The Book Commentary

The Read Down

Essays, author interviews and publishing advice for curious readers and writers.

Gott ist tot, but Yog-Sothoth Lives! The Perfect Historical Oddity of H.P Lovecraft
Gott ist tot, but Yog-Sothoth Lives! The Perfect Historical Oddity of H.P Lovecraft
Writing and Publishing Advice Sep 21, 2021

Gott ist tot, but Yog-Sothoth Lives! The Perfect Historical Oddity of H.P Lovecraft

By Dan Jones

I’m a latecomer to Lovecraft. I knew who the man was when I first dabbled in horror and SFF when I was a schoolboy, but for some reason passed him by, maybe labouring under the idiotic impression that he was too pulpy for my tastes. The irony was that the man...

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Dan Fesperman Speaks About Inspiration, Writing Process, and What Readers Find Interesting in His Books
Dan Fesperman Speaks About Inspiration, Writing Process, and What Readers Find Interesting in His Books
Author Interviews Sep 18, 2021

Dan Fesperman Speaks About Inspiration, Writing Process, and What Readers Find Interesting in His Books

By David Reyes

  You have an impressive resume that documents the work of a seasoned journalist. Can you tell us what has been life-changing in your career?  Being sent abroad by the Baltimore Sun in early 1991, to cover the Gulf War from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia...

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A Humorous, Sardonic Letter of An Ex-Slave, Jourdan Anderson, to His Former Master
A Humorous, Sardonic Letter of An Ex-Slave, Jourdan Anderson, to His Former Master
Writing and Publishing Advice Dec 21, 2020

A Humorous, Sardonic Letter of An Ex-Slave, Jourdan Anderson, to His Former Master

By The Book Commentary

A letter written by a freedman to his former master doesn’t just shine a powerful light on his dignity but makes a mockery of slavery and in a voice that is snarky, intelligent, and fueled by irony. This classic letter is excerpted from William E. Gienapp, ed...

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