Arthur Jermyn

This early Lovecraft story (first published in the amateur journal The Wanderer in 1921) is crude and only partially successful, but it is interesting for five reasons: 1) It embodies Lovecraft’s autobiography in a distorted, fearful form. Like Lovecraft, Arthur Jermyn is sensitive about his personal......more

Absolutely enjoyed this very gothic and eerie family tale of the House of Jermyn. Why did Arthur Jermyn used oil to burn himself? What was the discovery that led to his terrible suicide? What was in the African box Arthur received? The narration of the family history and the defects of each of its m......more

It's only to be expected that someone would label the story racist, altho where the racism in a story about white apes might be is anyone's guess. I found the story wonderful, a sterling example of Lovecraft's dry and understated sense of humor. The history of the family is too ridiculous to be take......more

Basically a prototype Innsmouth, except with far less dark and horrifying implications, and far less removed from humanity in general. From a modern standpoint, it's less about a terrible bloodline secret and more about a particularly neurotic guy having a brief yet tragically intense nervous breakd......more

This is sort of a genealogical mystery with a big reveal at the end. It's like going into Ancestry.com and finding out your family tree was nothing like you assumed. It's a common Lovecraft theme, and I love all the little clues peppered along the way. The story is a little dry and reads like you're......more