Podsothoth: A Lovecraft Book Club

A reading of H.P. Lovecraft's “He,” which was first published in the September 1926 issue of Weird Tales, and first read aloud here, by me, in May of 2025.Please note: this is a horror podcast, and may not be for everyone. In particular, this story contains some unkind depictions of New York immigrants and Native Americans, an unexpected amount of architectural detail, a fancyboy-turned-necromancer, rum drinking, tobacco smoking, poorly inflected Georgian-era English, a particularly damaging bout of madness, and an inexplicable, multi-eyed ooze monster. If any of these elements are likely to disturb you, you may wish to skip this episode.You can read this story yourself at HPLovecraft.com, or enjoy the ambient "Victorian London" soundscape by The Vault of Ambience.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

Claire and Tod discuss HP Lovecraft's "The White Ship," first published in 1919 in The United Amateur. What better way to celebrate ☘️ St. Patrick's Day ☘️ than talking about Lord Dunsany at some length! Also, Claire, a sophisticated and educated lady of Irish decent, learns what a shillelagh is in this episode, so that's a bit of St. Patty's fun!Links for you:Lord Samuel's Lovecraft Metal Spotify PlaylistTod's Dreams and Nightmares Apple Music PlaylistCheck in on Fantasy Flight's Dark Side of the Moon at Board Game Geek, but it's out of print so you'll probably have to go to eBay to find itA short article about Lovecraft and Lord DunsanyA free version of Idle Days on the River Yann by Lord DunsanyDel Rey's Dream Cycle collection, which you can of course read for free at https://hplovecraft.comWeirdly, I don't think we swear at all in this episode, but I'll mark it explicit just to be on the safe side.Oh, and I spent a fair amount of time learning about The White Ship Disaster at Wikipedia, and then went down a rabbit hole learning about Empress Matilda and The Anarchy, but alas, it didn't make it into the show. Also, it has nothing to do with the story, so it's probably for the best.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

HP Lovecraft's "The White Ship," first published in the November, 1919 issue of The United Amateur, and first read here by Tod in March of 2025. As this is a horror podcast, it may not be for everyone. Specifically, this story contains descriptions of fanciful, far off lands, a celestial bird of impossibly beautiful plumage, the river Narg, a city paved with bones, and the rejection of paradise. If these elements are likely to disturb you, voyage no further with this episode.You can read this story yourself at HPLovecraft.com, or enjoy the ambience by itself as Creaky Wooden Pirate Ship by Captain Sleepy.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

Claire and Tod discuss HP Lovecraft's "The Outsider," which was first published in the April, 1926 issue of Weird Tales, though purportedly written around 1921. Is it really about body dysmorphia? Could be! Is it goth a fuck? Absolutely it is!Anyway, here are some links!First off, check out Hell Cat Speed and Design's YouTube channel. If that's not quite noisy enough for you, then you're urged to experience Nile's Amongst the Catacombs of Nephrem-Ka with your entire body. Too loud? Head on over to Walking on Mars' Stacy's Mom (from Stacy's Perspective), since it's delightful.Finally, if you're physically and psychologically able, you are COMMANDED to visit with the fine folks and deranged cultists at London Lovecraft Festival at the Drayton Arms in South Kensington on February 16-17, 2025! Go! Now! No time to explain!As always, you can read this story yourself at HPLovecraft.com if you can't be bothered to back up one episode. You might also enjoy The Eve of St. Agnes, if you want just a little smackeral of goth in an otherwise Romantic love story.(BTW, I think all these links are clickable in all normal podcast players. If they're not, please tell me! I spot checked Apple's and Spotify's, and those work just fine.)(And yes, I know how to math. I'm deeply embarrassed for getting my powers of two wrong.)You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

A reading of HP Lovecraft's "The Outsider," first published in the April, 1926 issue of Weird Tales, and first read here by Tod in January, 2025. As this is a horror podcast, it may not be for everyone. Notably, this story contains depictions of a dark and brooding forest of secrets, a crumbling castle of misery, silent rats and other ethereal vermin, screaming, wind-riding ghouls, and, (no spoilers) the most shocking, soul-crushing revelation of abomination and hellishness. If any of that goth as heck stuff is likely to trouble you, you're advised to skip this episode.You can read this story yourself at https://hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/o.aspx , or enjoy the ambience sounds by themselves at "D&D Ambience - Catacombs," by Sword Coast Soundscapes at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPpVMmTt74Q .You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

