Other Than Eldritch

When one thinks of H. P. Lovecraft, if one does think of him at all, one thinks naturally of his Cthulhu Mythos. That’s unsurprising since Lovecraft is heralded as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, writers of horror fiction of the twentieth century and the Cthulhu Mythos was the centerpiece of his writing. Lovecraft, however, wrote more than just horror. He also published a journal heavily focused on sociopolitical thought, The Conservative.

H. P. Lovecraft’s The Conservative had little no nothing to do with eldritch horrors. It was a journal edited and self-published sporadically by H. P. Lovecraft between 1915 and 1923. Some of its pieces were written by Lovecraft himself, but many of them were written by others. They included not just political and social commentary on the issues of the day, but also poetry, short stories and literary criticism.

The period in time covered by The Conservative coincided with some of the most tumultuous events of the twentieth century, including the First World War and the Russian Revolution.

It’s quite the interesting read.

Note, however, that I said it was an interesting read. It is not an easy one; not at all. It is firmly grounded in the society, issues, and history of a century ago. Still, I wholeheartedly recommend it as an addition to any American’s library.

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One Response to “Other Than Eldritch”

  1. Buffet Says:

    “…if one does think of him at all.”???
    I’ve always been a huge fan. The “Books of Blood” volumes ROCK.
    I shall indeed add The Conserveative to my collection.
    Thanks man.

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