H. P. Lovecraft: Collected Essays : Amateur Journalism [ペーパーバック]

The first in a series of Lovecraft's "complete nonfictional output" (it would seem likely there is something out there yet to be rediscovered, but if anybody would have found it by now it would be editor S.T. Joshi). A beautiful book, painstakingly collected and annotated, I'm hesitant to voice any criticisms, but... I will say this might be the least interesting of the series in MY eye as I have no knowledge of the amateur press scene in HPL's day or of many of the participants discussed.

This volume seems the most specialized of the series which, when complete, will also include Literary Criticism (Vol. 2); Science (Vol. 3); Travel (Vol. 4); and finally Philosophy; Autobiography and Miscellany (Vol. 5). And while I can't recommend this first volume to readers not already HPL fans, I can say to those who are fans (like me), this is a wonderful book to own, if only to delve into bit by bit, now and again.

As Amazon doesn't list the contents, I'll do so below.

Introduction, by S.T. Joshi

A Task for Amateur Journalists

Department of Public Criticism (November 1914)

Department of Public Criticism (January 1915)

Department of Public Criticism (March 1915)

What Is Amateur Journalism?

Consolidation's Autopsy

The Amateur Press

Editorial (April 1915)

The Question of the Day

The Morris Faction

For President-Leo Fritter

Introducing Mr. Chester Pierce Munroe

[Untitled Notes on Amateur Journalism]

Department of Public Criticism (May 1915)

Finale

New Department Proposed: Instruction for the Recruit

Our Candidate

Exchanges

For Historian-Ira A. Cole

Editorial (July 1915)

The Conservative and His Critics (July 1915)

Some Political Phases

Introducing Mr. John Russell

In a Major Key

Amateur Notes

The Dignity of Journalism

Department of Public Criticism (September 1915)

Editorial (October 1915)

The Conservative and His Critics (October 1915)

The Youth of Today

An Impartial Spectator

[Untitled Notes on Amateur Journalism]

Little Journeys to the Homes of Prominent Amateurs: II. Andrew Francis Lockhart

Report of First Vice-President (November 1915)

Department of Public Criticism (December 1915)

Systematic Instruction in the United

United Amateur Press Association: Exponent of Amateur Journalism

Introducing Mr. James Pyke

Report of First Vice-President (January 1916)

Editorial (February 1916)

Department of Public Criticism (April 1916)

Among the New-Comers

Department of Public Criticism (June 1916)

Department of Public Criticism (August 1916)

Department of Public Criticism (September 1916)

Among the Amateurs

Concerning "Persia-in Europe"

Amateur Standards

A Request

Department of Public Criticism (March 1917)

Department of Public Criticism (May 1917)

A Reply to The Lingerer

The United's Problem

Editorially

The "Other United"

Department of Public Criticism (July 1917)

Little Journeys to the Homes of Prominent Amateurs: V. Eleanor J. Barnhart

News Notes (July 1917)

President's Message (September 1917)

President's Message (November 1917)

President's Message (January 1918)

Department of Public Criticism (January 1918)

President's Message (March 1918)

Department of Public Criticism (March 1918)

President's Message (May 1918)

Department of Public Criticism (May 1918)

Comment

President's Message (July 1918)

Amateur Criticism

The United 1917-1918

The Amateur Press Club

Les Mouches Fantastiques

Department of Public Criticism (September 1918)

Department of Public Criticism (November 1918)

News Notes (November 1918)

[Letter to the Bureau of Critics]

Department of Public Criticism (January 1919)

Department of Public Criticism (March 1919)

Winifred Virginia Jordan: Associate Editor

Helene Hoffman Cole-Litterateur

Department of Public Criticism (May 1919)

Trimmings

For Official Editor-Anne Tillery Renshaw

Amateurdom

Looking Backward

For What Does the United Stand?

The Pseudo-United

The Conquest of the Hub Club

News Notes (September 1920)

Amateur Journalism: Its Possible Needs and Betterment

Editorial (November 1920)

News Notes (November 1920)

News Notes (January 1921)

The United's Policy 1920-1921

What Amateurdom and I Have Done for Each Other

News Notes (March 1921)

The Vivisector (March 1921)

[Letter to John Milton Heins]

Lucubrations Lovecraftian

News Notes (May 1921)

The Vivisector (June 1921)

The Haverhill Convention

News Notes (July 1921)

Within the Gates

The Convention Banquet

Editorial (September 1921)

News Notes (September 1921)

A Singer of Ethereal Moods and Fancies

News Notes (November 1921)

[Letter to John Milton Heins]

Editorial (January 1922)

News Notes (January 1922)

Rainbow Called Best First Issue

News Notes (March 1922)

The Vivisector (March 1922)

News Notes (May 1922)

[Letter to the N.A.P.A.]

President's Message (November 1922-January 1923)

President's Message (March 1923)

Bureau of Critics (March 1923)

Rursus Adsumus

The Vivisector (Spring 1923)

President's Message (May 1923)

Lovecraft's Greeting

President's Message (July 1923)

[Untitled Notes on Amateur Journalism]

The President's Annual Report

Trends and Objects

Editorial (May 1924)

News Notes (May 1924)

Editorial (July 1925)

News Notes (July 1925)

A Matter of Uniteds

The Convention

Bureau of Critics (December 1931)

Critics Submit First Report

Verse Criticism

Report of Bureau of Critics

Bureau of Critics Comment on Verse, Typography, Prose

Bureau of Critics (June 1934)

Chairman of the Bureau of Critics Reports on Poetry

Mrs. Miniter-Estimates and Recollections

Report of the Bureau of Critics (December 1934)

Report of the Bureau of Critics (March 1935)

Lovecraft Offers Verse Criticism

Dr. Eugene B. Kuntz

Some Current Amateur Verse

Report of the Executive Judges

Some Current Motives and Practices

[Letter to the N.A.P.A.]

[Literary Review]

Defining the "Ideal" Paper

Appendix

[Miscellaneous Notes in the United Amateur]

Official Organ Fund

[Untitled Note on Amateur Poetry]

[On Notes High and Low by Carrie Adams Berry]

A Voice from the Grave

Index

Amateur journalists originally wrote prose and poetry for "journals" which they set in type, printed, and exchanged with others. Lovecaft wrote his essays as Editor or Critic for an amateur journalism association in the period (1914-1925) before the printing press was supplemented and gradually replaced by other means. Still in the future were the copy machine, computer word processor, and "Blogging," which combine to wheedle some amateur writers and printers away or to the production of "e-journals" which are not yet fully accepted. His essays as Amateur Journalism Critic will be of interest to historians, current amateur journalists (Association names are on the Web), and Lovecraft aficionados) Lovecraft essays on other topics are in four volumes by the same publsher.