An H. P. Lovecraft Encyclopedia

the Grave-yard,” “John the Detective”), some inspired by dime novels. Begins study of

chemistry.

July 19: Death of Winfield. HPL and his mother spend summer in Westminster, Mass. 1898– Attends Slater Avenue School.

99,

1902–3

1899 March 4: Begins handwritten journal, The Scientific Gazette(to 1905), largely devoted to

chemistry.

1902 Winter: Discovers astronomy, largely from books in li

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brary of maternal grandmother. Writes tales inspired by Jules Verne (nonextant).

1903 August 2: Begins The Rhode Island Journal of Astronomy(to 1907). Much scientific work in chemistry, astronomy, geography, history, mythology.

1904 March 4: Death of HPL’s maternal grandfather, Whipple Van Buren Phillips. Family’s subsequent financial collapse causes move to 598 Angell St. in Providence.

1904–Intermittent attendance at Hope Street High School.

8

1905 Writes “The Beast in the Cave.”

1906–Writes astronomy columns for Pawtuxet Valley Gleanerand [Providence] Tribune

8

1908 Withdraws from high school because of nervous breakdown. Writes “The Alchemist.”

1909–Takes correspondence courses in chemistry. Writes A Brief Course in Inorganic Chemistry

12 (1910; nonextant).

1913 September: Literary controversy with John Russell in the letter column of Argosyleads to HPL’s entry into amateur journalism (April 6, 1914).

1914–Writes astronomy column in [Providence] Evening News

18

1914–Voluminous writing of essays, poetry, editorials, and reviews in the amateur press, mostly for

23 the United Amateur Press Association (UAPA), but also later for the National Amateur Press Association (NAPA), which HPL joins in 1917. Early amateur colleagues include Maurice W.Moe, Rheinhart Kleiner, W.Paul Cook, and Samuel Loveman.

1915 April: Publishes first issue of amateur journal, The Conservative(to July 1923).

1917 May: Attempts enlistment in Rhode Island National Guard and later in the U.S. Army, but through his mother’s influence is rejected.

June: Writes “The Tomb,” his first fictional work after a nine-year hiatus.

1917–Serves as president of the UAPA.

18

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1919 March: HPL’s mother hospitalized at Butler Hospital.

Writes “Beyond the Wall of Sleep,” “The White Ship,” “The Statement of Randolph Carter,” and others.

September: Discovers work of Lord Dunsany.

1920 Begins corresponding with Frank Belknap Long, Jr. Writes at least twelve stories, more than in any single year of his career, including “The Temple,” “The Terrible Old Man,” “Celephaïs,” “From Beyond,” “Nyarlathotep,” “The Picture in the House,” and others.

1921 Writes “The Nameless City,” “The Outsider,” “The Music of Erich Zann,” and others. Writes the “In Defence of Dagon” papers (January–October).

May 24: Death of HPL’s mother.

July 4: Meets Sonia Haft Greene at the NAPA convention in Boston.

1921–Writes “Herbert West—Reanimator” to order for G.J. Houtain’s Home Brew(first professional

22 story appearance).

1922 April 6–12: First visit to New York City; meets Long, James F.Morton, and others. August: Begins corresponding with Clark Ashton Smith.

August–September: Travels to Cleveland to meet Samuel Loveman and Alfred Galpin; stops in New York City on return trip. Writes “The Hound,” “Hypnos,” and “The Lurking Fear” (for Home Brew).

December 17: Visits Marblehead, Mass., for the first time.

1923 Discovers Arthur Machen (then Algernon Blackwood and M.R.James the next year). Travels throughout New England (Marblehead, Salem, Newburyport, etc.). Writes “The Rats in the Walls,” “The Festival,” and others. Collaborates with C.M.Eddy, Jr. (“The Loved Dead” and others).

October: Writes “Dagon” (1917) his first story published in Weird Tales

1924 March 3: Marries Sonia H.Greene and moves to Brooklyn, N.Y. Refuses editorship of Weird Tales. Ghostwrites “Un

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der the Pyramids” for Harry Houdini (published as “Imprisoned with the Pharaohs”). Writes “The Shunned House.”

1925 January 1: Sonia takes job in Cleveland. HPL moves to single-room apartment in Brooklyn Heights. Attempts futilely to secure employment. Writes “The Horror at Red Hook” (August 1– 2), “He” (August 18), and “In the Vault” (September 18).

1925– Writes “Supernatural Horror in Literature” Cook’s The Recluse(1927). for W.Paul

27