< previous page page_xiii next page > < previous page page_xiv next page >
Page xiv
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 Apriclass="underline" 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
< previous page page_xiv next page > < previous page page_xv next page >
Page xv
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
< previous page page_xv next page > < previous page page_xvi next page >
Page xvi
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
1926 April 17: Returns to Providence (10 Barnes St.), essentially ending marriage (divorce proceedings not undertaken until 1929). Writes “The Call of Cthulhu,” “Pickman’s Model,” “The Silver Key,” and others. Begins corresponding with August Derleth.
1926–Writes The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath.
27
1927 Writes The Case of Charles Dexter Ward,“The Colour out of Space.” Begins corresponding with Donald Wandrei.
August: Travels to Vermont, Maine, and elsewhere in New England.
1928 May–July: Spends summer in Brooklyn with Sonia as she tries to set up hat shop. Travels extensively (Brattleboro, Vt; Athol and Wilbraham, Mass.; Endless Caverns, Va.). Writes “The Dunwich Horror.”
1929 April–May: Travels extensively (Yonkers, N.Y.; Norfolk, Williamsburg, Richmond, Va.; New York City; New Paltz and Hurley, N.Y.).
1929–Ghostwrites “The Mound” for Zealia Bishop. Writes Fungi from Yuggoth
30
1930 April–June: Travels (New York City; Charleston, S.C.; Richmond, Va.; Kingston and West Shokan, N.Y.; Athol and Worcester, Mass.). Begins corresponding with Henry S.Whitehead and Robert E.Howard. Writes “The Whisperer in Darkness.” Ghostwrites “Medusa’s Coil” for Zealia Bishop.
August: Three-day excursion to Quebec. Writes lengthiest nonfiction work, A Description of the Town of Quebeck(October–January 1931).
< previous page page_xvi next page > < previous page page_xvii next page >
Page xvii
1931 May–June: Travels (St. Augustine, Dunedin, Key West, Fla.; Savannah, Ga.; Charleston; Richmond; New York City). Writes At the Mountains of Madnessand “The Shadow over Innsmouth.”
1932 May–July: Travels (New York City; Shenandoah Valley; Knoxville and Chattanooga, Tenn.; Natchez and New Orleans, La. [meets E.Hoffmann Price]). Writes “The Dreams in the Witch House.” Revises stories for Hazel Heald (“Out of the Æons” and others).
July 3: Death of HPL’s elder aunt Lillian D.Clark.
1932–Writes “Through the Gates of the Silver Key” (with E. Hoffmann Price).
33
1933 Apriclass="underline" Begins corresponding with Robert Bloch.
May 15: Moves to 66 College St. with younger aunt, Annie E.P.Gamwell. Later, writes “The Thing on the Doorstep.” Revises “Supernatural Horror in Literature” for incomplete serialization in The Fantasy Fan(October 1933–February 1935).
1934 April–July: Travels (Charleston; Savannah; St Augustine; Fredericksburg, Va.; spends May–June with R.H.Barlow in De Land, Fla.).