can Turn into Years of Homework
- Unfinished reflections on my early experiences with Lovecraft, and how that led me here.
Dark Universe Yawning: A Beginner’s Guide to Lovecraftian Horror
- A recommendations list of cosmic weird fiction, with mildly helpful annotations sprinkled throughout. For anyone who just wants to find something good to read.
Lovecraft, Racism, and Fear of the Unknown
- My thoughts on the connection between Lovecraft’s deplorable prejudice and his fiction.
- Lovecraft had a lot to say, and people have a lot to say about him.
- The overlong lists I use to keep track of what I might want to read next. Quality not guaranteed.
- Resources for anyone who wants to understand cosmic horror or Lovecraft’s Mythos more deeply. Also some good links to public domain works by HPL and others in the Circle.