Howard Phillips Lovecraft(English) Howard Phillips Lovecraft, August 20, Providence, Rhode Island, USA - March 15, ibid) - American writer and poet who wrote in the genres of horror, mysticism, combining them in an original style. Ancestor of the Cthulhu Mythos. During Lovecraft's lifetime, his works were not very popular, but after his death they had a noticeable impact on the formation of modern mass culture. His work is so unique that Lovecraft's works stand out in a separate subgenre - the so-called Lovecraft horror.
Biography
Lovecraft in early childhood, 1892.
Lovecraft at the age of 9-10 years.
Lovecraft was raised by his mother, two aunts and grandfather (Whipple Van Buren Phillips), who took in the family of the future writer. Howard was a child prodigy - he recited poetry by heart at the age of two, and from the age of six he was already writing his own. Thanks to his grandfather, who had the largest library in the state, he was introduced to classical literature. In addition to the classics, he became interested in Gothic prose and Arabic tales of the Thousand and One Nights.
At the age of 6-8 years, Lovecraft wrote several stories, most of which have not survived to this day. At the age of 14, Lovecraft wrote his first serious work, The Beast in the Cave.
As a child, Lovecraft was often sick, and did not go to school until the age of eight, but a year later he was taken away from there. He read a lot, studied chemistry between times, wrote several works (he reproduced them on a hectograph in a small edition), starting in 1899 (Scientific Newspaper). Four years later he returned to school.
Whipple Van Buren Phillips died in 1904, after which the family became very impoverished and had to move to a smaller house on the same street. Howard was saddened by the departure, and he even considered suicide. Due to a nervous breakdown that happened to him in 1908, he never finished school, which he was very ashamed of.
Lovecraft wrote fiction as a child (“The Beast in the Cave” (), “The Alchemist” ()), but later preferred poetry and essays to her. He returned to this "frivolous" genre only in 1917 with the stories "Dagon", then "The Tomb". "Dagon" became his first published creation, appearing in 1923 in the magazine "Mysterious stories" ( Weird Tales). At the same time, Lovecraft began his correspondence, which eventually became one of the most voluminous in the 20th century. His correspondents included Forrest Ackerman, Robert Bloch and Robert Howard.
Sarah, Howard's mother, after a long hysteria and depression, ended up in the same hospital where her husband died, and died there on May 21, 1921. She wrote to her son until her last days.
Despite his writing successes, Lovecraft was increasingly in need. He moved again, now to a small house. The suicide of Robert Howard made a strong impression on him. In 1936, the writer was diagnosed with bowel cancer, a consequence of malnutrition. Howard Phillips Lovecraft died on March 15, 1937 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Creation
predecessors
The writers whose work influenced Lovecraft are primarily Edgar Allan Poe, Edward Dunsany, Arthur Machen, Algernon Blackwood, Ambrose Bierce, Lafcadio Hearn.
Followers
August Derleth
Perhaps the most important of Lovecraft's followers, both in terms of chronology and in terms of continuity, is August Derleth. Despite the fact that later many authors turned to the pantheon of cosmic gods created by Lovecraft, it was Derleth who became the founder and head of the Arkham House publishing house, which published the works of Lovecraft himself, Derleth and everyone who in one way or another came into contact with those created by Lovecraft worlds. Derleth was also quite successful as a writer, although he could not match the power of influence with his teacher. However, he was a publishing genius - Arkham House books from that period are now bibliographic rarities. In addition, it was a rare case when a publishing house was created for the work of a particular person.
Stephen King
The work of Lovecraft, which influenced the mass culture of the West, left an indelible mark on the work of countless writers who worked and are working in the genre of mysticism and horror. One of the creative heirs of Lovecraft is the famous "King of Horrors" Stephen King. The most striking work in which Stephen King does not imitate the style of Howard Lovecraft's narration, but pays tribute to the talent of the latter, is the story "Crouch End", filmed by the TNT film company in the collection of film novels "Stephen King's Nightmares and Fantasies". In King's work, traces of the influence of Lovecraft's work are clearly visible. So, the novel "It" directly refers the reader to the cosmic horror that came from time immemorial. It should be noted, however, that King's horror can be fairly clearly delineated into three main parts: cosmic (Lovecraft), afterlife, and scientific (Mary Shelley).
Among other things, the action of most of Stephen King's books takes place in small American towns, which is also characteristic of the works of Lovecraft, who believed that the most terrible things happen in quiet places.
