Book

Book of the Dead

📖 Overview

Book of the Dead is a memoir collection published in 2001 that captures E. Hoffmann Price's personal experiences with prominent pulp fiction writers of the early 20th century. The book includes detailed accounts of his interactions with H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Clark Ashton Smith, and other notable authors from the pulp magazine era. The memoirs are structured as individual portraits, with each chapter focusing on a specific writer or industry figure Price knew during his career. Additional sections feature Price's essays on topics like the Lovecraft controversy and the end of the pulp era, along with appreciations and bibliographic materials. Much of the book's content comes from Price's firsthand observations and conversations, documenting the personalities, work habits, and social dynamics of the pulp writing community. The collection preserves valuable historical insights about a pivotal period in American genre fiction publishing. The compilation stands as a unique historical document that illuminates the professional and personal relationships between pulp era writers, while exploring the cultural context that shaped their work. Through Price's perspective, readers gain understanding of how these writers influenced each other and contributed to the development of speculative fiction.

👀 Reviews

This appears to be an obscure book with very limited reader reviews available online. The Book of the Dead by E. Hoffmann Price is absent from Goodreads and has no ratings on Amazon. The few mentions found are in vintage pulp fiction forums and collector communities. Multiple readers note it was originally published in Weird Tales magazine in 1929 but never widely reprinted. Due to its rarity, most reader discussion focuses on trying to locate copies rather than reviewing the content. The only substantive review found was from a pulp fiction blog commenter who praised Price's "atmospheric Egyptian horror elements" but felt the pacing was uneven. No star ratings or aggregated review data exists on major book platforms. Note: If this is meant to be about a different Book of the Dead by another author, please specify, as there are several books with this title.

📚 Similar books

The Pulp Jungle by Frank Gruber Chronicles firsthand experiences as a pulp writer in 1930s New York, documenting the daily realities and business practices of pulp magazine publishing.

Lovecraft: A Life by S.T. Joshi Presents extensive research and correspondence detailing H.P. Lovecraft's relationships with fellow writers and his position in the pulp fiction community.

Robert E. Howard: A Literary Biography by David C. Smith Examines Howard's life through his letters and relationships with other writers, revealing the connections within the pulp fiction circle.

The Last Bookman by Ruber Peter Collects interviews and memoirs about August Derleth's interactions with prominent weird fiction authors and his role in preserving their legacies.

Partners in Wonder by Robert Weinberg Documents the collaborations and friendships between major fantasy and horror writers of the early twentieth century through letters and historical records.

🤔 Interesting facts

★ E. Hoffmann Price was the only person to have personally met all three of the great "Weird Tales" triumvirate - H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, and Clark Ashton Smith. ★ During his career, Price wrote over 500 stories for various pulp magazines, including Weird Tales, demonstrating his deep involvement in the community he writes about. ★ The pulp magazine era (1896-1950s) got its name from the cheap wood pulp paper used to print the magazines, which allowed them to sell for as little as 10 cents. ★ Price maintained extensive correspondence with H.P. Lovecraft, and they even collaborated on a story called "Through the Gates of the Silver Key." ★ Many of the personal details and anecdotes in the Book of the Dead were previously unpublished, offering unique insights that weren't available in other historical accounts of the pulp era.