American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

Episode 481: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (2)

This part of THE CONFUSION by Neal Stephenson focuses on the voyage from Spain to Cairo and Jack Shaftoe and the Cabal stealing the Solomonic gold from creepy French slave traders and the Pasha's men. Plus, Jack gets revenge for Eliza. Lots of fun.

Episode 480: Neal Stephenson: Bonanza/The Juncto (1)

In books four and five of THE BAROQUE CYCLE, the story becomes "confused". We will explore these two intertwined stories in six episodes. We start with a reintroduction to Jack Shaftoe in Algiers, still a galley slave.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 19: In the Walls of Eryx

As we wrap up this look at the Lovecraft revisions we come to the Kenneth Streling story "In the Walls of Eryx", a science fiction tale with a Lovecraftian theme.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 17: The Diary of Loronzo Typer

THE DIARY OF LORENZO TYPER is a Lovecraft collaboration with William Lumely. It is a pretty solid story that relates to the Lovecraft mythos.

Episode 478: Neal Stephenson: Odalisque (3)

In this part of the BAROQUE CYCLE, we see Eliza go on an adventure in the Rhineland and Daniel rake part in the Glorious Revolution, making a deal to destroy alchemy.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 16: Through the Gates of the Silver Key

H. P. Lovecraft and E. Hoffman Price's epic sequel to "The Silver Key" ("Through the Gates of the Silver Key") establishes a multiverse and does more to expand Lovecraft's universe than any of revision.

Episode 478: Neal Stephenson: Odalisque (2)

Eliza make a deception, shorting VOC stock by spreading rumors of the "Fall of Batavia" and the foundations of a new banking system are laid in England. Meanwhile Daniel Waterhouse finds himself in political trouble.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 15: Tarbis of of the Lake

A story E. Hoffman Price that discussed with H. P. Lovecraft, TARBIS OF THE LAKE is a supernatural love story about a stalker mummy.

Episode 477: Neal Stephenson: Odalisque (1)

Set immediately after KING OF THE VAGABONDS, ODALISQUE follows Eliza in the Versailles court caught between the French and William of Orange. This novel is partly epistolary.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 14: The R. H. Barlow Revisions

In this episode of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club I look at a bunch of works by R. H. Barlow, which Lovecraft helped revise. They area an interesting mix that show the development of a young talent. My favorite is TILL A' THE SEAS.

Episode 476: Neal Stephenson: The King of the Vagabonds (3)

The final part of my review of THE KING OF THE VAGABONDS by Neal Stephenson. Watch as Jack descends into madness, helps Huguenot galley slaves, crashes a party and becomes infamous. We also see Eliza get trapped.

Episode 475: Neal Stephenson: The King of the Vagabonds (2)

In this episode of my coverage of THE BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson, I dig deeper into KING OF THE VAGABONDS. Jack and Eliza learn about commerce and witches before going their separate ways. They will meet again in 20 years or so.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 13: The Disinternment

This is a pretty wild story by Duane Rimel, and revised by H. P. Lovecraft, about a leprosy infection leading to the machinations of a mad scientist. Recommended.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Duane Rimel Revisions-1

Here, I look at two Duane W. Rimel stories revised by H. P. Lovecraft: THE TREE ON THE HILL and THE SORCERY OF APHLAR. They are fine.

Episode 474: Neal Stephenson: King of the Vagabonds (1)

Part one of my review of KING OF THE VAGABONDS from the BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson. In this section we meet two more of our heroes of the story: Jack Shaftoe and Eliza. Through this story we get another view of European society during the Baroque

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 11: The Horror in the Burying Ground

Seen as the last of the H. P. Lovecraft stories ghost-written for Hazel Heald. The scenes with old people telling stories in general shops gives me a real Stephen King vibe. 

Episode 473: Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver(3)

In the later parts of QUICKSILVER (from THE BAROQUE CYCLE) we see Daniel Waterhouse become a public figure, meet Leibniz, and witness the horrible banking system of 1660s England.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 10: Out of the Aeons

I look at yet another H.P. Lovecraft story. In this episode it is the Hazel Heald revision OUT OF THE AEONS. This story is notable for its world building and a possible cameo by Randolph Carter.

Episode 472: Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver (2)

In this section of QUICKSILVER we get a close look at the Royal Society in the mid-1660s. Neal Stephenson has great fun characterizing people like Oldenburg, Hooke, Wilkins, and (the fictional) Daniel Waterhouse.

