I’ve been around this board and other congregations of geekiness long enough that I can pick up on plenty of references to H. P. Lovecraft even though I’ve never read any of his writings. I figure maybe it’s time I really get in on the joke, though. I’m not looking to become a Lovecraft scholar or anything, I just want to read one or two books that will give me an overview of his writing and help me understand the more common references. So what should I look for next time I’m at the library?
Lovecraft was uneven, but when he was on, he was ON. I’d suggest his stories “The Color Out of Space,” “The Shadow Out of Time,” and “The Rats in the Walls,” plus “The Call of Cthulhu” to get those references.
I would add, “The Dunwich Horror,” “Pickman’s Model,” and “The Shadow over Innsmouth.”
And check out this page on the Cthulhu Mythos (which was Lovecraft’s creation, but a lot of his colleagues soon made their own contributions): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu_mythos
Oh, and, “The Whisperer in Darkness.” Your library should have some Lovecraft short-story collections with all of these – even if you have to look in the paperback section.
RealityChuck’s list is a very good one. I would probably add The Dunwich Horror and Pickman’s Model, and definitely consider The Shadow Over Innsmouth essential additions to list. If you develop a taste for them, I’d include At the Mountains of Madness and perhaps The Cats of Ulthar but they’re not as important.
I’d say Call of Cthulhu is probably the most often common Lovecraft reference,so I’d put that at the top of the list for your purposes, but I promise that others, such as The Colour Out of Space, are much more enjoyable.
Since most of these are short stories, you’re often at the mercy of collections. Penguin has a series of three that have served me well. Otherwise, just lay your hands on what you can get and take it from there.
(on preview, more or less what BrainGlutton said. :smack: )
And, if you’re pressed for time, check out (if you can find a vid store that carries it) The Call of Cthulhu, the movie! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0478988/
…and when he was off, he was all but unreadable. I’ve read pretty much all his published work at one time or another, and some of it is real drek.
The American Library has come out with a collection of the short stories, so that ought to be in your library.
There’s a good collection, *Bloodcurdling Tales of Horror and the Macabre* that has all his best and most well-known stories, including just about everything named here.
I presume HPL is all expired copyright now, here’s a page with his collected works for your online reading enjoyment…
;j (Cthulhu smilie)
My friend, you cannot gain the knowledge you seek and keep your mind intact. Would you study the dread Necronomicon in order to drop bon mots from the Mad Arab’s text at cocktail parties?
Foolhardiness, sir. Foolhardiness. The works of Lovecraft, too, are best left as they are: Old. Obscure. Undisturbed by human eyes.
Oh, my mind hasn’t been intact for ages. This username isn’t just for show, you know.
Oo, I was hoping there’d be such a thing. Reading Call of Cthulu now. Thanks muchly.
Well, it’s supposed to be, but Arkham House apparently has the habit of sueing anyone of who tries to publish Lovecraft Stories without express permission. They don’t have a legal leg to stand on, but nobody with the time, money and will to do so has challenged them on it.
I didn’t realize Chuthlu was Jewish. But then again, I didn’t realize Optimus Prime was either.
You might also want to check out M.M. Moamrath (“science fiction’s answer to P.D.Q. Bach”)! http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue172/moamrath4.html
I’m a pretty good graber myself, but I’ll bet M. M. Moamrath could outgrabe me!
Of course Optimus Prime is Jewish-- he’s got a small robot living in his butt, as do all adult Jewish males; it’s a tradition dating back to the Second Temple period. (Interestingly, Roller is a devout Southern Baptist.)
Cthulhu’s faith is less publicized, mostly because no one has ever gotten close enough to check for the robot.
Do you mean Powermaster Optimus Prime, who had Hi-Q, his transforming engine, which popped out of his chest? I think HPL was referring to a Family Guy episode where the Catholic family went to a synagogue and saw many people they didn’t realize were Jewish, including Optimus Prime. Interestingly, in a more recent Family Guy episode, it was revealed the evil Transformer Soundwave met his girlfriend in a Christian internet chat room.
The original Optimus Prime had a little robo-car that rode around in his trailer. I think it actually turned up in the cartoon, once…