He was a literary prodigy who was able to recite poems by age three and write complete poems by age six. From 1923 on, most of lovecraft s short stories appeared in the magazine. Lovecraft was born in 1890 in providence, rhode island, where he lived most of his life. If one author truly represents the very best in american literary horror, it is h. Howard phillips lovecraft august 20, 1890 march 15, 1937, known as h. When the younger lovecraft was only 3yearsold, according to the h. John carpenter, director of at the mouth of madness, halloween, and christine with an introduction by neil gaiman. Winfield scott lovecraft was committed to butler hospital after being diagnosed with psychosis when hp lovecraft was only three years old. While far from a household name, interest in lovecraft and his cthulhu mythos has burgeoned in the last 30 years, with new books, films, games, graphic novels, and even albums based on the writers work released annually. Lovecraft historical society adapted this story as a radio play get the dark adventure radio theatre production of the shadow over innsmouth here. Although his hands and face could pass as human, the skin of his upper body was scaled like that of a reptile, with armour plating reminiscent of a crocodilian. Mostly an autodidact, he never finished school, staying at home due to fragile health, gobbling up books far advanced for his age. Lovecraft is a american shortstory writer, editor, novelist, poet, letter writer, ghostwriter, who was born on 20 august, 1890 in birth place not known.
His father was called winfield scott lovecraft while his mother was known as sarah susan phillips lovecraft. Lovecraft was a man virtually unknown in his lifetime. Lovecraft is most famous for his stories involving a slimy alien god named cthulhu. He wrote many essays and poems early in his career, but gradually focused on the writing of horror stories, after the advent in 1923 of the pulp magazine weird tales, to which he contributed most of his fiction. Though he died in poverty, having only published his works in pulp magazines, he gained posthumous fame as a writer of horror fiction. Between 1908 and 1923, he wrote short stories for weird tales magazine, among others. Over nine feet tall and still growing by the time of his death, wilbur wore voluminous clothes in an effort to disguise his continuouslydegenerating form. Lovecraft letter to the mother of suicide death writer robert nelson at age 17. Lovecraft would have been 46 years old at the time of death or 124 years old today. Lovecraft is listed in our database as the 7th most popular celebrity for the day august 20 and the 4th most popular for the year 1890. Living as a recluse in rhode island, he created a sprawling fictional universe that fused traditional horror with cuttingedge science in new and revolutionary ways then died before more than a handful of people could read it. This volume of fers the most thorough examination of lovecraft s place in contemporary philosophy to date as it seeks to shed light on the larger phenomenon of the dominance of weird fiction in the twentyfirst century. He was utterly unknown and published only in pulp magazines before dying in poverty, though is now regarded as one of the most significant and influential authors of all time.
With contributions from scholars including gothic expert david punter, historian w. Lovecraft occupation author birth date august 20, 1890 death date march 15, 1937 place of birth providence, rhode island place of death. Lovecraft had an unusual childhood marked by tragedy. Burial will be in the family plot in swan point cemetery. Howard phillips lovecraft was born in providence, rhode island, in 1890. The whisperer in darkness, beyond the wall of sleep, the rats in the walls, the shunned house, the shadow out of time, the alchemist, the dreams in the witch house. Howard phillips lovecraft august 20, 1890 march 15, 1937 was an american writer who achieved fame only after death for his art.
Howard phillips lovecraft was an american author who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction. Lovecraft was first seen in the world in rhode island, providence. The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind. Some of the age old horrors that even now are festering in outofway corners with a few monstrous priests to keep them alive. After whipples death, susie was unable to support the upkeep of the expansive family home on what remained. Lovecraft s letter to rheinhart kleiner, june 6, 1920. Lovecraft, this is your stop for all of his outstanding works and weird fiction in general. Virtually unknown and only published in pulp magazines before he died in poverty, he is now regarded as one of the most significant 20thcentury authors in his genre.
Lovecraft archive, winfield experienced a nervous breakdown while on the road. Lovecraft quotes author of the call of cthulhu and other. Some people know things about the universe that nobody ought to know, and can do things that nobody ought to be able to do. Lovecraft, american author of fantastic and macabre short novels and. Lovecraft was an american horror fiction writer, credited with starting a trend in fantasy and science fiction scifi writing. Howards death sent shockwaves of grief through the weird fiction community, vividly documented in the pulps and fanzines of the era, and marked the beginning of the end of the golden age of weird tales. When he was 16, he wrote the astronomy column in the providence tribune. The only child of winfield scott lovecraft and sarah susan phillips, howard was born, raised in, and died in providence, rhode island.
