H. P. Lovecraft's "Supernatural Horror in
Literature," first published in 1927, is widely
recognized as the finest historical survey of horror
literature ever written. The product of both a keen
critical analyst and a working practitioner in the
field, the essay affords unique insights into the
nature, development, and history of the weird tale.
Beginning with instances of weirdness in ancient
literature, Lovecraft proceeds to discuss horror writing
in the Renaissance, the first Gothic novels of the late
18th century, the revolutionary importance of Edgar
Allan Poe, the work of such leading figures as Nathaniel
Hawthorne, Ambrose Bierce, and William Hope Hodgson, and
the four "modern masters"-Arthur Machen, Lord Dunsany,
Algernon Blackwood and M. R. James. In this annotated
edition of Lovecraft's seminal work, acclaimed Lovecraft
scholar S. T. Joshi has supplied detailed commentary on
many points. In addition, Joshi has supplied a
comprehensive bibliography of all the authors and works
discussed in the essay, with references to modern
editions and critical studies. For this new edition,
Joshi has exhaustively revised and updated the
bibliography and also revamped the notes to bring the
book in line with the most up-to-date scholarship on
Lovecraft and weird fiction. The entire volume has also
been redesigned for ease of reading and reference. This
latest edition will be invaluable both to devotees of
Lovecraft and to enthusiasts of the weird tale.
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