In what may be our last episode, we explore two letters: one from early in HPL's life and one from near the end. We reflect on what we've learned over a multi-year deep dive into HPL's letters and what it means to a be a Lovecraft fan.

In what may be our last episode, we explore two letters: one from early in HPL's life and one from near the end. We reflect on what we've learned over a multi-year deep dive into HPL's letters and what it means to a be a Lovecraft fan.

The Unknown the Weird and the Impossible

In which a letter from HPL to Clark Ashton Smith is dissected by Sean, Andrew and our special guest hosts: Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer of the podcast Strange Studies of Strange Stories. It's an episode brimming with weird tales, and of course, cats.

In which a letter from HPL to Clark Ashton Smith is dissected by Sean, Andrew and our special guest hosts: Chris Lackey and Chad Fifer of the podcast Strange Studies of Strange Stories. It's an episode brimming with weird tales, and of course, cats.

Strange Stories

In which guest podcaster Martin Andersson of Sweden joins Sean and Andrew for a discussion of a challenging letter. Classic topics like HPL's favorite foods hide in the shadows cast by topics like police brutality and slavery. Not for the faint of heart.

In which guest podcaster Martin Andersson of Sweden joins Sean and Andrew for a discussion of a challenging letter. Classic topics like HPL's favorite foods hide in the shadows cast by topics like police brutality and slavery. Not for the faint of heart.

Barbaric

A super-sized episode about one of HPL's longest letters. In this 70 page monster, HPL writes to Woodburn Harris and covers topics such as ethics, aesthetics, art, and the fall of the Roman Empire. Content warning: this episode features a few instances of the word we bleep. Brace yourself - we're going to be here for a while...

A super-sized episode about one of HPL's longest letters. In this 70 page monster, HPL writes to Woodburn Harris and covers topics such as ethics, aesthetics, art, and the fall of the Roman Empire. Content warning: this episode features a few instances of the word we bleep. Brace yourself - we're going to be here for a while...

We Are Mostly Puppets

In which HPL engages with Texas author Robert E. Howard in a feisty debate about police brutality, chivalry, barbarianism and more. But all is well in the end as they celebrate their mutual love of cats and ice cream.

In which HPL engages with Texas author Robert E. Howard in a feisty debate about police brutality, chivalry, barbarianism and more. But all is well in the end as they celebrate their mutual love of cats and ice cream.

Brawny Viragoes

We explore a feisty letter from HPL to Frank Belknap Long. It's part of a recent acquisition of Lovecraft letters donated to the John Hay Library at Brown. Sean &amp; Andrew visit the Hay for a chat with HPL's personal librarian: Heather Cole.

We explore a feisty letter from HPL to Frank Belknap Long. It's part of a recent acquisition of Lovecraft letters donated to the John Hay Library at Brown. Sean &amp; Andrew visit the Hay for a chat with HPL's personal librarian: Heather Cole.

Letters to Sonny — a Hay Homecoming

In which Sean and Andrew record a live show at NecronomiCon Providence. There they read an exchange of letters published in the newspaper between a local astronomy enthusiast and the astronomically inclined HPL. Hilarity ensues.

In which Sean and Andrew record a live show at NecronomiCon Providence. There they read an exchange of letters published in the newspaper between a local astronomy enthusiast and the astronomically inclined HPL. Hilarity ensues.

Live from NecronomiCon

In which HPL writes young Donald Wandrei and opines about man's place in the vastness of the cosmos. Sean and Andrew discuss the Webb telescope and the history of man's understanding of the universe.

In which HPL writes young Donald Wandrei and opines about man's place in the vastness of the cosmos. Sean and Andrew discuss the Webb telescope and the history of man's understanding of the universe.

Rapidly Ascending to Cosmic Matters

In which HPL writes his Aunt Lillian a diary letter describing a month of his life while living with Sonia in New York. He recounts two outings to Elizabeth, New Jersey and numerous excursions with his New York pals. Bleep Warning: this episode contains three instances of the word we bleep. https://www.hplhs.org/voluminous74.php

In which HPL writes his Aunt Lillian a diary letter describing a month of his life while living with Sonia in New York. He recounts two outings to Elizabeth, New Jersey and numerous excursions with his New York pals. Bleep Warning: this episode contains three instances of the word we bleep. <a href="https://www.hplhs.org/voluminous74.php" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.hplhs.org/voluminous74.php</a>

Elizabeth and the New York Boys

In which publisher E. Haldeman-Julius writes ABOUT a letter from H.P. Lovecraft in which HPL provided lists of his favorite and least favorite people in history. Hear HPL celebrate Epicurus and Remy de Gourmont while he bags on T.S. Eliot and Jesus.

