H.P. Lovecraft's Book of Horror

by Stephen Jones, Dave Carson (editor), H.P. Lovecraft

H.P. Lovecraft’s Book of Horror is a connoisseur’s collection of classic chillers that have withstood the test of time. Hand-picked by horror master H.P. Lovecraft in his landmark essay “Supernatural Horror in Literature,” these twenty-one masterpieces of the macabre rank among the best weird tales written in the last two centuries. The selections span the globe and express all of horror fiction’s most memorable themes. The cornucopia of terrors “The Fall of the House of Usher”—Edgar Allan Poe “The Body Snatcher”—Robert Louis Stevenson “The Horla”—Guy de Maupassant “The Damned Thing”—Ambrose Bierce “The Mark of the Beast”—Rudyard Kipling “The Great God Pan”—Arthur Machen “Count Magnus”—M.R. James Featuring irresistible storytelling and unspeakable scares, H.P. Lovecraft’s Book of Horror is your recommended reading list for the best—and darkest—in world literature.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Anthologies, Lovecraftian, Fantasy, Weird Fiction

544 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Stephen Jones is an eighteen-time winner of the British Fantasy Award.

Reviews

[Kevin Lucia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. An excellent cross section of classic horror stories, plus Lovecraft's Supernatural in Literature to boot. Definitely a must-read for those looking to dig into the genre's roots.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Supernatural horror in literature / H.P. Lovecraft
The Signalman / C. Dickens
The house and the brain / E. Bulwer-Lytton
The body snatcher / R.L. Stevenson
The spider / H.H. Ewers
The foot of the mummy / T. Gautier
The horla / G. de Maupassant
The fall of the house of Usher / E.A. Poe
The damned thing / A. Bierce
The upper berth / F.M. Crawford
The yellow sign / R.W. Chambers
The shadows on the wall / M.E. Wilkins-Freeman.
The dead valley / R.A. Cram
Fishhead / I.S. Cobb
Lukundoo / E.L. White
The double shadow / C.A. Smith
The mark of the beast / R. Kipling
Negotium perambulans / E.F. Benson
Mrs. Lunt / H. Walpole
The hog / W.H. Hodgson
The Great God Pan / A. Machen
Count Magnus / M.R. James
Afterword: Lovecraft and the 'Literature of cosmic fear'.

[Richard Behrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must for all Lovecraft fans. In 1925, one of Lovecraft's friends was publishing his own horror magazine and asked H.P. to write an essay about supernatural weird fiction. What he got was a masterpiece, a comprehensive history of everything that Lovecraft knew about weird literature called "Supernatural Horror in Literature." This long, long essay is a veritable university course in literary history, targeting all the horror, supernatural, weird, ghost, horror and gothic short story writers and novelists that defined the genre. The magazine that hosted the essay folded after one issue, but what an issue!

This book, edited by Stephen Jones, which starts with Lovecraft's essay, is a collection of short stories and novellas which Lovecraft cites in his essay, including such authors as Edgar Allen Poe, Charles Dickens, Robert W. Chambers, Ambrose Bierce, Robert Louis Stevenson, Arthur Machen, M.R. James, Clark Ashton Smith, Guy de Maupassant and many others. It is a priceless collection of the stories that Lovecraft himself enjoyed. Almost all these stories, including Lovecraft's essay, is available on-line for free, but having a real book that smells of old bookcases and whose spine creaks when I open it is a perfect way to experience it's treasures.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Only for the ill-at-mind

[N. M. D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm embarrassed to say I've only just gotten around to reading this volume I've owned for many years. It starts with Lovecraft's essay "Supernatural Horror in Literature" in which he details the history of horror. First there's a brief overview of humanities eternal interest in the frightful and unknown and then it catalogs (starting with The Castle of Otranto) the history of horror literature. It's an important essay and does a great job of giving you an easy history up until the point it was written. I'm happy to say I've read many of the notable works and many more were already on my list. A remarkable thing about this is how Lovecraft cannot seem to praise any full novels without also tearing them down—he lathers on both praise and dimisnishment is one swoop. Short stories are the only ones that escape unscathed.

Included along with the essay are a large number of the mentioned and important short stories. A volume like this is a must read for someone interested in this sort of thing. You don't have to know about or like Lovecraft either, none of his fiction is present. He does express his opinions on the mentioned works of course, and I found myself agreeing with his criticisms even with works that I love. I was glad to see his high praise of Melmoth the Wanderer, one of my all-time favorite novels that truly does not get the love it deserves.

Many stories I'd read before but long enough ago to be mostly forgotten. Some I didn't think I'd read before but recognized as I dug into them. Still, some were new to me, most for better rather than worse. A big standout was Hanns Heinz Ewers's The Spider. Other great tales are the fabulous and often reprinted The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen, Guy de Mauspassant's The Horla and Robert Chamber's The Yellow Sign.

[cosmic_truthseeker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this ages ago and, for some reason, neglected to update it. Suffice to say, I very much enjoyed this selection of classic tales. Some more than others, but this is a solid selection of horrors that you can still enjoy today.

