American Writers (One Hundred Pages at a Time)

In the fourth volume of Parkman's FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA we look at the political and social institutions in New France during its peak during the years of Frontenac and Louis XIV. A great addition that does something different from the other values in the series.

The third and finale part of my review of LA SALLE AND THE DISCOVERY OF THE GREAT WEST by Francis Parkman. This episode focuses on La Salle's attempts to establish the foundation of a Mediterranean empire for France. (All he got for it was a short-lived for in present-day Texas). Saint-Domingue is mentioned only in passing.

Lovecraft is not often accused of being dry, but he totally was. Try to enjoy this episode of the H.P. Lovecraft Book Club sober. I bet you cannot.

In this episode, I look at some of La Salle's labor troubles during his expeditions to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi. Maybe it is time for a labor history of exploration.

Lovecraft as an amateur astronomer and he shared his insights in newspapers. This episode takes a brief looks a series of columns he wrote to introduce the basic of astronomy to readers, and provide glimpses into his views of cosmic horror.

In this episode I dig into some of Lovecraft's amateur journalism dealing with the First World War. Why did he think the U.S. should back Great Britain in the conflict? It has a lot to do with race and his vision of an Anglo-American "white Atlantic".

Francis Parkman's third volume of his epic history of New France is called LA SALLE AND THE GREAT WEST. What drove La Salle to explore the Great Lakes and Mississippi? Find out.

Since I lack the first volume of the Selected Letters of H. P. Lovecraft, I am working off some notes I took a few years ago. In the future I promise more complete examination of his wacky letters.

Finale of my review of THE JESUITS IN NORTH AMERICA by Francis Parkman. In this episode I look at the martyrdom of the Jesuits, the "Mourning Wars", and the refugee crises among the Huron. 

"Season One" of the H. P. Lovecraft Book Club ends with a look at "The Street." Next, we will explore some of his other early writings such as astronomy, his letters, amateur journalism and poetry.

More on the French Jesuits in Canada and the Huron mission in this episode of my read-through of Francis Parkman's FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA.

Part 1 of my review of Francis Parkman's THE JESUITS OF NORTH AMERICA. This volume covers the mid-17th century Jesuit efforts among the Huron and Algonquins amidst the Beaver Wars (Mourning Wars).

A fairly famous story of Lovecraft's "The Statement of Randolph Carter" builds to a shocking ending. Not the richest thematically, but a lot of fun to read.

Lovecraft's story "The Doom that Came to Sarnath" tells the story of a civilization that forgot its roots and paid the price. While Lovecraft is usually an advocate of forgetting, in this story he warns against it. The story is also a polemic against decadence and a celebration of grand architecture. 

Final part of my review of THE PIONEERS OF NEW FRANCE IN NORTH AMERICA by Francis Parkman Jr. In this section we look at the career of Champlain and the other explorers who established Quebec. Next up, the Jesuits. 

In this part of Parkman's THE PIONEERS OF NEW FRANCE we witness the massacre of the Floridan Huguenots and begin to survey the French explorations of North America in the St. Lawrence River.

In my review of "The White Ship" by H. P. Lovecraft I make a bold claim about what type of writer Lovecraft is. Beyond that, this is just a great "Dreamlands" story about the pitfalls of various utopias.

We start our look at FRANCE AND ENGLAND IN NORTH AMERICA with the first part of THE PIONEERS OF NEW FRANCE. This episodes focuses on his deception of the Huguenots in Florida.  

Lovecraft wrote a great story called "The Transition of Juan Romero". It may be his best early depiction of ancient religions in a vast network. A must read for Lovecraft fans if you missed it. 

The conclusion to my review of Francis Parkman Jr.'s THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC. In the final section of this book we explore the consequences of Pontiac's revolt for the people of the American West.

Lovecraft had some particular views on alcohol and drugs, which are reflective in this early (science fiction?) story of his, a morality tale about inheritance and social decline.

Part 4 of my review of THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC by Francis Parkman. In this episode we look at the failure of the Indian cause, frontier violence, and the vigilantism of the Paxton Boys.

Lovecraft goes a little overboard on his descriptions of back-country folk in "Beyond the Wall of Sleep" but the story places him right in the middle of the eugenics conversation of his time.

In part three of my review of THE CONSPIRACY OF PONTIAC, I talk about Pontiac's plans, the role of cunning and deception in the early Indian victories, and the siege of Detroit.

In "Polaris" we get the first of Lovecraft's "Dreamland" stories and an allegory for the racial conflicts he saw as the primary vehicle of history. By taking a look at some of his World War I era writing, we can put this story in a broader context.