"Necronomicon" and other works mentioned by Lovecraft
Usually Lovecraft referred to ancient books containing secrets that man should not know. Most of the references were fictitious, but some occult works existed in reality. The combination of fictitious documents with real ones in one context allowed the former to seem real. Lovecraft gave only general references to such books (mostly to create atmosphere) and rarely gave detailed descriptions. The most famous of these fictitious manuscripts is his Necronomicon, about which the writer spoke the most. His explanations about this text were so well thought out that many people still believe in the reality of this book, and this allows some to profit from the ignorance of others.
The Book of Eibon, Livre d'Eibon, or Liber Ivonis
Designed by Clark Ashton Smith. Lovecraft made only a few references to this book in his short stories: "Dreams in the Witch's House", "The Creature on the Threshold", and "Shadow from Timelessness". In the last two years of his life, Lovecraft referred to two "translations" of this book: "Livre d'Eibon" ("The Diary of Alonzo Typer") and "Liber Ivonis" ("Dwelling in Darkness"). In the story "The Stone Man", the book of Eibon serves as the main book of the Van Kauran family line of sorcerers, carefully hidden and passed down through the generations.
Cultes des Goules by the Comte d'Erlette
The name of the author of this book is derived from the name of August Derleth, whose ancestors had migrated from France and whose surname was historically correct as D'Erlette. As in many such cases, Lovecraft referred to this book only a few times: in the stories "The Shadow from Timelessness", "Hiding at the Threshold" and "Dwelling in Darkness".
De Vermis Mysteriis by Ludvig Prinn
The Mysteries of the Worm (in some translations, "The Mysterious Worms") and their author Ludwig Prinn were coined by Robert Bloch, while the Latin title of the book "De Vermis Mysteriis" was coined by Lovecraft. He referenced her in the stories "Shadow from Timelessness", "The Diary of Alonzo Typer", "The Only Heir" and "Dwelling in Darkness".
The Eltdown Shards
This work is the creation of the imagination of Richard F. Searight, one of Lovecraft's correspondents. Lovecraft mentioned him briefly in his works: "The Shadow from Timelessness" and "Alonzo Typer's Diary".
The Necronomicon or Al Azif of Abdul Alhazred
Perhaps the most famous of Lovecraft's hoaxes. He made references to the Necronomicon, also known as Al Azif, in 18 of his stories. The real Arabic name for this manuscript was "Al Azif", which meant - "the sound produced by nocturnal insects", which, as the Arabs believed, was actually made by demons. Abdul Alhazred, the mythical author of this book, lived in Damascus, where the Necronomicon was written. In 738 a.d. e. he was publicly engulfed by an invisible demon. Al Azif was translated into Greek by Theodore Philetus of Constantinople, who gave the manuscript the name Necronomicon. Olaus Wormius translated the text into Latin in 1228. In 1232, shortly after Wormius' translation, Pope Gregory IX banned both the Greek and Latin versions of the book. Wormius notes that the original Arabic text had already been lost by that time. Dr. John Dee translated it into English, but only a few fragments of this version have survived to this day. Currently, a 15th-century Latin translation is in the British Museum, and 17th-century editions are in the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris, the Harvard Library, the University of Buenos Aries, and Ackham Miskatonic University. Naturally, all these copies are carefully preserved.
The first time the "Necronomicon" is mentioned in the story "The Dog" (September 1922), although Abdul Alhazred, the author of this work, is mentioned earlier, in "The Nameless City" (January 1921). It is here that the most famous saying from the Necronomicon is mentioned for the first time:
That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die.
Perhaps the longest excerpt from the Necronomicon is found in the short story "The Dunwich Horror":
The People of the Monolith by Justin Geoffrey... one should not believe that man is the only and last ruler of the world. And its vital substance is not the only one that exists on Earth. The ancients were, the ancients exist, the ancients will always be. But not in the world we know, but between worlds. Primal, strong and healthy. They are invisible to our eyes. One Yog-Sothoth knows the entrance to this world. Yog-Sothoth is both the key and the guardian of these gates. Past, present and future are one in Yog-Sothoth. He knows the place where the Ancients made their way in past times, knows where They will pass into the future. Knows their traces on Earth, which they leave, invisible. By smell alone people recognize their presence, but their image is recognized in the form of those whom they have produced among the mortal children of men, from the appearance of a man to a form without substance. Invisible They circle the Earth, waiting for the right words of the Ritual. Their voice resounds in the wind, the grass whispers of Their presence. They uproot forests, destroy cities, but no one sees the punishing Hand. In the icy deserts Kadaf knew them, but has man ever known Kadaf? Ice in the north and submerged islands in the oceans hide the stones on which the Seals are inscribed. Yog-Sothoth will open the doors before which the spheres close. Man reigns where they once ruled. But as winter comes after summer, and winter gives way to spring, so they are waiting for their Hour!!!