Tod and Claire discuss HP Lovecraft's "A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson," which was published in the November, 1917 issue of the United Amateur under the name "Humphrey Littlewit, Esq." and have a couple different takes on this story. Is it self satire? Probably. Is it actually a story about imposter syndrome? Maybe! Is it perhaps the most cosmically horrifying story of them all, since even if you're 200 years old, your life may well be vanishingly insignificant? I kind of think so! Happy New Year, and hope you have a couple hundred more!Oh, you want more Sam Jackson lines? Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xMLdPE5OoWI - weirdly, it's mostly variations on "Motherfucker" and no Star Wars or Incredibles zingers, but hey.We talked a little about AHA! around minute 10. Come by if you hack stuff and are in Austin.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

A reading of HP Lovecraft's "A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson," first published in the November, 1917 issue of the United Amateur, and first read here by Tod in December, 2024. This this work is a rarity in Lovecraft's oeuvre, as it was intended as a bit of satirical parody of Lovecraft himself.As this is pointedly not a horror story, there are no content warnings for this episode. However, you are still advised to steer clear if you are troubled by excessive name-dropping, overblown intellectual pretension, imagined slights and reactions to the same, or the very concept of 18th Century style satire.You can read this story yourself at https://hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/rdsj.aspx , or enjoy the backing ambience, "Crowded Local Tavern," by Sword Coast Soundscapes at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EULoybB2Nsw on Youtube.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

Tod and Claire discuss "The Evil Clergyman" by H.P. Lovecraft, which was first published in the April, 1939 issue of Weird Tales. As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. Notably, the story features an attempted suicide by hanging, an accidental manslaughter, book burning, the Anglican church, possession or possibly hallucination, and abnormally high foreheads. If these elements are likely to disturb you, you should skip this episode.Correction: Tod erroneously implied, rather strongly, that the Vampire card game discussed in episode 58 was out of print for a long time. Turns out, it was just me who wasn't paying attention. We here at Huge Success regret the error.Go now and pick up NecronimiRom-Com from your local bookseller, online! Bookshop.org matches up local buyers and sellers where they can, and source their material from local, democracy- and worker-friendly bookstores. The print editions are gorgeous and make great horror-holiday gifts!https://bookshop.org/a/108817/9781963760019https://bookshop.org/a/108817/9781963760002Check out Zraitor's international live-play Call of Cthulhu RPG podcast, "Big CoC Energy" using your favorite podcatcher. Or, jump straight to the first episode that has Tod in it at the link below:https://www.spreaker.com/episode/episode-14-blackwater-creek-part-one-call-of-cthulhu-7th-edition-ttrpg-actual-play--62596024 Finally, listen to, or even buy, "Speakeasy on Yuggoth" at our Bandcamp site. It's stupid, but maybe it's your kind of stupid.https://podsothoth.bandcamp.comYou can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

A reading of HP Lovecraft's The Evil Clergyman, first published in the April, 1939 issue of Weird Tales, and first read here by Tod in October, 2024. As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. Notably, this story features an attempted suicide by hanging, an accidental manslaughter, book burning, the Anglican church, possession or possibly hallucination, and abnormally high foreheads. If these elements are likely to disturb you, you should skip this episode.And hey, happy Halloween!. Also just around the corner is the American election for President, and many other offices. You know our politics. If you want to help us beat back fascism in the USA, check out Vote Save America: https://votesaveamerica.comWe are not going back.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In this episode, we present a lecture and discussion on issue spotting and the nightmarish legal landscape that Lovecraft and his characters occupy. Featuring a barely audible Tod, and a very audible Claire and Harley, presenting their findings in Vanitas Horrendum Lex: From Beyond The Bar.This was recorded live at NecoronomiCon Providence on August 16, 2024, in the beautiful Omni Hotel.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

