People's Guide to the Cthulhu Mythos

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A podcast about Cosmic Horror, Weird Fiction and more.

DB Spitzer & David Heath

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    • Mar 13, 2026 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekdays NEW EPISODES
    • 46m AVG DURATION
    • 1,541 EPISODES
    • 5 SEASONS


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    Latest episodes from People's Guide to the Cthulhu Mythos

    The Yellow Sign/The Return to Oz

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 13, 2026 46:41


    "The Yellow Sign" is a famous short story by Robert W. Chambers, part of his influential collection The King in Yellow, which features a mysterious, madness-inducing play and a recurring, ominous yellow sign. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]

    Shoggoths & AI

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 12, 2026 26:27


    Dave Talks AI & Shoggoths Check out show merch at PGttCM.com

    After london 17

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2026 2:33


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 16

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2026 34:10


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 15

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2026 40:06


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    2201: The Empty House/Monster House

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 39:46


    Story Recommendation: The Empty House A famous 1906 ghost story by British author Algernon Blackwood, often featured in his collection The Empty House and Other Ghost Stories. It follows Shorthouse and his aunt as they investigate a notoriously haunted house in London, experiencing terrifying supernatural manifestations. Movie Review: Monster House A 2006 American animated supernaturalhorror comedy film. Dear Salinger, Your mom told me about Monster House scaring you. It sounds like one of the things that upset you is the fact that the house kept wanting to hurt people even after nobody wanted to hurt it anymore. I will tell you a secret that sounds so silly, you might not believe it, but this is true: I never finished writing Monster House before my bosses turned it into a movie. And then different writers, people I don't even know, changed the story in lots of ways, and the movie that you saw was not the story I wanted to tell you. I think a good story, even if it is sad or scary while you're watching it, should always make you a little less scared after you've seen it. And that didn't happen in Monster House. Why, after they escaped the house, did that old man tell them another scary story about a mean fat lady that didn't make very much sense either? I'll tell you why. Because Gil Kenan is a hack and Steven Spielberg is a moron. But hey, I shouldn't be dumping this stuff on you. I hope one day I can finish writing a movie that they don't change so much, and if you see it, I hope it makes you happy. Until then, I heard that Wall-E is very good, you should go see that. And next time Monster House is on, just remember that the guy that wrote it told you it was dumb. -Dan Haarmon Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]

    After London 14

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2026 34:28


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 13

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2026 42:39


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 12

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2026 36:49


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 11

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2026 38:47


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 10

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2026 38:19


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 9

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2026 38:19


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London; Or, Wild England part 8

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 25, 2026 31:45


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London; Or, Wild England part 7

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2026 46:11


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London 6

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2026 41:44


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London by Richard Jefferies part 5(Audio Issues Fixed)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2026 41:02


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London by Richard Jefferies part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2026 41:30


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London by Richard Jefferies part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2026 47:16


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    Geeky Crossroads: Dave talks 2025 part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2026 33:00


    Dave talks 2025 part 2

    Geeky Crossroads: 2025 part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2026 29:55


    Dave Talks 2025 part 1

    After London by Richard Jefferies part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 13, 2026 56:07


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    After London by Richard Jefferies part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 12, 2026 38:48


    After London; Or, Wild England: In Two Parts: Part 1 – The Relapse into Barbarism; Part II – Wild England is a novel by Richard Jefferies, published in 1885 by Cassell and Company. It is an early work of science fiction, set in near future England, near sunk London, a century after a mysterious disaster caused the fall of modern civilization and reverted English society to the medieval level. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Bodymaster part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2026 49:21


     The Bodymaster by Harold Ward. Read in English by Ben Tucker Horror author Harold Ward is perhaps most well-known for his Doctor Death series of stories published in the 1930s. Before that, Ward released a series of horrific and strange stories in the earliest days of Weird Tales magazine. Settle in for a sinister pair of stories that delve into the heart of the macabre! - Summary by Ben Tucker Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge(1890)/Carnival of Souls(1962) FInal Episode of season 21, we'll be back in March

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2026 51:42


    "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is an 1890 short story by American writer and American Civil War veteran Ambrose Bierce Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]

    The Skull/The Bodymaster part 1 by Harold Ward

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2026 46:23


     Weird Tales Double Feature: The Skull and The Bodymaster by Harold Ward. Read in English by Ben Tucker Horror author Harold Ward is perhaps most well-known for his Doctor Death series of stories published in the 1930s. Before that, Ward released a series of horrific and strange stories in the earliest days of Weird Tales magazine. Settle in for a sinister pair of stories that delve into the heart of the macabre! - Summary by Ben Tucker Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Murder Machine by Hugh b Cave/Coming Attractions by Fritz Leiber

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2026 81:04


    The Murder Machine by Hugh B. Cave is a classic 1930 science fiction short story about a device that uses hypnotic thought-waves to turn ordinary people into murderers, first published in Astounding Stories magazine. It's a tale of mind control and murder, where a mad scientist creates a machine that can manipulate the minds of "law-abiding citizens," making them commit violent acts without their conscious will.  "Coming Attraction" is a science fiction short story by American writer Fritz Leiber, originally published in the second issue (November 1950) of Galaxy Science Fiction.  