As time went on, I became interested in architecture and abandoned my plan to illustrate Edward's book of demonic poems, however, our friendship did not suffer because of this and did not become weaker. The unusual genius of the young Derby was developed in an amazing way, and in his eighteenth year he published a collection of macabre lyrics under the title "Azathoth and other horrors", which made a sensation. He was in a lively correspondence with the notorious baudelaire poet Justin Jeffery, the same person who wrote The Monolith Men and died screaming in an insane asylum in 1926, having shortly before visited some sinister and infamous village in Hungary.
You can learn about Justin Jeffery in Robert Howard's short story "The Black Stone" (1931).
The Pnakotic Manuscripts (or Fragments)
Another Lovecraft hoax. His "Pnakotic Manuscripts" or "Fragments" (references in 11 works) are second only to the "Necronomicon" in frequency of circulation. Lovecraft does not provide any details about the origin or content of these texts. Most likely, these texts were written in the pre-human period.
Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan
Lovecraft only mentioned Hsan's books in "Other Gods" and "The Somnambulistic Quest for Kadaf the Unknown" both times along with the "Pnakotic Manuscripts".
Unaussprechlichen Kulten, Black Book, or Nameless Cults by Friedrich von Junzt
Robert Howard first introduced "Unnamed Cults" in his short story "Children of the Night" (1931). The following year, Lovecraft came up with a German title for these works, as von Juntz wrote the original in German. This title, "Ungenennte Heidenthume", did not satisfy some of Lovecraft's correspondents. August Derleth changed it to "Unaussprechlichen Kulten", which was approved (although in translation it meant - "Unpronounceable cults", that is, cults whose name is impossible to pronounce. "Die Unaussprechlichen Kulten" or "Unaussprechliche Kulten" would be more correct).
Although Lovecraft did not refer to this book more than others, he gives its publication history in the story "Out of Time":
In fact, any reader of von Juntz's dreadful "Nameless Cults" could at first glance establish an indisputable connection between them and the mysterious writing on the film. But in those days, few people knew this blasphemous work: its first edition was destroyed in Düsseldorf in 1839, Bradwell's translation appeared in 1845, and a greatly abridged version was published in 1909.
Von Juntz's "Black Book" is found in several stories by Robert Howard: "Children of the Night" (1931), "The Black Stone" (1931), "The Thing on the Roof" (1932). The last story presents the history of the writing and publication of this book.
R'lyeh Text
This text is mentioned by Lovecraft in the story "
In his home in R'lyeh, the dead Cthulhu waits and dreams...
The name of Howard Phillips Lovecraft thundered all over the world as a standard of the horror genre. Gifted with the art of belles-lettres, he wrote about terrible shadows in the corner and about what is inaccessible to ordinary mortals, but only to the elite.
His contemporaries and today's horror heroes pay their tribute to Lovecraft's stories. Like, for example, Stephen King in his story (which was even well filmed) Crouch End.
Many of Lovecraft's heroes "had the honor" of becoming mainstream, like the well-known Cthulhu and the slightly less well-known Arab who lived in time immemorial and created the Necronomicon.
Here I decided to collect all the classics of Lovecraft: those horror works that made him the very great and mighty master of the genre.
10. Dagon
Introduction to Lovecraft
A very short but maddening tale that is a great introduction to Lovecraft's style and mythology. The story revolves around a man who found himself alone in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and who was "fortunate" to meet the ancient god Dagon. Dagon, although not directly related to the Cthulhu mythos, is a great part of the theme of sea horror.
9. Outcast
A level deeper into Lovecraft's mind
Unfortunate is the one to whom childhood memories bring only fear and sadness ...
Another introductory novel that puts its hero in an old horrible mansion where he feels uncomfortable and melancholy. In the end, in order to escape his loneliness, he begins to explore the upper floors of his dwelling ...
8 Dunwich Horror
How it all started
Most of Lovecraft's stories have recurring elements, such as the Necronomicon (a terrible book of evil spells), Arkham (a fictional city in Massachusetts; and if you're a Batman fan, you'll find the name familiar for one more reason 🙂), and Miskatonic University, a fictional local college. Lovecraft created all of these elements in the pages of Dunwich Horror. It all started with him.
7. Color from other worlds
pinnacle of creativity
This story covers Lovecraft's perspective on many things. Its events take place not far from Arkham, already known to us, where our nameless hero decided to tell the story of the Gardner family, which was unlucky to host a meteorite as a guest, which had a fatal impact on the fate of a modest farmer.
