H P Lovecraft: Supernatural Horror in Literature

[david13]

I read this some many years ago. And it is now time to try it again.
I want to compare and contrast with Stephen Kings best book (his only non fiction) DANSE MACABRE.
Any comments would be welcome.
dc

[Lost in CT]

1. Funny I was going to compare it to King's On Writing.

but you are correct Danse Macabre (also excellent even today) is a better fit.

[closeupready]

2. I read Danse Macabre, but it was so long ago,

I basically forgot most of it. Maybe I should reread it. :D

[whopis01]

3. Actually he had another non fiction - "On Writing". n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. Didn't Lovecraft necessarily concentrate on stories and writers

pre 1900, Lefanu, Hodgeson, Poe, Hawthorne whereas King's book has much more focus on post 1900's, including Lovecraft I think.

[david13]

6. Lovecraft wrote about 1927

and King much later. So that has to be part of it.
My favorite of the King book was his discussion of the 'suspension of disbelief'.
It's also a very important concept in theater.
I haven't read "On Writing", but I will have to.
dc

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. Lovecraft's stories don't hold up very well. He seems to have trouble

with the endings. We used to read them out loud for laughs & mispronounce stuff like miss happen & cootaloo. They are mostly unintentionally? humorous or unspeakable.

[kestrel91316]

5. I'll stick with Lovecraft's fiction. I've been a fan since I discovered him at age 10.

[Orangeone]

8. Have you read M.R. James?

Some of his stuff is pretty scary, my favorite of his short stories is "The Mezzotint."

[flyingfysh]

9. the Library of America series now has a Lovecraft volume!

www.loa.org. Their aim is to print the best of American writing, in high-quality hardbacks and on acid-free paper. I own every volume they ever sold.

For LOA to publish Lovecraft is quite a comment on his reputation.