Tod and Claire discuss "The Festival," by H.P. Lovecraft, which was was first published in the January, 1925 issue of Weird Tales. As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. Specifically, this story deals with Yuletide and the winter solstice, madness, probable hallucinated delusions, hybridized winged monsters, cultic activity, the silent treatment,  claustrophobia, atonal piping, the Necronomicon, an attempted suicide, and the resultant hospitalization. If such things are likely to bother you, you are urged to skip this episode. If you have a problem with our lefty politics, then you definitely want to skip this and all other discussion episodes.---Stay tuned for the bonus episode, "Vanitas Horendum Lex: From Beyond the Bar!" Editing is nearly done. In the meantime, you can listen to the runaway hit album (hitness not guaranteed) "Speakeasy on Yuggoth" at:https://podsothoth.bandcamp.comStream it for free, or save it for dollars. Seems fair!Read about Liminal, a pretty easy and fun urban fantasy RPG:https://modiphius.net/en-us/collections/liminalWant to ruin your life savings by getting really involved in a collectible trading card game? Great, get super invested in Magic: The Gathering. But, if you just want a fun little hobby collecting a much better game may I suggest _Vampire: The Eternal Struggle_ (formerly known as _Jyhad_), and specifically, Wesley Dodds' Ebay store:https://www.ebay.com/str/ricksjyhadandvtescardshopHe has just oodles of these cards and wants to trade with you.Here are the materials provided by Matthew, as mentioned on the show. Thanks Matthew!* Annotated edition of *Fungi from Yuggoth* by David E. Schultz, with illustrations by Jason Eckhardt, from Hippocampus Press: https://www.hippocampuspress.com/h.-p.-lovecraft/poetry/fungi-from-yuggoth-by-h.-p.-lovecraft-an-annotated-edition-paperback* Anne K. Schwader's sonnet cycle *In the Yaddith Time,* inspired by *Fungi from Yuggoth,* included in her collected works *Twisted in Dream,* from Hippocampus Press: https://www.hippocampuspress.com/mythos-and-other-authors/poetry/twisted-in-dream-the-collected-weird-poetry-of-ann-k.-schwader* Wilum Pugmire's prose poems responding to each sonnet in *Fungi from Yuggoth,* found in his collection *Monstrous Aftermath,* from Hippocampus Press: https://www.hippocampuspress.com/mythos-and-other-authors/fiction/monstrous-aftermath-by-w.-h.-pugmire* Reading of the sonnets by John Arthur, with original music by Mike Olsen and bonus tracks by Farnese (the Farnese tracks were approved by HPL in 1932), from Fedogan & Bremer: https://fedoganandbremer.com/products/fungi-from-yuggoth-deluxe-2-disk-setWant to get in touch? Search for "Podsothoth" on TikTok, Mastodon, or YouTube and you're bound to find us. Or, email us directly: hideous@podsothoth.club and feel free to include a pronunciation guide for your preferred name.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

A reading of H.P. Lovecraft's "The Festival," which was first published in the January, 1925 issue of Weird Tales, and first read by Tod on September 2, 2024.As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. Specifically, this story deals with Yuletide and the winter solstice, madness, probable hallucinated delusions, hybridized winged monsters, cultic activity, the silent treatment,  claustrophobia, atonal piping, the Necronomicon, an attempted suicide, and the resultant hospitalization. If such things are likely to bother you, you are urged to skip this episode. Also, there's a creepy audio effect at the end which I quite enjoy, but you might find a little unsettling.Ambiance for this episode is from Dark Chantings Occult Temple Music by Santino. It's droning and off-putting. Check it out!Only one editorial choice was made on this episode, and that was substituting out an archaic ableist slur for the less problematic "mute." You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

Only lightly edited for loudness normalization, this is the live Fungi From Yuggoth discussion recorded at NecronomiCon 2024. If AI generated music offends you, then you definitely want to skip this episode, and we shall never speak of this again. In fact, you should never go looking for such things at https://podsothoth.bandcamp.com,You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

You have received the enclosed special interruption. Please make a note of it.Also, we have a TikTok now, and hope to throw some video there somewhat routinely.We also, somehow, maintain the NecronomiCon Mastodon account, at https://mastodon.boston/@NecronomiconPVD . Give it a follow!Finally, feel free to write in about Episode 55, "The Fungi from Yuggoth," or really anything else, if you want your missives mentioned in the next episode as well as live on stage at the Black Box Theater or at the symposium presentation the following morning. Drop a line to hideous@podsothoth.club with your mad scribbles, especially if those scribbles contain a funny legal question for our crack team of Lovecraftian Lawyers.Sounds for this episode were sourced from SpeechGen.io and Morse CoderYou can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

A reading of "The Fungi From Yuggoth," by H.P. Lovecraft, first published in its entirety in _Beyond the Wall of Sleep_ by Arkham House in 1943, though published individually and sporadically in _Weird Tales_ and other magazines after they were completed on January 4th, 1930.  It was first read by Tod on July 21, 2024.As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. Specifically, this sequence of sonnets deals with shoplifting, several ancient farmhouses, glimpses of alien worlds, madness, and some very scary tickle monsters. If such elements are likely to disturb or offend you, you are urged to skip this episode.On the other hand, if you'd like to dive into Lovecraft's poetry, we'll be discussing this sequence of sonnets, as well as other Lovecraftian nonsense live and in person, on Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 7:00pm at the historic Black Box Theater in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Come join us, as audience participation will be encouraged, though not required. Ticketing info can be found at https://hugesuccess.org/necro2024, and entrance is free for NecronomiCon badge holders.The complete text can be found on HPLovecraft.com, at https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/poetry/p289.aspxThe ambience sounds for this episode can be found at "Ambiance:  Star Trek TNG Warp Core Ambient Engine Noise," at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRk-DQUUlz8You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

