The Notes and Commonplace Book of H.P. Lovecraft


$ 12.95




Share this product


During his lifetime, HPL kept a listing of story ideas, concepts, and other elements which he might at some point include in his stories. He called this his "commonplace book". In 1938, just after HPL's death, his friend and literary executor, Robert H. Barlow printed HPL's commonplace book in an edition of just 75 copies. We thought it was high time for a new edition of the Commonplace Book, and here it is.

Working from high resolution photos of an original in the Library of Congress, we've created a typographic replica of the 1938 edition. To make it even more fun, we've also included materials Lovecraft wrote after he gave his manuscript to Barlow and which were not included in the 1938 edition. HPL also wrote plot summaries for more than fifty classic horror stories which were similarly omitted and are reproduced here for the first time. This volume also features an Afterword by Sean Branney and Andrew Leman of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society.

Fans of HPL will see here many of the initial ideas which Lovecraft later used in the full version of his tales. They'll also gain insights into the creative process of the father of gothic fiction and master of the weird tale, H.P. Lovecraft.

In keeping with the proportions of the 1938 edition, this new edition from the HPLHS measures 6 7/8 inches by 4 1/4 inches. 108 pages.  

Customer Reviews

Based on 27 reviews
100%
(27)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
E
Edward Carmien
What an interesting piece of literary errata!

When I became aware that H.P. Lovecraft kept a commonplace book and that a friend had transcribed it to print, I was intrigued. Luckily, The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society keeps this in print! A must-read for readers of the author who ably condensed the ideas of Cosmicism into form....

G
Garry Sparks
Great Addition

Great addition to my H.P. Lovecraft collection. Seeing part of the process from so long ago is amazing. Also, great quality and fast shipping just made it all the better.

D
Dominick Allen
A glimpse into a mind

Another perfectly produced item from HPLHS. A nice book to pick up and flick though and see some of HPLs ideas.

K
Kip S.
Delightful Item

I'm greatly impressed by the amount of detail that goes into the products offered by HPLHS. If you want a glimpse into Lovecraft's creative process, this little book is for you. Recommended for ardent fans!

D
Dustin Ratliff

Excellent print, well-made. A hardbound version would be nice, since perfect-bound glued books have a limited lifespan. But this is still very nice.

A hardback is a fine idea, but this edition is made this way as it is a facsimile of a rare copy of the Commonplace Book that's at the U.S. Library of Congress. This is the same size, layout, and a comparable binding to that one.