In which publisher E. Haldeman-Julius writes ABOUT a letter from H.P. Lovecraft in which HPL provided lists of his favorite and least favorite people in history. Hear HPL celebrate Epicurus and Remy de Gourmont while he bags on T.S. Eliot and Jesus.

Candidates for Immortality

In addition to his famous classics of horror and science fiction, H.P. Lovecraft wrote tens of thousands of fascinating letters. In each episode Sean Branney and Andrew Leman of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society read one of those letters and then discuss it.

The HPLHS provides thoughtful discussions and insights in presenting examples of H.P. Lovecraft’s vast personal correspondence.  Reading from a select few of the 20,000 surviving letters (of some possible 100k from his lifetime), H.P.L. Is revealed as a complex, contradictory and fascinating human being. The attributes that make him “controversial” in our present point in history are deeply discussed and maybe even a trifle belabored, but with all the details of a complex writer revealed through reading and discussing the letters, the picture being delivered is of a human being, of course imperfect, but whose fascism and xenophobia are not in the top 5 and perhaps not even in the top 10 interesting things about him.

HPLHS is providing a fascinating, entertaining and thought provoking program.  I’m not always in agreement with our hosts’ conclusions, but I am always learning new things and being challenged to think.

I always learn something

Informative

Voluminous: The Letters of H.P. Lovecraft

August Derleth

In which we read a letter from HPL to August Derleth from November 7, 1926. We discuss unique qualities of HPL's correspondence with Derleth, and his essential role in sharing Lovecraft's works with the public. Special thanks to the helpful team at Hippocampus Press.

In which we read a letter from HPL to August Derleth from November 7, 1926. We discuss unique qualities of HPL's correspondence with Derleth, and his essential role in sharing Lovecraft's works with the public. Special thanks to the helpful team at <a href="http://www.hippocampuspress.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Hippocampus Press</a>.

Dipping Our Toes in August Derleth

In which HPL and Robert E. Howard discuss a number of issues of the day. They opine about the Massie Affair, an incident in the Hawaiian Islands which proved a magnet for many of America's ugliest racial views. Warning: this episode includes discussion of racism. Special thanks to Hippocampus Press for their two volume edition of A Means to Freedom: the Letters of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. If—like Lovecraft—you would like to own a complete copy of the Necronomicon, be sure to check out the work of our good friend Christian Matzke, and maybe even support it, on his Patreon page. For a better explanation of the Massie Affair than we could provide, check out this article.

In which HPL and Robert E. Howard discuss a number of issues of the day. They opine about the Massie Affair, an incident in the Hawaiian Islands which proved a magnet for many of America's ugliest racial views. Warning: this episode includes discussion of racism. Special thanks to <a href="http://www.hippocampuspress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hippocampus Press</a> for their two volume edition of A Means to Freedom: the Letters of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. If—like Lovecraft—you would like to own a complete copy of the Necronomicon, be sure to check out the work of our good friend Christian Matzke, and maybe even support it, on his <a href="https://www.patreon.com/Proppingupthemythos" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Patreon page</a>. For a better explanation of the Massie Affair than we could provide, check out <a href="http://hawaiiantimemachine.blogspot.com/2010/07/massie-case.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">this article</a>.

The Worst Anthropologists in the World

High school admirers Robert Bloch and Willis Conover both wrote fan letters to Lovecraft. Here we see HPL writing back to these two young writers who will go on to correspond with HPL and have fascinating lives after Lovecraft's death. You can learn more about Willis Conover here. You can hear his voice in this YouTube video. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Thanks to Hippocampus Press and Carrollton-Clark Publishing

High school admirers Robert Bloch and Willis Conover both wrote fan letters to Lovecraft. Here we see HPL writing back to these two young writers who will go on to correspond with HPL and have fascinating lives after Lovecraft's death. You can learn more about Willis Conover <a href="https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/willis-conover-voice-of-jazz/2955876.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. You can hear his voice in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZVpHOSqJpE" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">YouTube video</a>. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Thanks to Hippocampus Press and Carrollton-Clark Publishing

Those Meddling Kids

In which HPL writes to his mother about his delightful visit to a gathering of amateur press friends for St. Patrick's day. Sent a few weeks before her death, it's Howard's final extant letter to his mother. Special thanks to our friends at the Brown University Digital Repository where they keep and digitally share with the public many of HPL's original manuscripts. You can see a thrilling ad for David Van Bush with Lovecraft's commentary here. If you want to read some of Bush's books, you can find the one Lovecraft himself worked on here. And click here to read Practical Psychology and Sex Life.

