...e la resuscitata leggiadria di secoli estinti -
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Agli incroci delle sue vie di comunicazione, l'uomo ha costruito metropoli gigantesche e orrende dove, isolato in un appartamento anonimo al centro di un edificio esattamente identico agli altri, ognuno di noi crede fermamente di essere il centro del mondo e la misura di ogni cosa.
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Comunque sia, il "solitario di Koenigsberg" e il "recluso di Providence" sono accomunati dalla volontà eroica e paradossale di trascendere l'umanità.
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Certainly a better analysis of H. P. Lovecraft’s literary themes than biography of his life, and Lovecraft is not so abstruse that one would need a separate text to understand his work. There are still some interesting parts, namely Houllebecq’s summary of Lovecraft’s racism, contempt for modernity, and disregard for sex and money, both in his life and his books, and they are what make this biography worth reading, though they might have worked better as an introduction to a collection of Lovecraft’s short stories. ( )

This is less about H.P. Lovecraft and more about Michel Houllebecq. zzzz ( )

I don't generally read what authors have to say on other authors, so this book was an exception for me. It turned out to be a very nice exception: Houellebecq expanded my perspective on Lovecraft with his witty analyses that were delivered without much fanfare. His exposition of Lovecraft's unique style, coupled with the context of Lovecraft's life helped me realize the layers of this beloved author of weird and horror fiction. To make things more meta, the book has introduction by Stephen King, and it added more layers to the literary pleasure, that is, King's writing Houellebecq's writing on Lovecraft.

I must also congratulate the translator Dorna Khazeni for the end result that flows so smoothly, becoming a part of the English literature, too. Translator's notes at the end of the book made clear how challenging some had been.

After King's introduction, Houellebecq's unique exposition, reading the famous stories from the master of his craft made me a happy reader. For a while, I really was against the world I live in, because the fictional one was such a grandiose achievement. In short, I'm all for more Lovecraft, and Houellebecq for that matter. Well done! ( )

The value of a human being today is measured in terms of his economic efficiency and his erotic potential--that is to say, in terms of the two things that Lovecraft most despised.

My chief surprise in this exploration was the effectiveness of the Introduction by Stephen King, equally erudite and folksy -- just as we'd expect him. Moving on to Houellebecq's love letter, I was disappointed that there simply isn't much there in terms of girth or ideas. The cataloguing of Lovecraft's extreme bigotry also appeared as an affectation on Houellebecq's behalf: see, I'm not alone in my vitriol and condemnation.

HPL's use of one-dimensional characters and the employment of scientific language is explored, though not at length. Houellebecq finds a resounding NO (or NON) in HPL, his attitude towards life. My response, remains that one must simply move on. We shouldn't worry about the Old Ones and instead about our own agency.

Apparently HPL faced a difficult, isolated life. He found fleeting happiness and likewise a multiculturalism which sickened him. He was poor, proud and died, as we all will, alone and misunderstood.
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