Remove H.P. Lovecraft’s Name from August Derleth’s Books

  • Author:
    n/a
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    Carroll & Graf Publishers
  • Sponsored By:
    The H.P. Lovecraft Archive
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Two books published by Carroll & Graf Publishers—The Lurker at the Threshold and The Watchers Out of Time—contain stories written by August Derleth but based on plot-germs by H.P. Lovecraft. These so-called “posthumous collaborations” have long confused and misled new readers of Lovecraft’s works. Despite Derleth’s long-known authorship, these books are marketed as having been written by Lovecraft himself, and display Lovecraft’s name prominently on their front covers, spines, and title pages. However, only the back covers of these books describe them as being by “H.P. Lovecraft with August Derleth” (see the back cover of The Lurker at the Threshold).

In addition, other books such as The Horror in the Museum and Other Revisions and The Loved Dead and Other Revisions—whose contents truly were written by Lovecraft—list The Lurker at the Threshold and The Watchers Out of Time as being among the other Carroll & Graf books written by Lovecraft. One need only look at the comments from Amazon.com customers to see the confusion to which these books have led (see the comments for The Lurker at the Threshold and The Watchers Out of Time). Some of these comments warn other readers away from these stories, since they’re neither by H.P. Lovecraft nor of significant merit. Other comments make it clear that the purchasers of these books had no idea that they were purchasing books which were not written by Lovecraft, and as a result they were disappointed.

The signers of this petition are of the opinion that marketing these inferior stories under Lovecraft’s name harm his literary reputation. In addition, the dissatisfaction that readers of these books have experienced may harm Carroll & Graf’s otherwise impeccable reputation as a publisher of fine works of fiction. We, the undersigned, ask that Carroll & Graf Publishers cease the continuation of this long-standing misconception by clearly indicating the true author of these books: August Derleth.

2947 Signatures

  • Magnus E
  • Aaron P
  • Alan B
  • Anthony D
  • Adria K
    • Comments
    • Truth in advertising!!!!!
  • Adrienne H
  • Daniel K
    • Comments
    • This injustice is intolerable.
  • Kristofer S
  • Aki
  • AV V
  • Alexander M
  • Alex L
  • Alexandria G
  • Alfredo Sendin D
    • Comments
    • Lots of confusion out there, specially for younger people who has just discovered Lovecraft
  • Ulrich K
  • Flбvio R
  • Andrew P
    • Comments
    • I've been a Lovecraft fan since the sixties. I've read the Derleth "collaberations," but I did so knowing what I was buying and reading. The book covers shown at Amazon are confusing at best and false advertising at worst. Please indicate the authorship correctly!
  • Stephanie A
    • Comments
    • I wanted to add that I can not state whether I find Derleth's works inferior, as the petition does, for I have never read them. However, I wholeheartedly join with the rest of those signing this petion in regards to every other point made in the letter, and hence my adding my signature to those who have allready signed. Please do take Lovecraft's name off of Derleth's books- it is a disservice to any author, especially a master such as Lovecraft, for him to be called one of the authors of works he did not create. Thank you.
  • Annelese L
  • Kahlil A
  • j. a. r
  • Hampus A
    • Comments
    • No substitutes for H.P. Lovecraft!
  • Michael B. G
    • Comments
    • I am glad someone is trying to save the purity of Lovecrafts reputation.
  • Arne Jonny B
  • Cliff B
  • Jason C
    • Comments
    • While I like compilations of horror, they need to most clearly marked as such, and not allow persons to ride the coat tails of Lovecraft
  • C. James L
  • Matt E
  • anthony c
    • Comments
    • Lovecraft's work must be Lovecraft's work
  • Preston
  • Branden M
  • gordon p
  • michael e. b
    • Comments
    • calling myself the sole author of the bible would be quite similar.
  • Michael H
    • Comments
    • I too feel this is simply wrong.
  • Ben
  • Alexnder Gabrial L
    • Comments
    • I read Derleth's "Return of Hastur" the other day because I was out of Genuine Lovecraft. It seems Derleth is as much a Lovecraft fan as myself and his works are about the same level as my own. good, readable and no where near half as good as Lovecraft's.
  • Giorgio
    • Comments
    • Give Derleth What DOES NOT Belong to HPL
  • Thomas Robert K
    • Comments
    • Cthulhu Ftaghn...Even Death May Die.
  • Kinjiru H
    • Comments
    • i don't mind people writing things based on Lovecraft's work, but i don't agree with people (or their publishing companies) claiming their work was written by Lovecraft
  • michael mark p
    • Comments
    • derleth dissapoints as he really didn't get the mythos and tried to twist it to his own ends. down with derleth. viva lovecraft!!
  • June W
    • Comments
    • В
  • John J. C
  • Robert H
    • Comments
    • Nothing against Mr. Derleth, but he's quite different from HPL, and people should know which they're getting.
  • Michaі
    • Comments
    • no comment
  • William H. B
  • Christopher K. P
  • David A S
    • Comments
    • Derleths claim to using Lovecraft's name was dubious, at best, and the time has come to take HPL's name off of these substandard stories.
  • Darren M
  • Darren M
  • Sword S
    • Comments
    • ..