[Harris · Rating 3 out of 5]

First off, what’s with that ridiculous cover? That buggy eyed green walrus man, er, Cthulhu, totally looks like some schlubby guy in a rubber suit! Not really the best image to set up an eerie atmosphere.

Anyway, this Barnes and Noble edition reprints H.P. Lovecraft’s long essay, Supernatural Horror in Literature, and then anthologizes some of the stories praised by Lovecraft in this piece. While glimpses of Lovecraft’s tastes and philosophies of horror writing is showcased in the piece, it can be a little dry and rambling. From its roots in ancient folklore, Lovecraft traces the development of supernatural horror to his time, and shares some writers that he felt exemplify the genre, including their strengths and flaws. While an important piece of literary criticism in the history of the horror and weird tale genre, expressing the state and styles of the form, it is rather dated both in its critiques and the authors included. This is particularly the case in the way that Lovecraft himself revolutionized and influenced the path of the genre throughout the rest of the twentieth century. Still, the essay is a good overview of the genre through the lens of Lovecraft’s own take on it.

The stories themselves do provide a good sampling of works Lovecraft found inspiring, ranging from classics in the genre from Poe, Bierce, and James, (including some rarer and more obscure works like Benson’s “Negotium Perambulans” and Mary E. Wilkins-Freeman’s “The Shadows on the Wall”) to a few lesser pieces (in particular Edward Lucas White’s “Lukundoo” and Kipling’s “Mark of the Beast”), tawdry in their reliance on hoary period racism in their plots. Still, there’s quite a few interesting, little known stories collected here.

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been reading this collection for more than 10 years now and finally decided to finish it. The last part of it that I read was Lovecraft's "Supernatural Horror in Literature" essay. It wasn't terrible but was mostly just plots of stories and novels told in short form with a bit of comment on each.

Of the 20 or so stories my favorites were:
Poe's -The Fall of the House of Usher-, Clark Ashton Smith's -
The Double Shadow-, Marion F. Crawford's -The Upper Berth- and Irvin Cobb's -Fishhead-. But I didn't give any of the stories less than a 5 out of 10.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe ****
I read the House of Usher almost every year and I find something new every time. There is really great criticism about the vampiric relationship between the Usher siblings. Everyone should read this at least once.

The Damned Thing by Ambrose Bierce ***
I really like Bierce's writing. I felt this story could have used a bit more build-up of Morgan's paranoia. All-in-all it had an interesting premise.

[Madkropotkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this collection. You can definitely how these authors influenced Lovecraft's writing. There are stories where you could swear you were reading one of his. I really liked "The Foot of the Mummy" and "The Great God Pan" the best.

I learned three very important things from this book.
1. I need to learn more Latin.
2. I really like Gautier, Kipling, Machen and James.
and 3. Horror stories can be great pieces of literature.

[David Breedlove · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with gripping and chilling short stories of horror. I was almost afraid to read the next word. I read like I was tip-toeing down a dark hallway, trying not to wake some sort of evilness. These stories will drudge up emotions in you that you didn't know you had. Before each story there are analysis of the story and author. This is not only a collection of horror stories but a collection of history of the influx of great writers in the late 19th century.

[David Garrett jr · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting collection of short stories. This book was originally purchased for me when I was a child and it was too advanced to read. I was interested into getting in H.P. Lovecraft’s works only to find that all he wrote in this was the beginning essay telling about supernatural horror. If you want to read a collection of different, yet well written and some obscure stories and authors, give this a read!

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were some stories I really enjoyed, but they were in the minority. Some of my dislike was the ponderous language but mostly it was that the stories all had so much in common. They were inevitably a story being told by someone who heard the story from someone else who very well may have heard it from someone else. Had to make myself finish it for which I was glad as "The Great God Pan" at the end was one of the best. "The Hog" was the worst.

[Karlton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here are the stories I liked:
“The Spider” by Hans Heinz Ewers: A hotel room, suicide, and a spider named Clarimonde
“The Mummy’s Foot” by Théophile Gautier:An odd object is bought from an antique shop
“Mrs. Lunt” by Hugh Walpole: Narrator meets strange man at Penzance who has a ghost
“The Hog” by William Hope Hodgson: A tale of Thomas Carnacki The Ghost Hunter
“The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen: epic

Funnily, there isn’t a single Lovecraft story.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

21 horror stories written in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Authors include Dickens, Louis Stevenson, Gautier, De Maupassant, Poe, Bierce, Chambers, Kipling, Walpole and others. A diverse selection of style, narrative voice and structure within the genre are presented in this selection. Those interested in writing horror fiction should read this book to develop an ear for the genre.

[Julie Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another anthology of tales Lovecraft highlighted in his Supernatural Horror in Literature essay. This is enough of a different selection that it is definitely worth owning also, if that's what you're into. And I am.

A bonus is that it has Lovecraft's entire essay as the first item in the book so you can read the whole thing for yourself before you begin the stories.