In which HPL writes to his mother about his delightful visit to a gathering of amateur press friends for St. Patrick's day. Sent a few weeks before her death, it's Howard's final extant letter to his mother. Special thanks to our friends at the <a href="https://repository.library.brown.edu" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Brown University Digital Repository</a> where they keep and digitally share with the public many of HPL's original manuscripts. You can see a thrilling ad for David Van Bush with Lovecraft's commentary <a href="https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:926018/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. If you want to read some of Bush's books, you can find the one Lovecraft himself worked on <a href="https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/bookviewer?PID=nlm:nlmuid-00640060R-bk#page/10/mode/2up" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>. And click here to read <a href="https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/bookviewer?PID=nlm:nlmuid-00640070R-bk#page/8/mode/2up" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Practical Psychology and Sex Life</a>.

My Dearest Mother

Just before Christmas, Lovecraft meets Vrest Orton for the first time. Howard is smitten by his young visitor. Is it a blossoming bromance or something more? Don't miss the giddy side of HPL in part two of his Christmas letter to his Aunt Lillian. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Thanks to the Brown Digital Repository at Brown University

Just before Christmas, Lovecraft meets Vrest Orton for the first time. Howard is smitten by his young visitor. Is it a blossoming bromance or something more? Don't miss the giddy side of HPL in part two of his Christmas letter to his Aunt Lillian. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Thanks to the <a href="https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/collections/id_680/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brown Digital Repository</a> at Brown University

Tidings of Comfort and Joy? Part 2

In which HPL deploys shocking language in a feisty letter to his friend, Wisconsin schoolteacher Maurice Moe. Thanks to Arkham House. You can read a much less abridged version of this letter in the book H.P. Lovecraft: Letters to Maurice W. Moe and Others from Hippocampus Press. Music by Troy Sterling Nies.

In which HPL deploys shocking language in a feisty letter to his friend, Wisconsin schoolteacher Maurice Moe. Thanks to <a href="http://www.arkhamhouse.com" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Arkham House</a>. You can read a much less abridged version of this letter in the book <a href="https://www.hippocampuspress.com/h.p-lovecraft/collected-letters/h.-p.-lovecraft-letters-to-maurice-w.-moe-and-others?zenid=7ivfben3ar7og2l6eqdtrfpja1" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">H.P. Lovecraft: Letters to Maurice W. Moe and Others</a> from Hippocampus Press. Music by Troy Sterling Nies.

Howard Swears a Blue Streak

In which Lovecraft delivers some unexpected bad news. Intellect collides with emotion in this letter to poet Ann Tillery Renshaw. Thanks to Hippocampus Press. Music by Troy Sterling Nies

In which Lovecraft delivers some unexpected bad news. Intellect collides with emotion in this letter to poet Ann Tillery Renshaw. Thanks to <a href="http://www.hippocampuspress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hippocampus Press</a>. Music by Troy Sterling Nies

Grief and Other Lugubrious Demonstrations

In which HPL attempts to bring good cheer to his depressed friend Rheinhart Kleiner. We hope Rheinhart took comfort from Howard's suggestions of fixing his love life by cultivating a cosmic perspective. Music by Troy Sterling Nies. Our thanks to Arkham House. Jason Thompson, who created the feature-length animated film version of The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath also created an RPG based on the never-written story HPL mentions in this letter, The Club of the Seven Dreamers. If you don't already subscribe to the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast, you should consider starting! They have a very fun episode about the August Derleth story The Dark Brotherhood, which may or may not have anything to do with the Club of the Seven Dreamers.... You can hear some lines from this letter quoted in the brilliant performance of Lovecraft by Christopher Heyerdahl in the excellent Canadian film Out of Mind.