6. Hidden fear
One of the earliest
Lurking Fear is Lovecraft's first foray into the horror genre. The protagonist, again unnamed, leads a group of people who have decided to investigate the rumor about Mount Tempest. Despite the fact that the most terrible moments here are the peals of thunder and lightning, as well as the disappearances and murders of people, it should be remembered that this is an early story by Lovecraft, which he himself cherished very much.
5. Ridges of Madness
Packing your bags...it's good
This story completely immerses us in the world of Cthulhu mythology. Miskatonic University professor William Dyer, returning from a terrifying expedition to Antarctica, made it his main goal - to prevent people from falling into this haven of horror again. The Ridges of Madness vividly describes the dark and terrifying artifacts of a lost civilization that ruled the Earth long before the advent of man. Indiana Jones nervously smokes on the sidelines.
4. Shadow from timelessness
Alter ego concept
A story about an alien race and its ability to capture the consciousness of earthlings. There is an opinion among Lovecraft's biographers that this idea came to him after watching the movie Berkeley Square. Either way, the protagonist is on the brink of insanity, which he links to Miskatonic University, Nyarlathotep, and even Professor William Dyer.
3. Shadow over Innsmouth
Cthulhu Tutorial for Beginners
The action takes place in the village of Innsmouth, Massachusetts, where the protagonist, a professor of genealogy, ended up. Here he encounters strange inhabitants who inspire fear in him. Later, he learns many terrible rumors about them from the only normal person - the city drunk.
2. Whisperer in the dark
brain games
Of course, there are many other works that are better known and more, say, “Lovecraftian”, but here for the first time it tells about the alien race Mi-go, and also here we will meet a whole collection of terms from the mythology of Cthulhu.
1. Call of Cthulhu
The quintessence of Lovecraft's stories
This is not death, which is inherent in eternal lies, and in such eternity even death can die.
Call of Cthulhu
Every fan of Lovecraft's work pays tribute to this story, which makes it number one in the list of the best Lovecraft stories. The main "proofs" of the authenticity of the existence of an ancient monster are manuscripts and a bas-relief with his image. You may notice some similarities between the ending of this story and that of Dagon. Oddly enough, at first they did not want to publish The Call of Cthulhu, but soon he received the well-deserved respect and will forever remain the standard of Lovecraft's work.
The name of Howard Lovecraft became known in Russia in the early 90s. It was then that the first translations of his stories appeared in Russia. The popularity of the works of this author is growing every year. Interestingly, during his lifetime, the works of Howard Lovecraft were not appreciated, and interest in his unusual stories appeared only after the death of the author.
Most readers are used to thinking of the King of Horrors, but Lovecraft's stories are much scarier and sometimes evoke animal horror. Howard Lovecraft began writing his first stories at the age of 6. Already from the first stories of the author, one can understand that even the simplest things he can give a touch of real horror.
Over the course of his life, Lovecraft wrote 115 short stories, 44 of which were co-written. Unfortunately, most of the early works have been lost. In this collection we will talk about the best books of Howard Lovecraft. Thanks to the works of the author, a new genre appeared in the literary environment - lovecraft horror, that is, fear is not built on physical fear, but on the psychological horror of the unknown. This is what makes his books so creepy.
All the work of Howard Lovecraft is conditionally divided into three cycles - Cthulhu Myths, Death stories and the cycle of Dreams. The stories are not related to each other except for a common theme. And the Cthulhu Myths series includes works by many authors, including Stephen King.
"Crypt" (1917)
The Crypt is a short story written by Lovecraft at the age of 27. It belongs to the Death Tales series.
This is a story about Jervis Dudley, who dreamed of getting into the crypt of an old family. At first he did not succeed, and he decided that he would wait for the right opportunity. Falling asleep at the crypt, it seemed to him through a dream that light was coming from the tomb. He runs into the house and finds the cherished key to the door. In the crypt he finds his coffin. And from that moment on, Jervis has changed a lot. Now he sleeps in a crypt. And they watch him during the day. But what is really happening to him? What secrets does the old tomb hide? Or is the hero just crazy?
"Dagon" (1917)
"Dagon" is a fantastic story in which the main leitmotif of Lovecraft's work is manifested - the realization of the insignificance of man in a world where there are unknown and powerful forces.
The story is told on behalf of a man who saw the ancient sea deity Dagon. But this is not just his story, but a suicide note where he tells what really happened. It happened during the First World War. The narrator was sailing on a packet boat when he was taken prisoner by German soldiers. He managed to escape on a boat, only this escape turned into a nightmare.
"Cats of Ulthar" (1920)
"Cats of Ulthar" is a short story related to the cycle of Dreams.
