#loveman

Loveman

Communications to Samuel Loveman, poet, critic, dramatist, and personal friend of Lovecraft, discussing a Lovecraft biography. Archive includes Four Typed Letters Signed and Two Holograph Postcards (July 1967 through July 1968) from Randal Alan Kirsch, a writer doing research for a biography of the great horror writer, H. P. Lovecraft. Kirsch goes to great lengths to reach Loveman, using (and in some cases abusing) the good graces of mutual contacts, including August Derleth of Arkham House, and someone named Hermine Wodicka who wrote "Scoundrel" on the envelope of Kirsh's letter to her, then forwarded same to Loveman, who put it in this file. Kirsch asks Loveman to share information about Lovecraft's marriage, his lifestyle, his personality, and anything else Loveman might wish to offer. Kirsch mentions other people he's contacted, including Lovecraft's ex-wife Sonia, E. Hoffmann Price, Emil Petaja, J. Vernon Shea, Nora May French, and Duane Rimel. Loveman eventually agrees to meet with Kirsch, but shortly thereafter Kirsch commits some unnamed insult to Loveman, prompting Kirsch to offer to destroy the audio recordings he'd made of his interview with Loveman.