Having read all of Lovecraft's fiction, I thought this would be an interesting way to cap off his writing, with his essay on horror.

It starts out quite strong, giving a good overview of the origins of horror, and their impact. Unfortunately, once he devotes an entire section to Edgar Allan Poe, he starts to slide off the rails a bit, focusing more on various plot summaries (both of Poe and those who he highlights in the sections that follow) than he does on their impact on horror in general.

Still, for all that, it's a fascinating look into the mind that crafted a mythos that survives a century later and influences so many big names in the horror field. ( )

H. P. Lovecraft's 1927 treatise on weird fiction provides a solid historical overview of the genre, and along the way unearths a trove of works and authors for readers to explore. An invaluable book in one's library of supernatural literature. ( )

An excellent overview of early horror works. ( )

Rating: 4 of 5

Supernatural Horror in Literature proved a helpful resource, by one of the genre's masters, for fans of literary horror and dark fiction. I daresay there are enough references included in the pages of this essay to keep readers busy for a couple years at least. However, do not expect in-depth analysis of the works mentioned.

Now, the fun part begins ... reading the books Lovecraft suggested. ( )

This is a very useful and informative survey of the supernatural element in literature and represents an important contribution to the study of genre writing, particularly fantasy, horror, and science fiction. No, no, no: this isn't just me ascribing to the so-called Lovecraftian "cult of personality." Don't roll your eyes in disdain! This survey is indeed genuine literary scholarship backed up by a lifetime of reading and verifiable expertise (Lovecraft wrote reams of this stuff in correspondences with lots and lots of folks!). But don't take my word for it. Take Edmund Wilson's! Yes, indeed, Edmund Wilson--the famous literary critic and author of the famous _Axel's Castle_--went so far as to say this was Lovecraft's greatest work. This compliment, of course, came at the end of a scathing and immature review of Lovecraft's fiction; nevertheless, I take Edmund Wilson's opinion on "literary scholarship" to be more trustworthy than his opinion on genre literature. What makes this book useful? Put simply: it substantially and succinctly surveys the treatment of the supernatural element in Western literature from Roman times to Lovecraft's contemporary moment. Although Lovecraft has some silly ideas about racial memory--for example, he gives a lot of stock to the ethnicity of writers and equates ethnicity to specific literary styles or psychological temperaments--his knowledge of the canonical literature is astounding. This is not to say he includes everything. He downplays Henry James _The Turn of the Screw_ and Sheridan LaFanu; nevertheless, if you find you have interest in the origins of horror fiction or supernatural fiction in general (read fantasy and science-fiction), this is a classic study that you absolutely need to know.