In which HPL attempts to bring good cheer to his depressed friend Rheinhart Kleiner. We hope Rheinhart took comfort from Howard's suggestions of fixing his love life by cultivating a cosmic perspective. Music by Troy Sterling Nies. Our thanks to <a href="https://www.arkhamhouse.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arkham House.</a> Jason Thompson, who created the feature-length animated film version of The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath also created an RPG based on the never-written story HPL mentions in this letter, <a href="https://store.mockman.com/products/the-club-of-the-seven-dreamers-digital-pdf" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Club of the Seven Dreamers</a>. If you don't already subscribe to the <a href="https://www.patreon.com/witchhousemedia" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast</a>, you should consider starting! They have a very fun episode about the August Derleth story <a href="https://hppodcraft.com/2015/12/07/episode-284-the-dark-brotherhood-live/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Dark Brotherhood</a>, which may or may not have anything to do with the Club of the Seven Dreamers.... You can hear some lines from this letter quoted in the brilliant performance of Lovecraft by Christopher Heyerdahl in the excellent Canadian film <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Qd67h-Eso8" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Out of Mind</a>.

A Comedy of Vain Desire

HPL sends his aunt a very telling Christmas letter. Written while he was living in Brooklyn, the letter is revealing about both HPL and those closest to him. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Special thanks to the Brown Digital Repository at Brown University. You might need a New York Times subscription to see it, but there's a fascinating article about the crazy rich Wendel family.  And while you're surfing, learn more about the fascinating Byron Khun de Prorok! Lovecraft hoped to get a job at the Paterson Museum, where his friend James F. Morton was a curator and which was founded in the very year HPL wrote this letter. HPL never got that job, but the museum did eventually get its own new building. It's still going and is worth a visit! Lovecraft mentioned a number of interesting figures in the letter we didn't have time to talk about in the episode. One was Edward Arnold, whose recent obituary HPL and his aunts had noted. Lovecraft said it was too bad his mother didn't "snap him up". He was a member of one of the founding families of Rhode Island (which also included the infamous Benedict Arnold). He mentions astronomical articles by "Brainin" and "Upton". C.S. Brainin was the editor of The Amateur Astronomer in the late 1920s, and Professor Winslow Upton was the director of Ladd Observatory in Providence when HPL was a boy and wrote articles for the Providence Journal. He also mentions enjoying the "Hoppin conceptions", which is a reference to noted 19th-century Providentian book illustrator Augustus Hoppin.

HPL sends his aunt a very telling Christmas letter. Written while he was living in Brooklyn, the letter is revealing about both HPL and those closest to him. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Special thanks to the <a href="https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/collections/id_680/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Brown Digital Repository</a> at Brown University. You might need a New York Times subscription to see it, but there's a fascinating <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/10/realestate/before-the-trumps-there-were-the-wendels.html" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">article about the crazy rich Wendel family</a>.  And while you're surfing, learn more about the fascinating <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_Khun_de_Prorok" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Byron Khun de Prorok</a>! Lovecraft hoped to get a job at the Paterson Museum, where his friend James F. Morton was a curator and which was founded in the very year HPL wrote this letter. HPL never got that job, but the museum did eventually get its own new building. It's still going and is <a href="https://www.patersonnj.gov/department/?structureid=16" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">worth a visit</a>! Lovecraft mentioned a number of interesting figures in the letter we didn't have time to talk about in the episode. One was Edward Arnold, whose recent obituary HPL and his aunts had noted. Lovecraft said it was too bad his mother didn't "snap him up". He was a member of one of the founding families of Rhode Island (which also included the infamous Benedict Arnold). He mentions astronomical articles by "Brainin" and "Upton". C.S. Brainin was the editor of The Amateur Astronomer in the late 1920s, and Professor Winslow Upton was the director of Ladd Observatory in Providence when HPL was a boy and wrote articles for the Providence Journal. He also mentions enjoying the "Hoppin conceptions", which is a reference to noted 19th-century Providentian book illustrator <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustus_Hoppin" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Augustus Hoppin</a>.

Tidings of Comfort and Joy? Part 1

In which Lovecraft writes his friend and fellow author of fantastic tales, Clark Ashton Smith. As wildfire threatens Smith's California home we're reminded how nothing ever really changes... Thanks to Clark Ashton Smith guru Scott Connors and to Hippocampus Press.

In which Lovecraft writes his friend and fellow author of fantastic tales, Clark Ashton Smith. As wildfire threatens Smith's California home we're reminded how nothing ever really changes... Thanks to Clark Ashton Smith guru Scott Connors and to <a href="http://www.hippocampuspress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hippocampus Press</a>.

