An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia

An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia serves as a comprehensive reference guide documenting Lovecraft's literary works, life, and connections. Published in 2001 by Greenwood Publishing Group and later reissued by Hippocampus Press, the book was created by Lovecraft scholars S. T. Joshi and David E. Schultz. The encyclopedia contains detailed entries for each of Lovecraft's stories, including plot summaries, publication histories, and technical details like word counts. It also features biographical entries about people from Lovecraft's life and writers who influenced his work, creating a complete picture of his literary world. The authors made specific editorial choices about the scope of included material, focusing on characters and real-world connections rather than supernatural elements. While the book covers fictional characters from Lovecraft's stories, it largely excludes entries about the Cthulhu Mythos deities and cosmic entities. This reference work stands as an academic exploration of Lovecraft's creative universe, examining how his personal relationships and literary influences shaped his unique contribution to horror fiction. The encyclopedia's systematic approach helps reveal patterns in Lovecraft's storytelling and thematic preoccupations.

Readers describe this as a thorough reference work that catalogs characters, locations, and concepts from Lovecraft's fiction. The encyclopedia format allows quick lookup of specific elements. Readers appreciate: - Detailed cross-references between entries - Inclusion of biographical details about Lovecraft's life - Citations for where terms/characters appear in original works - Academic rigor and research depth Common criticisms: - High price point ($120+ for hardcover) - Some entries are very brief - Focus on facts rather than analysis - No illustrations Ratings: Goodreads: 4.29/5 (56 ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (23 reviews) Several reviewers note it works better as a reference companion than a straight reading experience. One reader called it "indispensable for serious study but dry for casual fans." Multiple reviews mention using it alongside Lovecraft's stories to look up references. Some readers suggest the more affordable "The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft" as an alternative for general readers.

The Complete H.P. Lovecraft Reader's Guide by Philip Simpson A reference work containing plot summaries, character indices, and historical context for every story in Lovecraft's bibliography.

The Gothic Imagination: Essays in Dark Romanticism by G.R. Thompson The book examines the Gothic literary tradition that influenced Lovecraft's work through scholarly analysis of themes, motifs, and historical developments.

Supernatural Horror in Literature by H.P. Lovecraft This annotated edition of Lovecraft's seminal essay on horror literature provides detailed commentary and historical context for the authors and works discussed.

The Rise and Fall of the Cthulhu Mythos by S. T. Joshi The book traces the development of the Cthulhu Mythos from Lovecraft's original stories through its evolution in the work of other authors.

Lords of All Power: Lovecraft Deities by Daniel Harms An encyclopedic compilation cataloging the various deities, creatures, and cosmic entities appearing in Lovecraft's fiction and associated mythos tales.

🦑 S. T. Joshi wrote his first article about H.P. Lovecraft at age 13 and has since become one of the world's leading scholars on the author's work 📚 The encyclopedia contains exact word counts for every story Lovecraft wrote, revealing "The Call of Cthulhu" to be 11,905 words long 🖋️ The book documents over 500 of Lovecraft's correspondents, as he wrote approximately 100,000 letters during his lifetime 🏛️ Unlike most Lovecraft references, this work explicitly excludes additions to the Cthulhu Mythos made by other authors after Lovecraft's death 📖 The encyclopedia includes entries about Lovecraft's cats, particularly his beloved feline "Old Man," showing the author's deep affection for these pets