H.P. Lovecraft

H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937), the influential American horror writer, was an eloquent defender of the value of regional folk traditions, which he saw as inventions meant to stave off a sense of alienation caused by the meaninglessness of human life on a cosmic scale. Humans are therefore free to invent new traditions, based on older elements.
Lovecraft did this himself in much of his fiction, creating realistic and convincing monsters, imaginary New England towns and books of occult lore. Join us in person. 77 W.Washington St. 2nd Floor, Chicago. $10 adult/ $5 student. Tickets: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/6727194
Tim Evans is retired from the Folk Studies Program at Western Kentucky University, where he taught for 24 years. He has also worked as a folklorist in Wyoming, Virginia and Iowa. He has a PhD in Folklore and American Studies from Indiana University. He has published on a variety of topics related to folklore, including traditional crafts, architecture, legends, Internet folklore, and the use of folklore by such writers as William Morris, Philip K. Dick, M.R. James, Neil Gaiman and H.P. Lovecraft.