Tracking down a story

[Rick]

I am trying to track down a story narrated by the friend of a man who somehow documented his thoughts after dying. As his brain decays over a long period of time, his experiences become increasingly frightful. The narrator ends by saying that he plans to avoid this horror by to blowing up his head with dynamite as he approaches death.

I thought this was a Lovecraft story, but have been unable to locate it. Does it ring any bells in the group? Thanks for any help offered.

[Gregor]

I want to read this. Someone please help Rick.

[Tressa]

LOL. Yeah, sounds like a story that could blow my mind. I want to read it, too. Find this title STAT!

[Jon Recluse]

Doesn't ring any bells.

[Tressa]

Try posting it in this group, too. It's what they do.

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

[Canavan]

Not an expert, but this doesn't sound like any Lovecraft story that I can recall. It's vaguely similar to Lovecraft's "The Thing on the Doorstep", but that story differs from your description in too many particulars to be a match.

[Gregor]

Maybe this will get you moving in the right direction, Rick:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolated...

[Canavan]

I'm now guessing that the story you are describing, Rick, is Aleister Crowley's "The Testament of Magdalen Blair" (1913). (I had completely forgotten about this story until a day or so ago when someone happened to mention it in another thread.)

[Rick]

Canavan wrote: "I'm now guessing that the story you are describing, Rick, is Aleister Crowley's "The Testament of Magdalen Blair" (1913). (I had completely forgotten about this story until a day or so ago when som..."

Canavan--I will look that up as soon as I get home. Thanks for the tip.

[Canavan]

The Crowley story can be found on-line here:

http://hermetic.com/crowley/equinox/i...

[Rick]

Canavan wrote: "The Crowley story can be found on-line here:

http://hermetic.com/crowley/equinox/i..."

I found that immediately after getting your first message. With this exchange of information, the Internet has paid for itself. I think we should keep it.

[Rick]

Rick wrote: "Canavan wrote: "The Crowley story can be found on-line here:

http://hermetic.com/crowley/equinox/i..."

I found that immediately after getting your first message. With this exchange ..."

Canavan,
Whew. That was the story I was after. I believe it has been decades since I first read it. Crowley really went round and round with that idea. Lovercraft would have done a better job. H.P. didn't have Crowley's hidden agenda: he just wanted to scare people.

[Canavan]

Rick wrote:

Whew. That was the story I was after. I believe it has been decades since I first read it. Crowley really went round and round with that idea. Lovercraft would have done a better job. H.P. didn't have Crowley's hidden agenda: he just wanted to scare people.

I originally read "The Testament of Magdalen Blair" some 30 years ago in (if I recall correctly) a Peter Haining anthology; on re-reading it I think we are in rough agreement. There is the germ of a good idea in Crowley's novelette, but I'm not too keen on the way in which he renders it. I had to struggle a bit to finish it.