Events unfold in the city of Ulthar, where an old couple who hated cats lived. They killed these animals, and the locals could not do anything. One day a caravan arrived in the city. There was a boy in this caravan and his only friend was a black kitten. The kitten disappeared, and when the child was told who was to blame, the boy asked the deities to take revenge on those who were guilty. Since then, it has been forbidden to kill cats in the city of Ulthar.
"The Music of Erich Zann" (1921)
"The Music of Erich Zann" is a mystical story that leaves more mysteries than answers. It belongs to the Death Tales series.
The narrator lives in Paris, in the same house as the mute musician. Erich Zann lives in isolation, but cannot exist without his music. This music is mesmerizing. She is able to fight the unknown. The narrator gets acquainted with the genius of music, but very quickly stops communication, continuing to listen to the bewitching music.
"Herbert West - Reanimator" (1921-1922)
"Herbert West - Reanimator" is a short story in the horror genre, consists of six mini-stories arranged in chronological order. Based on this story, a film was released in 1985, and later a series of horror comics began to be published. It is in this book that zombies are first mentioned as the risen dead.
The main character is Herbert West. He is a medical student who is trying not just to understand death, but to find a way to defeat it. A terrible story about the struggle with death is told by a friend of Herbert, who had to assist in strange experiments.
"Somnambulistic search for the unknown Kadat" (1926-1927)
"The somnambulistic search for the unknown Kadat" is considered the main work in the Dream cycle. This series is the smallest and has only 9 stories: "Memory", "White Ship", "Celephais", "Cats of Ultar", "Punishing Rock on Sarnath", "Other Gods", "Somnambulistic search for the Unknown Kadat", "Search for Iranon and Hypnos.
"The Somnambulistic Quest for the Unknown Kadat" is the story of Randolph Carter, who travels through the world of dreams every night. And in one of his dreams he sees a beautiful city, which took possession of his thoughts. He asks his Gods to open the way to this city for him, but the Gods are not only deaf, they no longer show him this miracle. Then he decides to find it himself. And the very creatures that inspire horror during the day come to his aid.
This story has a sequel "Gate of the Silver Key" and "Silver Key". In these stories, the hero is already familiar, but the atmosphere is completely different. That is why the continuation of the novel "The Somnambulistic Search for the Unknown Kadat" is not included in the Dream cycle.
"Color from Other Worlds" (1927)
“Color from other worlds” is a horror story with elements of science fiction. Part of the Deadly Tales series. The author himself called this work his best work.
A meteorite fell on the farm of an ordinary American family. At first, nothing happened. Everything was fine, but over time, a strange light began to come from the meteorite, which people had not seen before. And then events are described that amaze with their horror and otherworldly reality.
"Call of Cthulhu" (1926)
"The Call of Cthulhu" is the first story in which Cthulhu, an ancient deity and the embodiment of evil, appears.
The Call of Cthulhu consists of three parts:
- Horror embodied in clay. The image of Cthulhu appears on a clay bas-relief. A simple image leads to a series of events that will lead the police to a religious sect.
- The story of the police inspector Legrasse. The hero of this part talks about a sect that worshiped Cthulhu. Members of the sect believe that Cthulhu will soon come to this world.
- Madness from the sea. In this part, not only the secret of the ancient deity will be revealed, but also he himself. Ordinary sailors accidentally found the ancient sea city of R'lyeh, where pure evil lives.
After this story, in other works of Howard Lovecraft, one can find various references not only to Cthulhu, but also to other ancient deities who embody evil and horror.
In the bookstore you can find a large collection called Cthulhu, which includes many stories, both from the Cthulhu Myths cycle and from other series.
"The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" (1927)
The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is one of Lovecraft's most voluminous works. The story has everything that a lover of mysticism and horror can only dream of.
The action of the story is looped. The beginning and end take place in a psychiatric hospital. Charles got there because of his desire to know the past of his family. So he learns that he looks like his ancestor, who was a sorcerer. But what will the disclosure of the whole truth lead to? Charles will literally resurrect the past in order to go into oblivion himself.
"Whisperer in the Dark" (1930)
"Whisperer in the Darkness" is a story that has common features with "The Color of Other Worlds" and parallels with the "Cthulhu Mythos" cycle. At the same time, this story does not apply to cycles. But some publishers will certainly include this work in storybooks where Cthulhu appears.
After the flood, Professor Wilmarth hears rumors of strange creatures appearing around Vermont. At this time, Henry Ackley writes to him, to whom he says that he has evidence of the existence of an extraterrestrial race. After a stormy correspondence, the professor agrees to come to Vermont to find out the truth himself. But he will have to escape from the Ackley house in order to tell the world the truth.
