Customer Reviews

Collected Essays of H. P. Lovecraft, Vol. 1: Amateur Journalism

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The first in a series of Lovecraft's "complete nonfictional output" (it would seem likely there is something out there yet to be rediscovered, but if anybody would have found it by now it would be editor S.T. Joshi). A beautiful book, painstakingly collected and annotated, I'm hesitant to voice any criticisms, but... I will say this might be the least interesting of the series in MY eye as I have no knowledge of the amateur press scene in HPL's day or of many of the participants discussed.

This volume seems the most specialized of the series which, when complete, will also include Literary Criticism (Vol. 2); Science (Vol. 3); Travel (Vol. 4); and finally Philosophy; Autobiography and Miscellany (Vol. 5). And while I can't recommend this first volume to readers not already HPL fans, I can say to those who are fans (like me), this is a wonderful book to own, if only to delve into bit by bit, now and again.

As Amazon doesn't list the contents, I'll do so below.

Introduction, by S.T. Joshi

A Task for Amateur Journalists
Department of Public Criticism (November 1914)
Department of Public Criticism (January 1915)
Department of Public Criticism (March 1915)
What Is Amateur Journalism?
Consolidation's Autopsy
The Amateur Press
Editorial (April 1915)
The Question of the Day
The Morris Faction
For President-Leo Fritter
Introducing Mr. Chester Pierce Munroe
[Untitled Notes on Amateur Journalism]
Department of Public Criticism (May 1915)
Finale
New Department Proposed: Instruction for the Recruit
Our Candidate
Exchanges
For Historian-Ira A. Cole
Editorial (July 1915)
The Conservative and His Critics (July 1915)
Some Political Phases
Introducing Mr. John Russell
In a Major Key
Amateur Notes
The Dignity of Journalism
Department of Public Criticism (September 1915)
Editorial (October 1915)
The Conservative and His Critics (October 1915)
The Youth of Today
An Impartial Spectator
[Untitled Notes on Amateur Journalism]
Little Journeys to the Homes of Prominent Amateurs: II. Andrew Francis Lockhart
Report of First Vice-President (November 1915)
Department of Public Criticism (December 1915)
Systematic Instruction in the United
United Amateur Press Association: Exponent of Amateur Journalism
Introducing Mr. James Pyke
Report of First Vice-President (January 1916)
Editorial (February 1916)
Department of Public Criticism (April 1916)
Among the New-Comers
Department of Public Criticism (June 1916)
Department of Public Criticism (August 1916)
Department of Public Criticism (September 1916)
Among the Amateurs
Concerning "Persia-in Europe"
Amateur Standards
A Request
Department of Public Criticism (March 1917)
Department of Public Criticism (May 1917)
A Reply to The Lingerer
The United's Problem
Editorially
The "Other United"
Department of Public Criticism (July 1917)
Little Journeys to the Homes of Prominent Amateurs: V. Eleanor J. Barnhart
News Notes (July 1917)
President's Message (September 1917)
President's Message (November 1917)
President's Message (January 1918)
Department of Public Criticism (January 1918)
President's Message (March 1918)
Department of Public Criticism (March 1918)
President's Message (May 1918)
Department of Public Criticism (May 1918)
Comment
President's Message (July 1918)
Amateur Criticism
The United 1917-1918
The Amateur Press Club
Les Mouches Fantastiques
Department of Public Criticism (September 1918)
Department of Public Criticism (November 1918)
News Notes (November 1918)
[Letter to the Bureau of Critics]
Department of Public Criticism (January 1919)
Department of Public Criticism (March 1919)
Winifred Virginia Jordan: Associate Editor
Helene Hoffman Cole-Litterateur
Department of Public Criticism (May 1919)
Trimmings
For Official Editor-Anne Tillery Renshaw
Amateurdom
Looking Backward
For What Does the United Stand?
The Pseudo-United
The Conquest of the Hub Club
News Notes (September 1920)
Amateur Journalism: Its Possible Needs and Betterment
Editorial (November 1920)
News Notes (November 1920)
News Notes (January 1921)
The United's Policy 1920-1921
What Amateurdom and I Have Done for Each Other
News Notes (March 1921)
The Vivisector (March 1921)
[Letter to John Milton Heins]
Lucubrations Lovecraftian
News Notes (May 1921)
The Vivisector (June 1921)
The Haverhill Convention
News Notes (July 1921)
Within the Gates
The Convention Banquet
Editorial (September 1921)
News Notes (September 1921)
A Singer of Ethereal Moods and Fancies
News Notes (November 1921)
[Letter to John Milton Heins]
Editorial (January 1922)
News Notes (January 1922)
Rainbow Called Best First Issue
News Notes (March 1922)
The Vivisector (March 1922)
News Notes (May 1922)
[Letter to the N.A.P.A.]
President's Message (November 1922-January 1923)
President's Message (March 1923)
Bureau of Critics (March 1923)
Rursus Adsumus
The Vivisector (Spring 1923)
President's Message (May 1923)
Lovecraft's Greeting
President's Message (July 1923)
[Untitled Notes on Amateur Journalism]
The President's Annual Report
Trends and Objects
Editorial (May 1924)
News Notes (May 1924)
Editorial (July 1925)
News Notes (July 1925)
A Matter of Uniteds
The Convention
Bureau of Critics (December 1931)
Critics Submit First Report
Verse Criticism
Report of Bureau of Critics
Bureau of Critics Comment on Verse, Typography, Prose
Bureau of Critics (June 1934)
Chairman of the Bureau of Critics Reports on Poetry
Mrs. Miniter-Estimates and Recollections
Report of the Bureau of Critics (December 1934)
Report of the Bureau of Critics (March 1935)
Lovecraft Offers Verse Criticism
Dr. Eugene B. Kuntz
Some Current Amateur Verse
Report of the Executive Judges
Some Current Motives and Practices
[Letter to the N.A.P.A.]
[Literary Review]
Defining the "Ideal" Paper

Appendix
[Miscellaneous Notes in the United Amateur]
Official Organ Fund
[Untitled Note on Amateur Poetry]
[On Notes High and Low by Carrie Adams Berry]
A Voice from the Grave

Index

Amateur journalists originally wrote prose and poetry for "journals" which they set in type, printed, and exchanged with others. Lovecaft wrote his essays as Editor or Critic for an amateur journalism association in the period (1914-1925) before the printing press was supplemented and gradually replaced by other means. Still in the future were the copy machine, computer word processor, and "Blogging," which combine to wheedle some amateur writers and printers away or to the production of "e-journals" which are not yet fully accepted. His essays as Amateur Journalism Critic will be of interest to historians, current amateur journalists (Association names are on the Web), and Lovecraft aficionados) Lovecraft essays on other topics are in four volumes by the same publsher.