One of Us

As we draw The Shadow over August to a close, I'd like to end this series with a moment of reflection. Celebrating H.P. Lovecraft is, for many, a complicated endeavor. It has become fashionable in recent years to criticize him, to magnify his personal flaws while downplaying the extraordinary influence he has had on the worlds of fiction, pop culture (including roleplaying games), and imagination itself. Yet, for all his faults, both human and literary, I have come to see Lovecraft as something more than a historical figure or a subject of controversy. I see him as a kindred spirit.

Lovecraft was, in so many ways, like many of us who have found solace in books, in quiet contemplation, and in worlds of our own making. He was shy, intensely bookish, and at odds with the modern world and its demands, yet he also cultivated wide friendships and a network of mutual support that enriched both his life and the lives of those around him. He endured profound loss and personal difficulty throughout his life, from the death of his father while a child to the even greater loss of his beloved grandfather to a mother whose protectiveness sometimes smothered him Despite that, he carved out a life of meaning through his imagination, his letters, and his multitude of friends.

No one is without flaws and Lovecraft’s were many. But the measure of a man is not in perfection. It is in persistence, in the courage to create, to connect, and to leave something lasting by the time we depart this sublunary existence. In this, Lovecraft succeeded in ways few could. For me, he is a fellow nerd, a fellow writer, and a fellow introvert who managed to create not only stories but, just as importantly, friendships, a community, and a legacy that continues to shape the way we imagine and tell tales decades after his death.

I hope that in following The Shadow over August, readers might come to understand not just Lovecraft’s works, but the man behind them – flawed, human, brilliant, and strangely relatable. Perhaps, in some small way, I hope readers might also recognize in his life the quiet courage it takes to pursue one’s own path, to cultivate one's own circle, and to leave one's mark on the world.

Lovecraft, with all his contradictions, reminds me that being a nerd, being a dreamer, and being devoted to one’s craft are virtues worth celebrating. That, after all, is the real reason why I have spent this month writing in his honor. I hope you have enjoyed it.