In a letter of August 1923 to original Weird Tales editor Edwin Baird, HPL talks a bit of business before describing his plan to visit a legendary site of dark mystery and monster-inhabited potholes with his friend C.M. Eddy, Jr. Then as a bonus we'll hear him describe how the plan worked out in a letter to Frank Belknap Long from November 8 of the same year.

In this rare letter from March of 1923 to poet Samuel Loveman, HPL speaks with great sensitivity about their mutual friend Alfred Galpin, and somewhat less sensitivity about his own wife, Sonia Greene.

In which HPL writes to Wilfred Talman, abjectly apologizing for miscommunication regarding the idea of HPL writing a novel. This letter from late in Lovecraft's life is revealing about both his work and his concerns for his young friend's reputation.

In which HPL writes to his friend Maurice Moe and questions the truth (or lack thereof) in religion. Lovecraft gives a spirited argument to his friend while leaving plenty of room for them to agree to disagree.

In which HPL writes to C.L. Moore, one of his female correspondents. Howard unleashes a torrent of thoughts on life in the Great Depression and the response of political parties to the challenge of the times. Not for the politically squeamish.

Written during his time in New York, this letter to HPL's Aunt Lillian discusses day to day issues like laundry, and more impactful issues like the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918. Please be sure to visit the web page for this episode for lots of images and bonus information!

In this letter from 1933, HPL speaks candidly to his young friend Robert Bloch about the recently-elected Chancellor of Germany: Adolf Hitler. Lovecraft carefully explains his opinions about the ongoing rise of the Nazi party. CONTENT WARNING: This letter covers some intense issues and contains explicitly and intensely racist language.

In part two of his letter to the Gallomo, HPL describes another key figure he's become acquainted with: Frank Belknap Long. This young man from New York goes on to become HPL's colleague, business partner, and one of his closest friends.

In part one of this long letter from the summer of 1921, HPL tells his buddies in the Gallomo of a return to his boyhood clubhouse as a middle aged man. He regales his friends with accounts of his active social life, including a meeting with an intriguing woman: the future Mrs. Lovecraft.

Visit the Voluminous web page for this episode for music and other bonus images.

Below is a photo of all that remains of the Great Meadow Country Clubhouse: the fireplace built by Civil War veteran James McKay. This photo was taken and generously shared by our friend Donovan Loucks, who runs The H.P. Lovecraft Archive. Be sure to check it out for more pictures from HPL's happy summer of 1921.

In which, during tumultuous times, the HPLHS opts not to read a letter. Don't worry - we'll be back.

Here are a couple of other podcasts that are worth your time this week:

Fanti

The Memory Palace