jdisarray's review
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Chronic illness, Classism, Racism, Terminal illness, Xenophobia, and Antisemitism
stevem's review
3.0
This was a frustrating book in many respects. It's a must-read for Lovecraft fans (or anyone who wants to know more about Lovecraft the person). It's exhaustive and authoritative. It presents Lovecraft's many flaws forthrightly and yet successfully portrays him as not only an important cultural figure but an interesting thinker and complex human being. But it's at times awkwardly over-written, and Joshi inserts his opinions freely and intrusively, in both cases channeling Lovecraft perhaps more than is wise. Oddly, many of these distracting asides are effectively collected and repeated in the final chapter. I'm glad I read it, would think twice about recommending it, and look forward to not seeing the word "piquant" in print again for a long, long time.
ronweston's review
5.0
Short but informative. A good way to start to understand Lovecraft as an individual and as a writer.
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