The Clark Ashton Smythos

In which Lovecraft writes to Donald Wandrei, a young correspondent who will go on to be one of the founders of Arkham House, and play a key role in preserving Lovecraft's legacy. This episode is coming out on the Ides of March, the 83rd anniversary of Lovecraft's death. We want to take a moment to humbly recognize HPL's vast contributions to popular culture and to our lives. Ave et Vale! Our thanks to Hippocampus Press for their Letters to Donald Wandrei and others.  Both of the movies that HPL mentions in this letter are watchable online. Metropolis (1927) by Fritz Lang The Thief of Bagdad (1924) by Raoul Walsh

In which Lovecraft writes to Donald Wandrei, a young correspondent who will go on to be one of the founders of Arkham House, and play a key role in preserving Lovecraft's legacy. This episode is coming out on the Ides of March, the 83rd anniversary of Lovecraft's death. We want to take a moment to humbly recognize HPL's vast contributions to popular culture and to our lives. Ave et Vale! Our thanks to <a href="http://www.hippocampuspress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hippocampus Press</a> for their Letters to Donald Wandrei and others.  Both of the movies that HPL mentions in this letter are watchable online. <a href="https://youtu.be/SArNZEcQWH4" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Metropolis</a> (1927) by Fritz Lang <a href="https://youtu.be/hv2voOOhAqc" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Thief of Bagdad</a> (1924) by Raoul Walsh

Melmoth the Wandrei

Howard unfurls his most vigorous inner-cynic as he attacks political ideals and modern poetry in this letter to Washington DC poet Elizabeth Toldridge. You can see a poem Toldridge wrote about HPL at the Brown Digital Repository here. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Special thanks to Hippocampus Press for their book  H. P. Lovecraft: Letters to Elizabeth Toldridge &amp; Anne Tillery Renshaw

Howard unfurls his most vigorous inner-cynic as he attacks political ideals and modern poetry in this letter to Washington DC poet Elizabeth Toldridge. You can see a poem Toldridge wrote about HPL at the <a href="https://repository.library.brown.edu/studio/item/bdr:935446/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Brown Digital Repository here</a>. Music by Troy Sterling Nies Special thanks to Hippocampus Press for their book <a href="https://www.hippocampuspress.com/h.p-lovecraft/collected-letters/h.-p.-lovecraft-letters-to-elizabeth-toldridge-anne-tillery-renshaw?zenid=n9r08pkauthnc6nifeirmqusl6" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> H. P. Lovecraft: Letters to Elizabeth Toldridge &amp; Anne Tillery Renshaw</a>

Politics, Poetry and Other Outrages

In which HPL writes to Robert E. Howard during his trip to New Orleans. And in which Sean and Andrew grapple with the language of racism and other problems. Special thanks for Hippocampus Press for their two volume series A Means to Freedom: the Letters of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.

In which HPL writes to Robert E. Howard during his trip to New Orleans. And in which Sean and Andrew grapple with the language of racism and other problems. Special thanks for <a href="http://www.hippocampuspress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hippocampus Press</a> for their two volume series A Means to Freedom: the Letters of H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.

New Orleans and other Horrors

In the thrilling conclusion of our coverage of Lovecraft's eternal letter, he tells Frank Belknap Long everything he fails to understand about art, history and much more. Lovecraftian opinions abound in this vigorous diatribe. Our thanks to Arkham House for making this letter available. To read the rest of it for yourself, check out Selected Letters: Vol. III.

In the thrilling conclusion of our coverage of Lovecraft's eternal letter, he tells Frank Belknap Long everything he fails to understand about art, history and much more. Lovecraftian opinions abound in this vigorous diatribe. Our thanks to <a href="https://www.arkhamhouse.com/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Arkham House</a> for making this letter available. To read the rest of it for yourself, check out Selected Letters: Vol. III.

