A Means to Freedom: 1933-1936

The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard Volume One: 1930-1932

H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard are two of the titans of weird fiction of their era. Dominating the pages of Weird Tales in the 1920s and 1930s, they have gained worldwide followings for their compelling writings and also for the very different lives they led. The two writers came in touch in 1930, when Howard wrote to Lovecraft via Weird Tales. A rich and vibrant correspondence immediately ensued. Both writers were fascinated with the past, especially the history of Roman and Celtic Britain, and their letters are full of intriguing discussions of contemporary theories on this subject.

Gradually, a new discussion came to the fore-a complex dispute over the respective virtues of barbarism and civilisation, the frontier and settled life, and the physical and the mental. Lovecraft, a scion of centuries-old New England, and Howard, a product of recently settled Texas, were diametrically opposed on these and other issues, and each writes compellingly of his beliefs, attitudes, and theories. The result is a dramatic debate-livened by wit, learning, and personal revelation-that is as enthralling as the fiction they were writing at the time. All the letters have been exhaustively annotated by the editors.

Contents

  • 515 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, January 21, 1933 (“I duly received your ample and interesting…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 535 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [March 6, 1933] (“I have just read your recent letter with the usual…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, March 6, 1933 (“Dear Mr. Lovecraft: / I have just read your recent letter…”) 2008)
  • 552 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, March 25, 1933 (“I digested your extremely interesting letter of…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 586 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [April 23, 1933] (“I’m enclosing some of the latest views…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, April 23, 1933 (“Dear Mr. Lovecraft: / I’m enclosing some of the latest views…”) 2008)
  • 588 • Untitled poem (“Under the grim San Saba hills…”) • (2008) • poem by Robert E. Howard (variant of The Lost San Saba Mine 2002)
  • 590 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [June 15, 1933] (“Glad we got the physical-mental question…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, circa May/June 1933 (“Dear Mr. Lovecraft: / Glad we got the physical-mental question…”) 1991)
  • 614 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. July 1933] (“I am sending on to you the enclosed manuscript…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of Letter: Robert E. Howard to H. P. Lovecraft, July 1933 (“Dear Mr. Lovecraft: / I am sending on to you…”) 1971)
  • 615 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, July 24, 1933 (“I was delighted to receive your interesting letter…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 631 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [ca. September 1933] (“I was very sorry to hear of your aunt’s accident…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. September or October 1933 (“Dear H.P.L.: / I was very sorry to hear of your aunt’s accident…”) 2008)
  • 654 • Postcart to Robert E. Howard, postmarked October 25, 1933 (“Abundant & prodigious thanks for the marvellous…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 654 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, November 2, 1933 (“…The summer here was cooler than I like…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 687 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [November 3, 1933] (“Glad you liked the rattles…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, November 3, 1933 (“Dear HPL: / Glad you liked the rattles. The owner got his head shot off…”) 2008)
  • 688 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [mid-November 1933] (“I am so submerged in work that I must postpone…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. November 1933 (“Dear HPL: / I am so submerged in work that I must postpone…”) 2008)
  • 689 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [December 3, 1933] (“Glad you found the cat article of some amusement…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, December 3, 1933 (“Dear HPL: / Glad you found the cat article of some…”) 2008)
  • 693 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [circa January 1934] (“I enjoyed very much your account of your travels along the East Coast…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. January 1934 (“Dear Mr. Lovecraft: / I enjoyed very much your account of your…”) 2008)
  • 722 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. January 1934] (“I deeply appreciate your sympathetic expressions…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. January 1934 (“Dear HPL: / I deeply appreciate your sympathetic expressions…”) 2008)
  • 723 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [March 24, 1934] (“Here’s a little item which might interest you…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, March 24, 1934 (“Dear HPL: / Here’s a little item which might interest you…”) 2008)
  • 725 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, April 3, 1934 (“As I said on the postcard, I was….”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 763 • Postcard to Robert E. Howard, April 25, 1934 (“Greetings from my favorite town!…) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 764 • Postcard to Robert E. Howard, [No postmark; enclosed with letter?], c. May 1934 (“Hail, Conan! ‘Queen of the Black Coast’…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 764 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [May 1934] (“Glad you’re having such a good time in Florida…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. May 1934 (“Dear HPL: / Glad you’re having such a good time…”) 2008)
  • 766 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. late May or early June 1934] (“Glad you’re finding your stay in Florida so enjoyable…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard
  • 768 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. July 1934] (“I started writing this months ago [inserted]…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. July 1934 (“Dear HPL: / I started writing this months ago [inserted]…”) 2008)
  • 789 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, July 27, 1934 (“As you know from my card…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 803 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. September-October 1934] (“Thanks very much for the post-cards…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. September 1934 (“Dear HPL: / Thanks very much for the post-cards…”) 2008)
  • 807 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. December 1934] (“I read your account of your trip down the Atlantic sea-board…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, ca. December 1934 (“Dear HPL: / I read your account of your trip down the Atlantic…”) 2008)
  • 827 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. January-February 1935] (“I have finally found time to answer…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, ca. January 1935 (“Dear HPL: / I have finally found time to answer…”) 2007)
  • 838 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. May 1935] (“The reason I haven’t answered your letter…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, ca. May 1935 (“Dear HPL: / The reason I haven’t answered your letter…”) 2007)
  • 853 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, July 11, 1935 (“…As for international questions —…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 861 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [c. July 1935] (“Thanks very much for the fine postcard…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, ca. July 1935 (“Dear HPL: / Thanks very much for the fine…”) 2007)
  • 883 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, August 7, 1935 (“…Now as to our controversies—for once, I am glad…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 892 • Postcard to Robert E. Howard, postmarked August 12, 1935 (”
    _ of the Panhandle! Hope you’re…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 893 • Postcard to Robert E. Howard, postmarked August 19, 1935 (“Thanks abundantly for the fress batch of…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 893 • Postcard to Robert E. Howard, postmarked August 20, 1935 (“On the road at last! The Barlows…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 894 • Postcard to Robert E. Howard, postmarked August 27, 1935 (“Greetings from ancient Charleston!…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 894 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, October 3, 1935 (“Here are some clippings which might interest…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, October 3, 1935 (“Dear HPL: / Here are some clippings which might interest…”) 2008)
  • 895 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [December 5, 1935] (“A rather belated reply to your interesting letter…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, December 5, 1935 (“Dear HPL: / A rather belated reply to your interesting letter…”) 1991)
  • 915 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, [February 11, 1936] (“Glad you enjoyed the dream write-up…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, February 11, 1936 (“Dear HPL: / Glad you enjoyed the dream write-up I sent you…”) 2008)
  • 923 •  Letter to Robert E. Howard, May 7, 1936 (“…As for the good old controversy…”) • essay by H. P. Lovecraft
  • 937 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, May 13, 1936 (“I am indeed sorry to hear that you and your aunt…”) • [Letters to H. P. Lovecraft] • (2002) • essay by Robert E. Howard (variant of To H. P. Lovecraft, May 13, 1936 (“Dear HPL: / I am indeed sorry to hear that you and your Aunt…”) 2008)
  • 955 • With a Set of Rattlesnake Rattles • (1937) • essay by Robert E. Howard
  • 955 • The Beast from the Abyss • (1971) • essay by Robert E. Howard
  • 962 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, June 29, 1936 (“It is barely possible through some other…”) • essay by Dr. I. M. Howard
  • 964 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, August 14, 1936 (“In as much as you will be one of the parties…”) • essay by Dr. I. M. Howard
  • 965 •  Letter to H. P. Lovecraft, October 30, 1936 (“I am sending you today, by mail, under…”) • (2008) • essay by Dr. I. M. Howard
  • 966 • Postcard to H. P. Lovecraft, postmarked November 22, 1936 (“I am sending you today under separate…”) • essay by Dr. I. M. Howard
  • 967 • Glossary of Frequently Mentioned Names (A Means to Freedom: The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard) • essay by uncredited
  • 973 • Bibliography (A Means to Freedom: The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard) • essay by uncredited
  • 985 • Index (A Means to Freedom: The Letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard) • essay by uncredited

