American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

This short story, "Two Black Bottles", was written by Wilfred Blanch Talman, with an assist by H. P. Lovecraft. While not one of the revisions that is mostly done by Lovecraft, let's read it anyways. It is a pretty good story. Published in WEIRD TALES in 1927

Like THE EUROPEANS, CONFIDENCE is a light and somewhat comedic novel about Europeans in America or Americans in Europe, or something. Another early novel by James that I found underwhelming but still probably worth checking out.

After a long wait, I am finally looking at "The Very Old Folk", the published version of Lovecraft's dream of ancient Rome. It hits many of the themes Lovecraft was interested in at this time of his career, especially vernacular traditions and their dangers.

In this short comedic novel, THE EUROPEANS, Henry James follows two Europeans-a soon to be divorced woman seeking a new start and a free-spirited young man--in their encounters with a wealthy American family. Decent entertainment.

The second part of my review of "The Dunwich Horror" by H. P. Lovecraft. What is the danger of ignoring the backcountry? What is the blowback to burying the horrible things deep? I think this story gives some of Lovecraft's answers.

Part three and finale of my review of THE AMERICAN by Henry James. It is a highly recommended novel with some real drama and wonderful character growth. Our hero becomes an American while confronting European aristocratic culture.

Part two of my review of THE AMERICAN by Henry James. For much of the middle part of this novel, the hero pursues his courtship with a French aristocrat while learning more of the gap between his world and that of the woman he hopes to marry.

"The Dunwich Horror" is another of my favorite H. P. Lovecraft tales that has a bit of everything; intentional amnesia, folklore, outer gods, body horror, class tensions, and the geography of horror. Part one of my analysis.

"The Color Out of Space" was Lovecraft's favorite story and it is indeed one of his best. The combination of body horror, science, and classic Lovecraftian themes makes for a fascinating, if bleak tale.

Part one of my review of THE AMERICAN by Henry James. It is by far my favorite of the five early novels I will look at in this series. It explores the attempt of a rich American to court a French widow from an aristocratic family.