 | The Age of Lovecraft Subjects: Lovecraft H. P. (Howard Phillips) 1890–1937 -- Criticism and interpretation; Lovecraft H. P. (Howard Phillips) 1890–1937 -- Influence; Horror tales American -- History and criticism; In this wide-ranging collection of essays, editors Sederholm and Weinstock seek to put a contemporary lens on the works of 20th-century "weird fiction" writer H.P. Lovecraft. The editors are quick to point out that while there have been some 33 previous monographs or edited collections of Lovecraft criticism, their work is the "first sustained analysis of Lovecraft in relation to 21st-century critical theory." The contributors were posed the questions "Why Lovecraft?" and "Why now?", and their answers are enlightening and on the cutting edge of contemporary literary theory. In 11 essays, this collection moves from James Kneale on how Lovecraft's "infamously awkward style allows him to address the weirdness of reality itself" to coeditor Sederholm on the author's reluctance to write about sexuality; another entry, by Jessica George, close-reads a Lovecraftian short story by Neil Gaiman. The strongest piece is "Lovecraft's Cosmic Ethics," by Patricia MacCormack. Her reflections on perspective, chaos, and posthumanism make for a challenging but rewarding read. The scholarship throughout is sharp, current, and often makes use of one of the greatest strengths of Lovecraft study: his abundant published correspondence. An appreciative foreword by horror author Ramsey Campbell and a brief concluding interview with New Weird fiction writer China Miéville round out this eclectic assortment. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved. Carl H. Sederholm is associate professor of interdisciplinary humanities at Brigham Young University. He is the coauthor of Poe, "The House of Usher," and the American Gothic and the coeditor of Adapting Poe: Re-Imaginings in Popular Culture. Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock is professor of English at Central Michigan University. He has edited three volumes of Lovecraft's fiction. Ramsey Campbell is one of the world's most honored horror writers. He has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Horror Writers Association, a Living Legend Award from the International Horror Guild, and a Grand Master Award from the World Horror Convention. China Miéville is a fantasy fiction author, comic writer, and academic. His books include Perdido Street Station, The City & the City, and Kraken. His works have won the Hugo, the British Science Fiction Award, the Arthur C. Clarke Award, and the World Fantasy Award. |