"The Ridges of Madness" (1931)
"The Ridges of Madness" is a full-fledged horror novel with elements of fantasy. This book is one of the main ones in the cycle "Myths of Cthulhu". It is in this story that the mention of the offspring of Cthulhu appears.
The plot revolves around a polar expedition that finds an ancient city. But instead of a scientific discovery, a real nightmare awaits the members of the expedition. No one will be able to score a meeting with an ancient evil that takes on different guises. The world of the gods does not like being disturbed. In addition, aliens appear in the narrative, which will further aggravate the situation.
Of course, this is a small part of what Howard Lovecraft wrote, but it is these books that will most fully acquaint the reader with the author's style and his talent.
P.S.
While preparing this top, we faced a very interesting request. Many are looking for a book called the Necronomicon.
The Necronomicon is often referred to in Lovecraft's writings. The story "The Witch's Log" states that the Necronomicon contains all magical rituals and the complete history of the Old Gods. In reality, this book does not exist. It was invented by the author to give the story a more real meaning. Critics agreed that the "Necronomicon" has real prototypes.
At the same time, in 2011, one small publication released a collection of Lovecraft's stories called "Necronomicon". It's just a collection of short stories, and not the best. The translation was done by a certain Nina Bavina, who brought a lot of herself, which almost completely destroyed the style of the writer himself. So do not even take this book into account if you are going to get acquainted with the work of the great author.
Biography
Lovecraft was born in Providence, Rhode Island, USA. He was the only child of the traveling salesman Wilfrid Scott Lovecraft and Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft. His ancestors are known to have lived in America since the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630). When Howard was three years old, Wilfrid was placed in a psychiatric hospital, where he was kept for five years until his death on June 19, 1898.
Lovecraft was raised by his mother, two aunts and grandfather (Whipple Van Buren Phillips), who took in the family of the future writer. Howard was a child prodigy - he recited poetry by heart at the age of two, and from the age of six he was already writing his own. Thanks to his grandfather, who had the largest library in the state, he was introduced to classical literature. In addition to the classics, he became interested in Gothic prose and Arabic tales of the Thousand and One Nights.
At the age of 6–8 years, Lovecraft wrote several stories, most of which have not survived to this day. At the age of 14, Lovecraft wrote his first serious work, The Beast in the Cave.
As a child, Lovecraft was often sick, and did not go to school until the age of eight, but a year later he was taken away from there. He read a lot, studied chemistry between times, wrote several works (he reproduced them on a hectograph in a small edition), starting in 1899 (Scientific Newspaper). Four years later he returned to school.
Whipple Van Buren Phillips died in 1904, after which the family became very impoverished and had to move to a smaller house on the same street. Howard was saddened by the departure, and he even considered suicide. Due to a nervous breakdown that happened to him in 1908, he never finished school, which made him very ashamed and sad.
Lovecraft wrote fantasy as a child (The Beast in the Cave (1905), The Alchemist (1908)), but later preferred poetry and essays to it. He returned to this "frivolous" genre only in 1917 with the stories "Dagon", then "The Tomb". Dagon was his first published creation, appearing in 1923 in the magazine Weird Tales. At the same time, Lovecraft began his correspondence, which eventually became one of the most voluminous in the 20th century. Among his correspondents were Forrest Ackerman, Robert Bloch and Robert Howard.
Sarah, Howard's mother, after a long hysteria and depression, ended up in the same hospital where her husband died, and died there on May 21, 1921. She wrote to her son until her last days.
In 1919-1923 Lovecraft wrote actively - over the years he wrote more than 40 stories - including co-authorship.
Soon at a meeting of amateur journalists, Howard Lovecraft met Sonya Green, who had Ukrainian-Jewish roots and was seven years older than Lovecraft. They married in 1924 and moved to Brooklyn, New York. After the quiet Providence, New York life did not fall in love with Lovecraft. In many ways, his story "He" was autobiographical. A few years later, the couple broke up, although they did not file a divorce. Lovecraft returned to his hometown. Because of the failed marriage, some biographers speculated about his asexuality, but Green, on the contrary, called him "a wonderful lover."
Returning to Providence, Lovecraft lived in a "large wooden Victorian house" at 10 Barnes Street until 1933 (this address is the address of Dr. Willet's house in The Case of Charles Dexter Ward). During this period, he wrote virtually all of his short stories published in magazines (mostly Mystery Tales), as well as many major works such as The Case of Charles Dexter Ward and The Ridges of Madness.