Spanking Sonny Part 4 - About Art

HPL assaults Catholicism and other intellectual outrages. This one may ruffle some feathers as Lovecraft lays it on thick in part three of his lengthy letter to his friend Frank Belknap Long. Includes a short and pleasant detour to Quebec! Be sure to check out the website of The Museum of Jurassic Technology, and visit in person if you ever get the chance. In the gift shop they have the wonderful book No One May Ever Have the Same Knowledge Again. Frank Belknap Long wrote a memoir of HPL entitled Howard Phillips Lovecraft: Dreamer on the Nightside. In that memoir, he mentions this letter and gives us some insight into what he had said to Lovecraft to provoke HPL's anti-Catholic diatribe. "At one point covering a period of several years," Long writes, "I came close to becoming a convert to a ritualistic Catholic mysticism, perhaps because I have always been in rebellion against what I felt was the beauty-ignoring aspect of Protestantism, even when it repudiated every kind of Bible Belt fundamentalism. Despite his atheism, HPL had a great admiration for the liberal Protestant tradition, as he made plain in one of his middle-period letters to me. It is included in the third volume of Arkham House correspondence and was just about the longest letter he ever wrote to anyone. What he failed to realize was that even at that period I had no real intention of becoming a Trappist monk, and it was only the aesthetic aspects of Roman or Anglo-Catholicism that had made me just a bit less of an agnostic than I had been earlier. Basically, I would never have been able to live for long with any kind of theological orthodoxy, but in challenging some of his most firmly held beliefs, I derived a certain pleasure in playing the part of a Devil's advocate." So it seems Long deliberately tried to get a rise out of HPL by suggesting he might become a monk! Long's memoir was first published by Arkham House in 1975, but it has been recently released in paperback and digital versions by Wildside Press. And drop by the website of our friends at Hippocampus Press to see HPL's lengthy essay about Quebec and other travel writing!

HPL assaults Catholicism and other intellectual outrages. This one may ruffle some feathers as Lovecraft lays it on thick in part three of his lengthy letter to his friend Frank Belknap Long. Includes a short and pleasant detour to Quebec! Be sure to check out the website of <a href="http://mjt.org/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Museum of Jurassic Technology</a>, and visit in person if you ever get the chance. In the gift shop they have the wonderful book <a href="https://www.mjtgiftshop.org/collections/museum-products/products/no-one-may-ever-have-the-same-knowledge-again-letters-to-mount-wilson-observatory-1915-1935" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">No One May Ever Have the Same Knowledge Again.</a> Frank Belknap Long wrote a memoir of HPL entitled Howard Phillips Lovecraft: Dreamer on the Nightside. In that memoir, he mentions this letter and gives us some insight into what he had said to Lovecraft to provoke HPL's anti-Catholic diatribe. "At one point covering a period of several years," Long writes, "I came close to becoming a convert to a ritualistic Catholic mysticism, perhaps because I have always been in rebellion against what I felt was the beauty-ignoring aspect of Protestantism, even when it repudiated every kind of Bible Belt fundamentalism. Despite his atheism, HPL had a great admiration for the liberal Protestant tradition, as he made plain in one of his middle-period letters to me. It is included in the third volume of Arkham House correspondence and was just about the longest letter he ever wrote to anyone. What he failed to realize was that even at that period I had no real intention of becoming a Trappist monk, and it was only the aesthetic aspects of Roman or Anglo-Catholicism that had made me just a bit less of an agnostic than I had been earlier. Basically, I would never have been able to live for long with any kind of theological orthodoxy, but in challenging some of his most firmly held beliefs, I derived a certain pleasure in playing the part of a Devil's advocate." So it seems Long deliberately tried to get a rise out of HPL by suggesting he might become a monk! Long's memoir was first published by Arkham House in 1975, but it has been recently released in paperback and digital versions by <a href="http://wildsidepress.com/authors-l/long-frank-belknap/" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Wildside Press</a>. And drop by the website of our friends at Hippocampus Press to see <a href="https://www.hippocampuspress.com/h.p-lovecraft/collected-essays/collected-essays-4-travel-by-h-p-lovecraft" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">HPL's lengthy essay about Quebec</a> and other travel writing!

Spanking Sonny Part 3 - About Religion

In which HPL upbraids, chides and spanks his poor young friend Frank Belknap Long about weird literature (and several other topics to boot!). The first of a four part series which documents one of HPL's longest and most broad-ranging letters. CORRECTION: Andrew was in error in this episode when he said that all of the letters from HPL to Frank Belknap Long have been lost. While it's true that no one seems to know the location of any letters written after 1931, there is a fabulous trove of letters written from 1920 until 1931 currently in the hands of a private collector. If you happen to have $150,000 to spare, you could buy them! (If so, you might consider donating them to the John Hay Library at Brown University.) Special thanks to HPLHS member Kevin Miller for pointing this out to us.

