Selected Letters of H. P. Lovecraft

Selected Letters of H. P. Lovecraft presents correspondence from horror author H.P. Lovecraft to friends, family, and fellow writers during his lifetime. The letters span from his youth through his final years, offering direct glimpses into his personal life, creative process, and worldview. The collection contains discussions of Lovecraft's literary influences, his opinions on contemporary writers and culture, and insights into the development of his cosmic horror philosophy. His exchanges with other authors of the era, including Robert E. Howard and Clark Ashton Smith, reveal the collaborative nature of the early weird fiction community. The letters showcase Lovecraft's vast knowledge of history, architecture, and science, while documenting his travels through New England and beyond. His descriptions of Providence, Rhode Island and other locations would later serve as settings for his stories. These collected letters reveal the complex personality behind Lovecraft's fiction, including both his intellectual curiosity and his social perspectives, which were very much products of his time and upbringing. The volume serves as an important historical document of both early 20th century literary culture and the development of weird fiction as a genre.

Readers value these letters for revealing Lovecraft's personality, writing process, and views on literature and society. The correspondence shows his humor, literary theories, and relationships with other writers of his era. Likes: - Provides context for understanding his fiction works - Shows his evolution as a writer - Reveals his intellectual discussions with contemporaries - Details his travel experiences and observations Dislikes: - Many readers note his prejudiced views and racist statements - Some find the academic/intellectual tone pretentious - Letters can be repetitive in subject matter - Price of collected volumes is high Ratings: Goodreads: 4.2/5 (329 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (23 ratings) A common reader sentiment notes how the letters present a more complete picture of Lovecraft than his fiction alone. As one Goodreads reviewer states: "The letters show a warmer, more personable HPL than his reputation suggests, though his problematic views are also on full display."

Letters to friends by Robert Bloch These personal correspondences reveal the mind and creative process of another influential horror writer who was both a contemporary and friend of Lovecraft.

The Horror in the Museum and Other Revisions by H. P. Lovecraft This collection contains Lovecraft's ghost-writing and revision work, showing his collaborative relationships with other writers of his time.

The Collected Letters of Clark Ashton Smith by Clark Ashton Smith, David E. Schultz Smith's letters provide insight into the Weird Tales circle of writers and his friendship with Lovecraft through their extensive correspondence.

Letters from New York by Donald Wandrei These letters document the experiences of one of Lovecraft's closest friends and fellow writers during the same time period.

The Natural History of H.P. Lovecraft by Kenneth W. Faig Jr. This book examines Lovecraft's personal life through his correspondence with family members and scientific colleagues.

🗯️ H.P. Lovecraft wrote an estimated 100,000 letters during his lifetime, with some individual letters reaching lengths of 70+ pages 📝 These letters reveal Lovecraft was an insomniac who did most of his writing between midnight and dawn, often working on correspondence while sitting in bed 🌟 August Derleth, who compiled these letters, was instrumental in preserving Lovecraft's legacy - he founded Arkham House publishing specifically to keep Lovecraft's work in print ✉️ Through his letters, Lovecraft mentored several young writers who went on to become notable authors, including Robert Bloch (who wrote "Psycho") and Robert E. Howard (creator of Conan the Barbarian) 🖋️ The correspondence shows Lovecraft's extensive knowledge of astronomy - he wrote astronomy columns for several newspapers and could calculate complex celestial positions without referencing tables