Despite his writing successes, Lovecraft was increasingly in need. He moved again, now to a small house. The suicide of Robert Howard made a strong impression on him. In 1936, the writer was diagnosed with bowel cancer, a consequence of malnutrition. Howard Phillips Lovecraft died on March 15, 1937 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Lovecraft Howard, originally from Providence (Rhode Island, USA), grew up in the family of a traveling salesman Wilfrid Scott Lovecraft and Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft. His father is admitted to psychiatry when Howard is barely three years old, where Wilfrid, after five years in treatment, died on June 19, 1898.
The upbringing of Howard Lovecraft falls on the shoulders of the family: mother, two aunts and grandfather.
The young poet found his creative undertakings in the huge library of his grandfather (Whipple Van Buren Phillips), where he immediately liked classical literature, Gothic prose, and, especially, the fairy tale “A Thousand and One Nights”.
From the age of two, he read poetry, and at the age of 6–8 years, Lovecraft wrote several stories. At the age of 14, he published the work "The Beast in the Cave" from the pen. Due to illness, Howard went to school from the age of eight and only for 1 year. The guy loved literature, was fond of chemistry, and was even published by the Scientific Newspaper in 1899. Continues schooling at 12.
Howard's grandfather died in 1904, poverty and moving become the impetus for thinking about the writer's suicide, but the guy gets off only with a nervous breakdown in 1908, which is why he could not finish school.
Children's passion for fantastic works ("The Beast in the Cave" (1905), "The Alchemist" (1908)) the poet eventually changes to poetry and essays. In 1917, Howard returned to this "non-serious" genre and Dagon (published in 1923 by Weird Tales) was born, then The Tomb. In the twentieth century, Lovecraft's correspondence with correspondents Forrest Ackerman, Robert Bloch and Robert Howard breaks records.
Howard's mother ends up in the psychiatric hospital where Wilfrid died and dies there on May 21, 1921.
In 1919-1923 Lovecraft wrote about 40 short stories. In 1924 he marries Sonja Green, whom he met at a meeting of amateur journalists, and they move to Brooklyn, New York. Capital life did not benefit the spouses and, a few years later, they divorced and Lovecraft returned as a lady to the house at 10 Barnes Street and lived there until 1933. During the period of loneliness, Howard writes a lot of short stories set out in magazines (one of them is "Mystery Tales"), "The Case of Charles Dexter Ward" and "The Ridges of Madness" are born.
Howard Phillips Lovecraft Born August 20, 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents, mother Sarah Susan Phillips Lovecraft and father Winfield Scott Lovecraft, then lived at 454 (then 194) Angell Street.
When Howard was three years old, his father suffered a nervous breakdown while in a hotel in Chicago (he worked as a traveling salesman) and after that was institutionalized, where he spent five years, until his death on July 19, 1898.
After the death of his father, the boy was raised by his mother, two aunts and, especially, grandfather - Whipple Van Buren Phillips. My grandfather had the most extensive library in the city (and perhaps in the entire state), and this played an important role in shaping Howard's reading habits. He began to read and write early on his own (even earlier, he began to simply compose oral poetry). And one of the first works that he noted as the most beloved and impressed him were "Tales of 1001 Nights" (Arabian Nights), read for the first time by him at the age of five. It was from there that Abdul Alhazred was born, who later became the pseudonym of the author himself, and even later - the character of his stories, the author of the Necronomicon. And it is to this book that Lovecraft owes oriental motifs in his subsequent work. Also, the author was fond of Greek myths from childhood, the Iliad and the Odyssey, reflections of which we can also meet later in his poetry and prose.
From early childhood, Lovecraft was distinguished by poor health. Having practically no friends, he spent most of his time with his grandfather in the library. But his interests were not limited to literature as a profession. He seriously studied chemistry, astronomy, history (especially the history of his native state and New England). Even at school age, he independently began to publish newspapers and magazines dedicated to his scientific interests and research (The Scientific Gazette (1899-1907) and The Rhode Island Journal of Astronomy (1903-07)). They were distributed mainly among classmates and subsequent friends and associates.
At school (Hope Street High School), his interests and research are approved by teachers who replace Howard's friends among peers. And in 1906, his article on astronomy was first published by The Providence Sunday Journal. Later, he became a regular columnist for The Pawtuxet Valley Gleaner on astronomy. And still later in such publications as The Providence Tribune (1906-08), The Providence Evening News (1914-18) and The Asheville (N.C.) Gazette-News (1915).
Howard's grandfather died in 1904. She and her mother, experiencing financial difficulties, are forced to leave the mansion in which they lived and move to a cramped apartment at 598 Angell Steert. Howard was very upset by the loss of his home, in which he was born and which was his native. In 1908, Howard himself had a nervous breakdown, which forced him to leave school without finishing it. An attempt to get into Brown University fails, leading to an even more reclusive Lovecraft lifestyle.