In which HPL upbraids, chides and spanks his poor young friend Frank Belknap Long about weird literature (and several other topics to boot!). The first of a four part series which documents one of HPL's longest and most broad-ranging letters. CORRECTION: Andrew was in error in this episode when he said that all of the letters from HPL to Frank Belknap Long have been lost. While it's true that no one seems to know the location of any letters written after 1931, there is a fabulous trove of letters written from 1920 until 1931 currently in the hands of a private collector. If you happen to have $150,000 to spare, you could <a href="https://www.lwcurrey.com/pages/books/108246/lovecraft/letters-from-h-p-lovecraft-to-frank-belknap-long-1920-1931-52-letters-and-three-letter-fragments" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">buy them</a>! (If so, you might consider donating them to the John Hay Library at Brown University.) Special thanks to HPLHS member Kevin Miller for pointing this out to us.

Spanking Sonny Part 1 - About Literature

Bimbos Bozos

James F Morton

At the suggestion of S.T. Joshi, we read a letter to James F. Morton. Brimming with snappy 1920s slang, HPL's letter grapples with his ideas on writing, creativity and the best ways to get your kicks. Lamp it! Music by Troy Sterling Nies Special thanks to S.T. Joshi and Hippocampus Press Here's an online version of Morton's 1906 book "The Curse of Race Prejudice".

At the suggestion of S.T. Joshi, we read a letter to James F. Morton. Brimming with snappy 1920s slang, HPL's letter grapples with his ideas on writing, creativity and the best ways to get your kicks. Lamp it! Music by Troy Sterling Nies Special thanks to <a href="http://stjoshi.org" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">S.T. Joshi</a> and <a href="http://www.hippocampuspress.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Hippocampus Press</a> Here's an online version of Morton's 1906 book <a href="https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015074198006&amp;view=1up&amp;seq=5" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">"The Curse of Race Prejudice"</a>.

Bimbos Bozos and James F Morton

In which Lovecraft opines to his young friend Frank Belknap Long about the perils of pornography and includes a ribald cautionary poem in an 18th century style to drive the point home. Yes, this episode is safe for work.   Thanks to Arkham House for their Selected Letters of H.P. Lovecraft.

In which Lovecraft opines to his young friend Frank Belknap Long about the perils of pornography and includes a ribald cautionary poem in an 18th century style to drive the point home. Yes, this episode is safe for work. Thanks to <a href="http://www.arkhamhouse.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Arkham House</a> for their Selected Letters of H.P. Lovecraft.

Pornography!

In part two of HPL's lengthy letter to his friend Frank Belknap Long, Lovecraft speaks his mind about the merits of pure science. Listen as he disdains commercialism and the machine age in his diatribe celebrating knowledge for its own sake. Greeks ahoy!

In part two of HPL's lengthy letter to his friend Frank Belknap Long, Lovecraft speaks his mind about the merits of pure science. Listen as he disdains commercialism and the machine age in his diatribe celebrating knowledge for its own sake. Greeks ahoy!

Spanking Sonny Part 2 - About Science

In which HPL writes to the Gallomo (Alfred Galpin and Maurice Moe) of his potent dreams, his first encounter with Lord Dunsany, and his idyllic youth at 454 Angel Street in Providence. If you want to see HPL's reference to his Eben Spencer dream, check out page 16 of The Commonplace Book. It's full of fascinating stuff! If you want to read the book that inspired HPL's childhood village of "New Anvik", check out Snow-Shoes and Sledges by Kirk Munroe!

In which HPL writes to the Gallomo (Alfred Galpin and Maurice Moe) of his potent dreams, his first encounter with Lord Dunsany, and his idyllic youth at 454 Angel Street in Providence. If you want to see HPL's reference to his Eben Spencer dream, check out page 16 of <a href="https://store.hplhs.org/products/the-notes-and-commonplace-book-of-h-p-lovecraft" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">The Commonplace Book</a>. It's full of fascinating stuff! If you want to read the book that inspired HPL's childhood village of "New Anvik", check out <a href="https://archive.org/details/snowshoessledges0000munr/mode/2up" rel="noopener nofollow" target="_blank">Snow-Shoes and Sledges</a> by Kirk Munroe!

Dunsany & Childhood: My Favorite Things

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