Lovecraft s father, winfield scott lovecraft, was institutionalized in 1893 after a psychotic episode and died in 1898, leaving h. Lovecraft, was an american author who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction. Ten things you should know about hp lovecraft books the. Lovecraft, h p 18901937 us author whose admirers regard him as a kind of 20thcentury edgar allan poe.
Hp lovecraft by michel houellebecq books the guardian. He was buried on march 18 at the phillips family plot at swan point cemetery. Ten things you should know about hp lovecraft books. Lovecraft attempted to carry on in increasing pain through the winter of 193637, but was finally compelled to enter jane brown memorial hospital on march 10, 1937, where he died five days later. Lovecraft was interested in science from childhood, but lifelong poor health prevented him from attending college. Around the age of 8, his mother pulled him out of organized education for good. His most famous novel is considered to be at the mountains. Funeral services for howard phillips lovecraft, student and writer of fiction, who died yesterday at jane brown memorial hospital, will be held thursday at 12 oclock in the chapel of horace b.
August 20, 1890 march 15, 1937 was an american author who achieved posthumous fame through his influential works of horror fiction. Lovecraft was born and raised in rhode island and made his living as a ghost writer and. With the death of lovecrafts father, the upbringing of the boy fell to his mother. Lovecraft who shortened their name to lovecraft and then love craft in the 1970s released the albums h. The problems, it seems, began with his traveling salesman father, winfield scott lovecraft. He made his living as a ghostwriter and rewrite man and spent most of his life in seclusion and poverty. Grecki zespol septic flesh nagral piosenke lovecrafts death. Howard phillips lovecraft 20 august 1890 15 march 1937. Born in providence, lovecraft was a sickly child whose parents died insane. His mother sarah susan phillips lovecraft could trace her ancestry to the arrival of george phillips to massachusetts in 1630. The age of lovecraft is the first sustained analysis of lovecraft in relation to twentyfirstcentury critical theory and culture, delving into troubling aspects of his thought and writings.
In 1908 at the age of 18, he suffered what has been described as a nervous breakdown and plummeted into a lethargy that lasted about 10 years. The age of lovecraft is the first sustained analysis of howard phillips lovecraft in relation to twentyfirstcentury critical theory and culture. The dunwich horror a student of the occult seeks out the necronomicon to open the gates between our world and one that is unseen. Lovecraft was born on august 20, 1890 and died on march 15, 1937. His father, who became acutely psychotic a few years after lovecrafts birth, died of. Lovecraft was a famous american writer, who was born on august 20, 1890. His mother made him wear his hair long until the age of six, and treated him like a girl. With the death of lovecraft s father, the upbringing of the boy fell to his mother, his two aunts, and especially his grandfather, the prominent industrialist whipple van buren phillips. When he died of cancer of the small intestine in 1937, lovecraft was buried in swan point cemetery and listed on his mothers familys monument. To myself i pictured all the splendours of an age so distant that chaldaea could not recall it, and thought of sarnath the doomed, that stood in the land of mnar when mankind was young, and of ib, that was carven of grey stone before. Lovecraft finally rests in peace, sans night horrors. Lovecraft, in full howard phillips lovecraft, born august 20, 1890, providence, rhode island, u.
His traveling salesman father developed a type of mental disorder caused by untreated syphilis when he was around the age of three. He died in providence, in poverty, on march 15, 1937. Howard phillips lovecraft one of the 20th centurys most influential horror writers, h. At three years of age, his father died due to depression. The call of cthulhu, the case of charles dexter ward, at the mountains of madness, the shadow over innsmouth, the dunwich horror and many more. Scott poole, musicologist isabella van elferen, and philosopher of the.
The age of lovecraft university of minnesota press. Lovecraft wrote short stories, novels and novellas, including the lurking fear, at the mountains of madness, the call of cthulhu and the case of charles dexter ward howard phillips lovecraft was born on august 20, 1890 in providence, rhode island. A master craftsman, lovecraft brings compelling visions of nightmarish fear, invisible worlds and the demons of the unconscious. He died on march 15, 1937, in providence, rhode island.