    Second Variety by Philip K Dick part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2026 63:49


    "Second Variety" is a science fiction novelette by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in Space Science Fiction magazine, in May 1953, with illustrations by Alex Ebel. Set in a world where a war between the Soviet Union and the United Nations has reduced most of the world to a barren wasteland, the story concerns the discovery, by the few remaining soldiers left, that self-replicating robots originally built to assassinate Soviet agents have gained sentience and are now plotting against both sides. It is one of many stories by Dick examining the implications of nuclear war, particularly after it has destroyed much or all of the planet. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]  

    Second Variety by Philip K Dick

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2026 63:49


    "Second Variety" is a science fiction novelette by American writer Philip K. Dick, first published in Space Science Fiction magazine, in May 1953, with illustrations by Alex Ebel. Set in a world where a war between the Soviet Union and the United Nations has reduced most of the world to a barren wasteland, the story concerns the discovery, by the few remaining soldiers left, that self-replicating robots originally built to assassinate Soviet agents have gained sentience and are now plotting against both sides. It is one of many stories by Dick examining the implications of nuclear war, particularly after it has destroyed much or all of the planet. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]  

    The Treader in the Dust/The Love Witch(2016)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2026 35:37


       "The Treader of the Dust" is a short story written by Clark Ashton Smith and first published in the August 1935 issue of Weird Tales.   Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]  

    The Black Kiss by Kuttner and Block

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2026 54:35


      C Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]  

    The Salem Horror by Henry Kuttner

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2026 48:05


    The spirit of dark priestess Abigail Prinn, executed during the Salem Witch Trials, is awakened when a man moves into her old home and uncovers her secret "Witch Room" hidden beneath. In order to wreak her vengeance on the descendants of the townsfolk responsible for her death, Abigail attempts to summon forth a dark evil in the form of the Great Old One known as Nyogtha, using the Witch Room, but is ultimately thwarted by the intervention of occultist Michael Leigh. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Red Hand by Arthur Machen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2026 68:47


    "The Red Hand" (1895): short detective/horror story featuring the main characters from The Three Impostors. It focuses on a murder performed with an ancient stone axe. Written by Welsh writer Arthur Machen. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2026 79:58


    The Great God Pan is an 1894 horror and fantasy novella by Welsh writer Arthur Machen. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Colour Out of Space/Pearl(2022)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 23, 2026 41:12


    "The Colour Out of Space" is a science fiction/horror short story by American author H. P. Lovecraft, written in March 1927.   Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]  

    Oscar Schisgall's In Kashla's Garden

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2026 38:31


    Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Shadow Kingdom & The Mirrors of Tuzun Thume by Robert E Howard

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2026 93:31


    Before Conan the Barbarian, Robert E. Howard created Kull the Conqueror, revealed later by Howard to be an ancestor of Conan. Kull, like Conan is a vicious and bloodthirsty barbarian but in some ways is a more contemplative and thoughtful character. In these, the first two Kull stories Howard published, we find Kull dealing with a conspiracy to murder him by a race of shapeshifting lizard people in "The Shadow Kingdom" and we see Kull contemplating his place in the world and even his own reality as he becomes ensnared in the wicked plot of a magician in "The Mirrors of Tuzun Thume". Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    Oscar Schisgall's Death Pit

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2026 54:38


    Oscar Schisgallon's Death Pit from the November 1923 Weird Tales. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The White People by Arthur Machen

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 19, 2026 111:31


    "The White People" is a classic, influential horror short story by Welsh author Arthur Machen, first published in 1904, presented as a young girl's diary detailing her secret initiation into a world of folklore, magic, and otherworldly beings, guided by her nurse, culminating in an abrupt, unsettling ending that suggests a profound, supernatural transformation. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Terror by Arthur Machen part 4

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2026 55:45


    The Terror (1917) by Arthur Machen is a short horror novel set during World War I, where a series of bizarre and gruesome deaths in rural Wales are linked to animals turning against humans, suggesting a cosmic horror unleashed by the war's disruption of the natural order. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Terror by Arthur Machen part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2026 63:42


    The Terror (1917) by Arthur Machen is a short horror novel set during World War I, where a series of bizarre and gruesome deaths in rural Wales are linked to animals turning against humans, suggesting a cosmic horror unleashed by the war's disruption of the natural order. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Terror by Arthur machen part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 13, 2026 60:11