[Maria · Rating 2 out of 5]

I used to really like Stephen Jones, but he's lost his way in recent years, picking stories only from his circle of friends.
This is an attempt to banish that tag... but publishing a collection of out of copyright stories claiming inspiration to Lovecraft.
The stories are ok, but the attempt to get the reader to shell out money in this way is pretty grim.

[Arianne Faunt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some stories in here are all right. Most are disturbing, though perhaps not in the ways the authors intended. The modern reader will likely be squicked out by bigotry and classism as much as any creature described therein. My favorite story by far was The Hog, which could just about be a Doctor Who episode.

[Aaron Meyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories contained in the book are from a variety of authors in the genre chosen by Lovecraft. Some of the stories struck me as well written but there were some which I found rather boring. But with the variety provided I am sure that there will be something for every horror fan.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun read. I skipped the essay at the beginning, since I decided I'd rather read the stories than read about them. Some of the stories weren't great but they're all interesting to see how Lovecraft built his literary cannon.

[John Frasene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like any collection of short stories there is a range of quality, but fans of HP Lovecraft should read this for "The Yellow Sign", "The Great God Pan", "The Spider", and "The Mark of the Beast". And of course "The Fall of the House of Usher" is a masterpiece.

[Synchro · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of stories by authors who influenced Lovecraft growing up as a child.
Great stuff that sent me seeking out writers I might easily have missed.

[Kirk Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great short stories by old-school writers of the macabre.

[Ingrid Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was reading this book off and on, some stories are good but with others the writing and/or story is too dated for me to enjoy.

[Robby · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best part of this collection is the witty series of introductory notes by H.P. himself, to each story. Rarely praising, more often chastising/criticizing the authors. Such a humble man :)

[Jay Rothermel · Rating 1 out of 5]

A cheap trade paper back printed on quickly yellowing pages. All the tales are free online nowadays.

[Gustavo · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book, I like it

[Ashley Cricks Kudamik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some stories were very good. I expected to be scared to turn the page, however I was not.

[Ken Ringwald · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a collection of horror stories, mostly from the 1800s or early 1900s, based on H.P. Lovecraft's essay on "Supernatural Horror in Literature."

The stories are well-organized and presented. In any collection, there will be stories that match my tastes more than others. I found the book to be an excellent introduction to weird fiction.

I would have liked just a little more annotation on the stories, but it's a strong collection and if you're interested in the roots of weird or cosmic horror without diving all the way into the collecton, "The Weird" by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer, which has a much broader scope, this is a very nice volume an well worth your time.

My favorite stories were "The Great God Pan," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Horla," "Fish-head," and "The Yellow Sign." There's also interesting ghost stories by Charles Dickens and Robert Lewis Stevenson, along with a few authors that I had never heard of and who are obscure now.

While many of these stories are available in public domain, I really enjoyed being able to read the book in physical form during thunderstorms or other suitable times.

Some stories (especially "The Hog") have amazing setups but go on a bit long by modern standards. There was only one story ("The Mummy's Foot") that really didn't do much for me, but it was because of its fairy tale nature. While this seems at odd with the rest of the volume, it was another story specifically mentioned by H.P. Lovecraft.

Overall: recommended, but for a particular audience.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.36⭐

Supernatural Horror in Literature • (1927) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft 5⭐
The Signalman • (1866) by Charles Dickens 4⭐

The House and the Brain • (1899) by Edward Bulwer-Lytton (variant of The Haunted and the Haunters; or, The House and the Brain 1859) 5⭐

The Body Snatcher • (1884) • Robert Louis Stevenson 4.5⭐
The Spider • (1915) • Hanns Heinz Ewers (trans. of Die Spinne 1908) 5⭐

The Foot of the Mummy • (1882) • Théophile Gautier? (trans. of Le pied de momie 1840) 4⭐

The Horla • [Le Horla • 3] • (1910) by Guy de Maupassant (trans. of Le Horla 1887) 5⭐
The Fall of the House of Usher • (1839) by Edgar Allan Poe 5⭐
The Damned Thing • (1893) by Ambrose Bierce 4⭐
The Upper Berth • (1885) • F. Marion Crawford 4.5⭐
The Yellow Sign • [King in Yellow (Chambers)] • (1895) by Robert W. Chambers 5⭐
The Shadows on the Wall • (1903) by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman 4.25⭐
The Dead Valley • (1895) by Ralph Adams Cram 5⭐
Fishhead • (1913) by Irvin S. Cobb 5⭐
Lukundoo • (1925) by Edward Lucas White 3.75⭐
The Double Shadow • [Poseidonis] • (1933) by Clark Ashton Smith 4.25⭐
The Mark of the Beast • (1890) by Rudyard Kipling 3.25⭐
Negotium Perambulans • (1922) by E. F. Benson 4⭐
Mrs. Lunt • (1926) by Hugh Walpole 3.5⭐
The Hog • [Carnacki (Hodgson)] • (1947) by William Hope Hodgson 4.25⭐
The Great God Pan • (1894) by Arthur Machen 5⭐
Count Magnus • (1904) by M. R. James 4⭐
Afterword: Lovecraft and the 'Literature of Cosmic Fear' • (1993) • essay by Stephen Jones 3⭐