The Weird Tales Story

The Weird Tales Story chronicles the history and impact of Weird Tales magazine, one of the most influential pulp fiction publications of the 20th century. This non-fiction work covers the magazine's run from 1923 to 1954, documenting its editorial changes, financial struggles, and evolution. Weinberg presents extensive research on the writers, artists, and editors who shaped the magazine, including H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith. The book features rare photographs, cover reproductions, and correspondence between key figures in the magazine's history. The text examines how Weird Tales influenced the development of horror, fantasy, and science fiction genres during a pivotal period in American publishing. It details the magazine's role in establishing now-famous authors and launching enduring series like Conan the Barbarian. The book offers insight into how a niche publication helped define American fantasy literature and created lasting archetypes that continue to influence genre fiction. Its documentation of early 20th century publishing practices reveals broader cultural shifts in popular entertainment and literary tastes.

Readers value this book as a detailed history of Weird Tales magazine, though note it focuses more on business operations than literary analysis. Multiple reviewers mention appreciating the behind-the-scenes information about payment rates, circulation numbers, and editorial decisions. Liked: - Comprehensive coverage of the magazine's complete run - Rare photos and cover reproductions - Information about lesser-known editors and contributors - Documentation of the magazine's financial struggles Disliked: - Limited discussion of the actual stories and content - Some factual errors noted by hardcore fans - High price for a relatively slim volume - No index Ratings: Goodreads: 3.89/5 (18 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (6 ratings) One common reader note is that the book works better as a reference than a cover-to-cover read. Several reviewers mention wanting more literary analysis and author biographical details rather than purely business history.

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🗸 During its original run from 1923-1954, Weird Tales published the first professional stories of many legendary authors, including H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Ray Bradbury. 🗸 Author Robert Weinberg assembled this history by conducting extensive interviews with surviving Weird Tales editors and writers, accessing rare correspondence, and examining complete runs of the magazine. 🗸 The magazine's iconic covers, many featuring work by artist Margaret Brundage, caused considerable controversy in the 1930s for their depictions of scantily clad women in supernatural peril. 🗸 Despite its tremendous influence on horror and fantasy literature, Weird Tales was rarely profitable during its 31-year run and paid its authors as little as one cent per word. 🗸 The book reveals how editor Farnsworth Wright rejected what would become one of H.P. Lovecraft's most famous stories, "The Call of Cthulhu," on its first submission before later accepting it.