 

Publisher :Hippocampus Press
Year :August 2009
Replica by: 
Format :Hardcover (2009), Trade Paperback (March 2011), Trade paperback 2nd. ed. (January 2017)
Pages :511
Cover :David C. Verba
Illustrations :None
ISFDB Howard Works

Notes

Only available as a 2 volume set of 345 copies. 
The second volume has 493 pages.
Edited by S. T. Joshi, David E. Schultz and Rusty Burke.
“First Edition” on copyright page.
The text shows where missing/nonextant letters fall by both authors.
Letters are not titled.
Howard seldom dated his letters. [Dates] were sometimes noted by HPL from postmarks, sometimes estimated (by HPL or the editors) from content.
End notes generally follow the letters.

Limited first edition of 1000 trade paperback copies with sewn signatures and French flaps.
The second edition is perfect bound and Print On Demand. No French flaps.

The second volume of the 2nd edition is 2 pages longer because of the addition of an Addendum with quotations from Lovecraft’s letters that appeared in the letters of Robert E. Howard.
There are Lovecraft quotes from:
REH to Tevis Clyde Smith, September 1930,
“Well, Fear Finn: / I hope you’ll sell the duelling story.”
REH to Tevis Clyde Smith, September 1930,
“Well, Fear Finn, me bauld braw Hieland bully . . .”

 

 

 

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A Means to Freedom: 1933-1936

H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard are two of the titans of weird fiction of their era. Dominating the pages of Weird Tales in the 1920s and 1930s, they have gained worldwide followings for their compelling writings and also for the very different lives they led. The two writers came in touch in 1930, when Howard wrote to Lovecraft via Weird Tales. A rich and vibrant correspondence immediately ensued. Both writers were fascinated with the past, especially the history of Roman and Celtic Britain, and their letters are full of intriguing discussions of contemporary theories on this subject.

Gradually, a new discussion came to the fore-a complex dispute over the respective virtues of barbarism and civilisation, the frontier and settled life, and the physical and the mental. Lovecraft, a scion of centuries-old New England, and Howard, a product of recently settled Texas, were diametrically opposed on these and other issues, and each writes compellingly of his beliefs, attitudes, and theories. The result is a dramatic debate-livened by wit, learning, and personal revelation-that is as enthralling as the fiction they were writing at the time. All the letters have been exhaustively annotated by the editors.

Tags: H. P. Lovecraft / Robert E. Howard