    The Terror (1917) by Arthur Machen is a short horror novel set during World War I, where a series of bizarre and gruesome deaths in rural Wales are linked to animals turning against humans, suggesting a cosmic horror unleashed by the war's disruption of the natural order. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Terror by Arthur Machen part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 12, 2026 69:10


    The Terror (1917) by Arthur Machen is a short horror novel set during World War I, where a series of bizarre and gruesome deaths in rural Wales are linked to animals turning against humans, suggesting a cosmic horror unleashed by the war's disruption of the natural order. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    Vulthoom/Dale and Tucker Vs Evil

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 9, 2026 38:57


    "Vulthoom" was first published in the September 1935 edition of Weird Tales. It has since appeared in a multitude of publications and has been translated into Dutch, German, French and Italian. INSTAGRAM Facebook Apple

    Time and Time Again by H Beam Piper/The Tunnel under the World by Frederik Pohl

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2026 120:38


      "Time and Time Again" is a science fiction short story by American writer H Beam Piper, first published in April 1947, Astounding Science Fiction magazine.  "The Tunnel under the World" is a science fiction short story by American writer Frederik Pohl, first published in 1955 in Galaxy magazine. It has frequently been anthologized, for example in The Penguin Science Fiction Omnibus (1973) edited by Brian Aldiss, and The Golden Age of Science Fiction anthology edited by Kingsley Amis (1981). Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Old Die Rich part 2 by HL Gold/Project Mastodon by Clifford D Simak

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2026 126:19


      "The Old Die Rich" is a science fiction story by H.L. Gold. It was first published in Galaxy in March 1953. "project mastodon" is a science fiction short story by Clifford D Simak. It was first published in Galaxy in March 1955, and has appeared in several collections since then. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Case of Charles Dexter Ward/Possessor

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 2, 2026 41:29


    The Case of Charles Dexter Ward is a short horror novel (51,500 words) by American writer H. P. Lovecraft, written in early 1927, but not published during the author's lifetime. Set in Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island, it was first published (in abridged form) in the May and July issues of Weird Tales in 1941; the first complete publication was in Arkham House's Beyond the Wall of Sleep collection (1943). It is included in the Library of America volume of Lovecraft's work. INSTAGRAM Facebook Apple

    The Defenders — Philip K. Dick

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2025 60:51


    The Defenders — Philip K. Dick Story Humanity believes it wages endless war underground while robots fight above. When the truth surfaces, the machines reveal they have quietly preserved Earth—and manipulated humans into survival through comforting lies. Dick probes reality, trust, and whether salvation still counts if it's engineered deception. First appearance Published in Galaxy Science Fiction (1953). Author bio Philip K. Dick (1928–1982) was a visionary American science-fiction writer obsessed with reality, paranoia, authority, and false worlds. His work explores fragile identities and manufactured truths, influencing philosophy, cyberpunk, and countless films despite his chaotic, troubled life.   Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    The Coffin Cure — Alan E. Nouse/ Deathwish — Robert Sheckley

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2025 60:51


    The Coffin Cure — Alan E. Nourse Story A bleak medical future where burial becomes therapy. The “coffin cure” is a sanctioned psychological treatment—patients sealed away to shock them back into compliance. Nourse uses clinical calm to expose how medicine, stripped of empathy, can become ritualized cruelty dressed up as care. First appearance Published in April 1957 issue of Galaxy magazine. Author bio Alan E. Nourse (1928–1992) was both a physician and science-fiction writer. His fiction obsessively interrogates medicine, ethics, and institutional power, often predicting bioethical debates decades early with unsettling clarity and professional precision. Death Wish — Robert Sheckley Story A man casually wishes for death—and gets exactly what he asked for, via a perfectly legal, perfectly absurd system. Sheckley skewers consumer logic and bureaucratic literalism, showing how desire, once formalized and monetized, becomes a trap engineered to fulfill you to death. First appearance Published in the November 1952 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction. Author bio Robert Sheckley (1928–2005) was a master of satirical science fiction. Famous for short stories, he specialized in ironic twists, legalistic futures, and social systems that collapse under their own logic—funny, fast, and quietly savage. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]    

    Ultraterrestrials with Farmer Dave

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2025 26:21


    Dave talks about ultraterrestrials. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]  

    Monsters of the Cabin in the Woods

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2025 17:29


    Dave talks about the monsters in Cabin in the woods. Check out this link to buy DB's Books[link]  

    Picture in the House/Cabin in the Woods

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2025 52:32


    "The Picture in the House" is a short story written by H. P. Lovecraft. It was written on December 12, 1920. INSTAGRAM Facebook Apple

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