Episode 471: Neal Stephenson: Quicksilver (1)

I am excited to present part 1 (of 24) of my examination of THE BAROQUE CYCLE by Neal Stephenson. In this part we meet Daniel Waterhouse and the eternal wizard Enoch Root while getting a sense of the numerous themes in the series.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 9: The Horror in the Museum

In this story written by Hazel Heald and H. P. Lovecraft (mostly ghostwritten by HPL), we explore an amazing wax museum with a horrible special exhibit. One of the most delightful of the Lovecraft collaborations.

Episode 470: William Wells Brown: My Southern Home (2)

The final episode in my series on William Wells Brown explores the second half of MY SOUTHERN HOME, the author's second memoir.

Next up, a special series on Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE.

Episode 469: William Wells Brown: My Southern Home (1)

MY SOUTHERN HOME is a memoir by William Wells Brown written toward the end of his life. It rehashed much from his earlier writers, but from the perspective of a more sober old man.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 8: Winged Death

In another of Lovecraft's Hazel Heald revisions (ghostwriting)--WINGED DEATH--we get a fascinating tale of science, empire, and revenge. Like THE MAN OF STONE, we get most of the story from the villain' point of view.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 8: The Man in Stone

The first of five collaborations between H. P. Lovecraft and Hazel Heald. In this story, a wizard uses black magic to punish his adulterous wife. Through a framed narrative our authors give us a window into the mind of the villain.

Episode 468: William Wells Brown: The Black Man

In 1862, William Wells Brown wrote a series of short biographies of black activists, politicians, scientists, and artists in an attempt to prove black people's capacity for self-rule in the context of the Emancipation Proclamation. It begins with a great philosophical essay.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 6: The Haunter in the Dark

The final by-line publication by H. P. Lovecraft during his life was THE HAUNTER IN THE DARK. I explore this story in this episode, finishing up the formal read through of his works.

Episode 467: William Wells Brown: The Escape

In this episode I look at a play by William Wells Brown called THE ESCAPE. It is an effective look at the horrors of slavery and the necessity of resistance.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 5: The Shadow Out of Time (2)

The second part of my review of THE SHADOW OUT OF TIME by H. P. Lovecraft. I cannot believe I made it this far. There is still a lot to look at in future episodes but only one more "by-line" publication. Anyway, this story is good.

Episode 466: William Wells Brown: The American Fugitive in Europe

An only slightly deeper look at William Wells Brown THE AMERICAN FUGITIVE IN EUROPE. The second half of this travelogue focuses on Browns' travels through Britain, him seeing the homes and monuments of great writers, and some of his anti-slavery work.

Episode 465: William Wells Brown: The American Fugitive in Europe (1)

William Wells Brown spent 1849-1854 in Europe doing anti-slavery work. This narrative of these years reads more like a traditional travelogue than a polemical text, and that is okay.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 4: The Shadow Out of Time (1)

The first half of my review of H. P. Lovecraft's THE SHADOW OUT OF TIME. This story is a nice mix of cosmic horror, science fiction, and horror. It also has one of Lovecraft's most well-developed protagonists.

Episode 464: William Wells Brown: Clotel

CLOTEL is the first novel by an African-American in the United States. While not a plot-driven page-turner, William Wells Brown created a convincing portrait of the sexual and gender politics in American slavery.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 3:The Thing on the Doorstep

Another H. P. Lovecraft story (THE THING ON THE DOORSTEP) is explored in this episode. You think your marriage is bad. Try being married to a bossy lady who is actually an old wizard who wants your body (not in that way).

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 2: The Dreams in the Witch House

The second part of my review of THE DREAMS IN THE WITCH-HOUSE by H. P. Lovecraft. Great stuff in this story on modern science and folklore. This story is also our best look at the city of Arkham. Why people not like?

Episode 463: William Wells Brown, Narrative (1847)

I start a new series on the works of William Wells Brown. I start with his compelling and short autobiography about his time as a slave, published in 1847. I also speak a bit on CLOTEL, his novel.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 9: Episode 1: The Dreams in the Witch-house (Part 1)

We begin a series on the final H. P. Lovecraft stories with THE DREAMS IN THE WITCHHOUSE. This is one of my favorite Lovecraft stories, but it seems to not get much love.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 9: Letters, January - June 1934

The finale of my coverage of the letters of H. P. Lovecraft. I do not think I will be coming back to letters until I take on the Robert E. Howard series in the near future. For now we return to stories.

H. P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 8: Letters, September-December 1933

I am almost through with my commentary on the fourth volume of the selected letters of H. P. Lovecraft. These cover the autumn of 1933.

H.P. Lovecraft Book Club: Series 8: Episode 7: Letters August-September 1933

I know it has been a while since I uploaded anything. Been busy at home in Wisconsin. But here are some more thoughts on the letters of H. P. Lovecraft, focusing on those written in the late summer of 1933.