Comments on: “Who the heck is this Lovecraft guy?”

By: Urong

Urong — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 06:37:47 +0000

His writing is terrible, only exquisite due to his use of words that were not common usage even when he was originally published. It’s only his influence on better, more popular writers that have made Lovecraft well known and worshiped.

Read some of his character dialogue and you’ll see what I mean.

And his stories are very predictable and boring – the same three themes somehow spawn dozens of works;
1) Always dark, brooding settings,
2) Always that man is not in control, weak and insignificant.
3) Madness MADNESS MADDDDDDDDNESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Read one of his stories and that’s all you need.

By: Graham

Graham — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 22:05:25 +0000

This man’s writing style fascinates me. I need to read some of his books.

By: Jamie

Jamie — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:21:40 +0000

His mother also dressed him up in girls’ clothes when he was young. While this is by no means a eureka detail, it does shed some light on his peculiar sense that some things are very, very different than what they appear.

While not a great writer, there is no discounting his influence.

Good post. Thanks.

By: R.J. Sayer

R.J. Sayer — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 23:28:55 +0000

we also shouldn’t forget to mention that good ol’ Howie was a bit of a racist and anti-semite (despite being married to a Jewish woman).

too bad.

visionary writer.

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:17:37 +0000

I had absolutely no clue who he was up until two years ago. Took another year for me to read a single word he wrote. At that point it took about 30 minutes sitting in a Borders to realize the man was the very brand of asphalt used to pave the alley I’d say other likes of mine are right up.

Star, Thanks, I dig that LiveJournal. Great idea done just right.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 19:07:19 +0000

For the record, I asked that question in jest. Of course I know who Lovecraft was. I just didn’t know what the big deal was about. Thanks for explaining it a little.

By: star

star — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:10:50 +0000

1980 - 1937 = magical powers of reverse living! I'd highly recommend Matthew Baldwin's The LiveJournal of Zachary Marsh piece. It won't help newcomers to Lovecraft understand his writing much, but it's a treat for anyone familiar with his works.