From 1908 to 1913 Lovecraft practically did not leave the house, continuing to study astronomy and poetry. The way out of seclusion occurred in a very original way. Reading through many old "cheap" magazines, among which was The Argosy, he came across the love stories of a certain Fred Jackson. This prompted him to write an angry letter to the magazine. It was published in 1913 and caused a storm of protest from Jackson's admirers. This led to a whole correspondence in the pages of the magazine, in which many people and authors were involved. Among them was Edward F. Daas, president of the United Amateur Press Association (UAPA). It was an organization that included young authors from all over the country who wrote and published their own magazines. He invites Lovecraft to become a member of UAPA. And in 1914 his proposal was accepted.
Lovecraft began publishing his own magazine, The Conservative (1915-23), in which he published his poetry, as well as articles and essays written specifically for this publication, as well as those that he sent to other magazines. There are 13 issues of The Conservative in total. The Necronomicon Press would later reprint these issues among Lovecraft's other works. Later, Lovecraft became President and Editor-in-Chief of UAPA.
Having previously written fiction ("The Beast in the Cave" (1905) and "The Alchemist" (1908)) and now immersed in the world of amateur prose, Lovecraft again takes up writing as a science fiction writer. For the first time since 1908. In 1917 "The Tomb" and "Dagon" were successfully published. Now the main occupation and hobby of the author is prose, poetry and journalism.
In 1919, Lovecraft's mother had a nervous attack. And, just like his father, she is placed in a clinic, from where she does not leave until her death. She dies on May 24, 1921. Lovecraft is very upset by the death of his mother, but a few weeks later a serious change takes place in his life - at a conference of amateur journalists in Boston on July 4, 1921, he meets a woman who will later become his wife. It was Sonya Haft Green, a Russian-born Jewess, seven years older than Howard himself. From the first meeting, they find a lot in common in each other and Lovecraft often visits her in Brooklyn in 1922. Their relationship was not a secret, and therefore the announcement of the wedding on March 3, 1924 was not a surprise to their friends. But this was a complete surprise for his aunts, whom he notified only in writing, and then after the marriage had already taken place.
Lovecraft moves to his wife in Brooklyn and things in their family are not going badly - he then already earns as a professional writer, publishing his early works in Weird Tales, and Sonya runs a quite thriving hat shop on Fifth Avenue in New York.
But later, the store goes bankrupt, and Lovecraft loses his job as an editor at Weird Tales. In addition, Sonino's health is deteriorating and she is admitted to a New Jersey hospital. On January 1, 1925, Sonya leaves for Cleveland to start a business there, and Lovecraft moves into a one-room apartment in one of the Brooklyn neighborhoods called Red Hook. Having many acquaintances in the city, he does not feel completely alien and abandoned. At this time, such things as "The Shunned House" (1924), "The Horror at Red Hook" and "He" (both also 1924) come out from under his pen.
In early 1926, Lovecraft plans to return to Providence, which he has missed all this time. At the same moment, his marriage cracks and later (in 1929) breaks up completely.
Returning to Providence on April 17, 1926, Lovecraft does not lead a hermitic life, as he did in the period from 1908 to 1913. On the contrary, he travels a lot to ancient places (Quebec, New England, Philadelphia, Charleston, St. Augustine) and works fruitfully . During this time he wrote some of his best works, including "The Call of Cthulhu" (1926), "At the Mountains of Madness" (1931), "The Shadow out of Time" (1934-35). At the same time, he has an extensive correspondence both with his old friends and with many young authors who owe their careers in this field largely to Lovecraft (August Derleth, Donald Wandrei, Robert Bloch, Fritz Leiber). At this time, he wrote many articles on politics and economics, as well as on all those subjects that continued to interest him - from philosophy and literature to history and architecture.
The last two or three years of the author's life are especially difficult. In 1932, one of his aunts, Miss Clark, dies, and Lovecraft moves into a room at 66 College Street in 1933 with his second aunt, Miss Gunwell. After the suicide of Robert Howard, one of his closest pen pals, Lovecraft becomes depressed. At the same time, the disease progresses, which will later cause his death - intestinal cancer.
In the winter of 1936-1937, the disease progressed so much that Lovecraft was admitted to the hospital (Jane Brown Memorial Hospital) on March 10, 1937. Where he died five days later.
Lovecraft was buried on March 18, 1937 in the family plot at Swan Point Cemetery. On a simple tombstone, in addition to the name, dates of birth and death, there is only one inscription - "I AM PROVIDENCE" ...
