Rare Books and Special Collections: H.P. Lovecraft Collection - NIU - University Libraries

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Northern Illinois University

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H.P. Lovecraft Collection

ca. 1890-1937

Lovecraft has been called one of the greatest weird fiction and fantasy writers of his time and of today. He has also been noted for his influence on the imagination. Most of his work was published only in pulp and science magazines until after his death in 1937. It was at this time that August Derleth and Donald Wandrei, friends of Lovecraft and founders of Arkham House, began publishing his stories. Lovecraft's work has also been translated into many languages including French, German, Italian, and Japanese.

The Lovecraft Collection at Northern Illinois University Library's Rare Books and Special Collections was acquired some time in the late 1960s. Most of the collection was purchased by the library. Other items have been donated from collectors and libraries. The collection consists of Lovecraft's fiction writing, letters, poems, scientific articles, pulp magazine stories, books about Lovecraft, collections of Lovecraft stories, titles of books known to have lived in Lovecraft's personal library, and a few miscellaneous items, including several manuscript letters.

The largest Lovecraft collection can be found at the John Hay Library at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Although the NIU Library's Lovecraft collection is small in comparison to that of theJohn Hay Library, one can find examples of every aspect of his work. The Lovecraft Collection at NIU is complemented by our Science Fiction Collection.

To see if we own particular titles, please search our online catalog.

Useful reference books about the collection:

  • Burleson, Donald R. H.P. H.P. Lovecraft: Four Decades of Criticism . Edited by S.T. Joshi. Athens , Ohio : Ohio University Press, 1980.
    Rare Books Reference PS 3523.O833 Z66 1980a

  • Lord of a Visible World: An Autobiography in Letters . Edited by S.T. Joshi and David E. Schultz. Athens , Ohio : Ohio University Press, 2000.
    Main Collection PS 3523.O833 Z48 2000

  • Joshi, S.T. H.P. Lovecraft and Lovecraft Criticism: An Annotated Bibliography . The Serif Series, No.38. Kent , Ohio : Kent State University Press, 1981.
    Rare Books Reference PS 3523.O833 Z692 1981a

  • Joshi, S.T. The Annotated H.P. Lovecraft . New York , NY : Dell Publishing, 1997.
    Main Collection PS 3523.O833 A6 1997b

  • Joshi, S.T. A Dreamer and a Visionary: H.P. Lovecraft in his Time . Liverpool : Liverpool University Press, 2001.
    Main Collection PS 3523.O833 Z764 2001

  • Levy, Maurice. Lovecraft: A Study in the Fantastic . Translated by S.T. Joshi. Detroit , MI : Wayne State University Press, 1988.
    Main Collection PS 3523.O833 Z7313 1988

  • Shreffler, Philip A. The H.P. Lovecraft Companion . Westport , Connecticut : Greenwood Press, 1977.
    Main Collection PS 3523.O833 Z86

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