This year on 31 Days of Horror I am working in partnership with @ItsNiaMya from Library Journal as we host #LovecraftFridays on Twitter and here on the blog. This is part of the larger Library Journal #LJReads program. Every Friday in October we will be dissecting LOVECRAFT COUNTRY the novel by Matt Ruff and the hit HBO show. We have come up with 4 larger themes and will be taking a deep dive into them each week.
Each Friday in October around 5pm eastern, Nia will post a thread on Library Journal's Twitter to start the larger discussion on the topic. To supplement the discussion, I have prepared some more reading lists and background information to help you put it into a broader context and help your library patrons.
You can engage with the conversation anytime using the #LJReads and #LovecraftFridays hashtags. Pass it on to your patrons and encourage them to participate too.
We also have a live, free, wrap up program planned for 10/30, the final Friday and you can sign up now. by clicking here or on the graphic.
Now it is time for the discussion and this week's topic-- Shoggoth and Other Lovecraftian Creatures.
Today's discussion is focused on giving you, a non-expert audience, a chance to get a primer on the creatures and their larger symbolism in Lovecraft's Universe. These creatures are complex, and there are also a lot of them! They are not only some of Lovecraft's most influential contributions to the entire horror genre, but also, they are still used today by other authors.
As Mary SanGiovanni explained on my interview with her in this month's Library Journal here:
"Lovecraft's monsters were often described as connected in some way to the sea, and both the sights and sounds of these creatures, as well as the evidence they left behind, were often described in terms often used in relation to the alien aspects of sea creatures."
This is the beginning of her assessment and explanation in the primer SanGiovanni offers us all on the Lovecraftian world of monsters in that piece. Honestly, that primer is all you really need to understand enough about books and/or shows like LOVECRAFT COUNTRY which use the known universe the author created as their starting point.
In today's #LJReads #LovecraftFridays thread and in this post, Nia is going to provide some more background on the monsters, and their symbolism, that appear in the show. She will include pictures and context for many monsters, but clearly, she cannot give us everything. That is where I come in.
For those of you who want or need more, this post is going to give you more context on where to find more information, but overall, I want to make it clear to you, the library worker, you do not need to be an expert on Lovecraftian monsters in order to help fans of the show, book, or even those who are huge Lovecraftians themselves. Like all reference or readers' advisory questions you just need to know where to go to learn more. That's why I am here.
Let's begin with SanGiovanni. She is the Queen of Cosmic Horror. She not only writes in the genre herself, she is a professor so she understands how to teach thee topic to a general audience. You should consider her primer in this month's Library Journal as THE start here place for you to learn about Lovecraft, his influence, and cosmic horror as it stands today. But if you are looking for more, she also hosts a podcast called Cosmic Shenanigans [click here and then click on the podcast link in the top menu]:
Cosmic Shenanigans is a podcast focusing on cosmic horror in films, television, art, games, music, fashion, pop culture, and just about anywhere else our little tentacles can reach. Host Mary SanGiovanni delves into what makes it timelessly relevant and enjoyable, and examines how it permeates so much of modern culture. Further, as a writer of cosmic horror herself, Mary looks at her and others’ roles in the subgenre and in publishing at large, and explores the female perspective toward and within works of cosmic horror.
These are quick episodes that give context to the larger points made in the primer. I enjoy listening to understand how authors apply the subgenre to their work. SanGiovanni is well prepared with detailed notes for each podcast, and she understands that her audience is not as much of an expert as her, and yet she never talks down to us. Worth a subscription and listen when you can or when the topic is something you are interested in.
In terms of books that you can use to learn more about Lovecraft's monsters, I have two very useful resources that put the universe into context and provide modern interpretations. And both have bibliographies that will lead you to more trusted titles if you are so inclined.
First, is a general overview of the essentials, The New Annotated H.P. Lovecraft edited and annotated by Leslie Klinger with an introduction by Victor LaValle. This book is the perfect introduction to Lovecraft and his work all in one volume. It has everything: key stories, reproductions of original illustrations, and most importantly, a running commentary on everything. Klinger's annotations are insightful and easy to understand.
Second is a title that I gave a STAR review in the December 15 issue of Booklist, The Gods of H.P. Lovecraft edited by Aaron French. Click here or see below for my review which explains why this book is an essential guide to the monsters of the Lovecraft Universe:
H.P. Lovecraft and his Mythos have seen a resurgences in popularity in the last ten years both in popular media and scholarship, but this collection stands out among the crowd. Editor French selected twelve of the key deities from Lovecraft’s universe and handed them to some of today’s best and most popular dark fiction writers, including New York Time’s Bestselling authors, Jonathan Maberry, Bentley Little, David Liss, Joe Lansdale, Christopher Golden, and Seanan McGuire, with the direction that they should craft a story from their own imagination, in their unique voice, it just needed to feature their assigned god and pay homage to that character’s origin. The result is a book that serves as an excellent introduction to the Mythos for novices who have heard of Lovecraft but may be overwhelmed looking for an entry point, while also being a must read for Lovecraft enthusiasts who will love seeing their beloved cosmic horror deities of the past being reinterpreted by some of their favorite writers of today. Even taken out of the Lovecraftian frame, all twelve stories are solid, scary, and well crafted with plenty to offer readers looking for a post-Halloween fix. Take horror up and comer Douglas Wynne’s story, “Rattled” featuring Yig as an example. At its heart, this is a terrifying story featuring the Father of Serpents, but it is also a moving coming of age tale. This volume also contains original artwork and a commentary on each deity by Lovecraft scholar, Donald Tyson. After each story, Tyson interjects important information about the featured God and its place within Lovecraft’s oeuvre. These essays are particularly compelling as readers encounter each immediately after being immersed in that God’s terrifying world. This is must add for all horror collections.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE THIS BOOK: Lovecraft Reimagined, Enlightening, Compelling
The key to this book is that it pairs essays about each creature with a story by a current practitioner of horror, a story that places the creature in a new context, but one that also honors its origins. The essays alone are worth a read. I learned so much from those essays, and I know you will too.
That's it from me this week. Please visit the #LJReads #LovecraftFridays threads and add your voice to our discussion. And before you leave this post, get yourself signed up for our live discussion on 10/30.
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