Lovecraft and a World in Transition: Collected Essays on H.P. Lovecraft

This collection of 54 essays written by Lovecraft scholar Joshi between 1978 and 2013 is aimed at the serious student of the groundbreaking horror author, as the titles of some entries make clear ("The Development of Lovecraftian Studies: 1971-1982"; "A Guide to the Lovecraft Fiction Manuscripts at the John Hay Library"). Nonetheless, even the more casual Lovecraft reader will enjoy Joshi's work. For example, Lovecraft's little-known affinity for Charlie Chaplin is referenced in a study of his opinion of the cinema of his day. Joshi's trademark trenchant prose is present in abundance. In the title essay, he says, "It is as if Lovecraft required two brutal years in New York to bring him into the modern world; for then his fiction not merely takes a radical turn for the better but the archaism of manner is shed like an old skin." While a self-selected "best of" collection would have a broader appeal, the categorization of content (e.g., biographical, philosophical, thematic studies, and looks at individual works) makes it easy to find entries of interest. Joshi's modest goal, that the product of his decades of scholarship will "remain relevant in the years to come," will certainly be met. (Aug.)