Send your Lovecraftian legal questions to Claire at hideous@podsothoth.club (not dot-com, dot-club)! Have you been driven insane by glimpsing the ineffable chaos of Azathoth during a seance? Has a loved one been lost to the dark guiles of Nyarlathotep? You may be entitled to compensation!In this episode, Claire and Tod discuss "The Thing In the Moonlight," by H.P. Lovecraft and J. Chapman Miske, first published in the January, 1941 issue of Bizzare, which was based on a letter from Lovecraft to Donald Wandrei in November of 1927.As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. This discussion, in particular, involves the forbidden art of oneiromancy, the unspeakable crime of taking 28 samples at an ice cream parlor, and ends up with some pretty juvenile potty-talk about buttholes (thanks, Kris!). If such elements are likely to disturb or offend you, you are urged to skip this episode.Hey, get your tickets for our live show! Only $10, and details are at https://hugesuccess.org/necro2024 . But even better, you should just get a pass to NecronomiCon proper, at https://necronomicon-providence.com, and come to our show for free! NecronomiCon this year runs August 15-18, 2024. Ia! Ia! Cthulhu? F'Tagn! F'Tagn? Cthulhu!You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

A reading of "The Thing In the Moonlight," by H.P. Lovecraft and J. Chapman Miske. This story was first published in the January, 1941 issue of Bizzare, and is based on a letter from Lovecraft to Donald Wandrei in November of 1927. It was first read by Tod on July 21, 2024.As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. This story involves a swampy dreamscape, an ancient trolley car, and a furtive yet fruitless escape from a howling motorman monster, all as part of a never-ending nightmare. If such elements are likely to disturb or offend you, you are urged to skip this episode.Ambience for this episode is from Dream Era (Dark Ambient Hour) by Iron Cthulhu Apocalypse. Check it out, as it's pretty spooky, and if you're into that sort of thing, visit their Bandcamp. Remember, buying music from artists who list on Bandcamp ensures that the artist gets way, way more money than from the streaming services.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Tod and Claire discuss HP Lovecraft's "The Picture in the House," first published in the July, 1919 issue of The National Amateur. You can read the complete text at hplovecraft.com.As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. Specifically, this story focuses quite a bit on cannibalism, as practiced in the unexplored Congo and backwoods New England, as well as an overstuffing of queso, a probable death by lightning strike (or, as Claire believes, an axe to the head), a singularly unkempt front lawn, and a side discussion of Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) and how it's the greatest "folk horror" movie of all time. If such elements are likely to disturb or offend you, you are urged to skip this episode.Hey, want to read NoCornflake's treatment of Pickman's Model? Check it out at WattPad!Want to catch Tod and Claire and HARLEY GEIGER at NecronomiCon? Go get tickets, or swing by https://hugesuccess.org/necro2024 for updates!You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Tod reads HP Lovecraft's "The Picture in the House," first published in the July, 1919 issue of The National Amateur, and first read by Tod on June 29, 2024. You can read the complete text at hplovecraft.com. Note that a couple words have been changed in this reading. You can guess which ones.As this is a horror podcast, this episode might not be for everyone. Specifically, this story focuses quite a bit on cannibalism, as practiced in the unexplored Congo and backwoods New England, as well as implied murder, farm animal slaughter, a probable death by lightning strike, a singularly unkempt front lawn, and a poor impersonation of an ancient Yankee accent. If such elements are likely to disturb or offend you, you are urged to skip this episode.Ambiance provided by Hidden Used Book Store.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Claire and Tod talk about HP Lovecraft's "Polaris," first published by HP Lovecraft in the December, 1920 issue of The Philosopher , and available at hplovecraft.com.As this is a horror podcast, please know that this episode may not be for everyone. The discussed story includes descriptions of siderophobia (the fear of stars), a swampy cemetery, a mention of cannibalism, a confusion between waking and dreaming life, and many poorly pronounced fantastical place and race names. If these things are likely to bother you unduly, you are urged to skip this episode.Catch us at Necronomicon Providence, where we'll be playing live at AS220! And for a full recap of the Eldritch Ball of 2022, listen to the beginning of The Curse of Yig (Discussion). (For the flashback sequence to that episode, we used this bit of ambience from Berlin Atmospheres.)Finally, the mentioned TikTok is Lukas T Arnold's Trump Down for What, which is truly quite catchy. The YouTube series, The Most Popular Girls in School, appears to take place one town over from Olathoë.You can text us now. Why? That's between you and your Elder God. Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Tod reads HP Lovecraft's Polaris, first published by HP Lovecraft in the December, 1920 issue of The Philosopher and first read by Tod on May 12, 2024.Please be forewarned that this is a horror podcast, and so it might not be for everyone. As a warning, this short story includes descriptions of siderophobia, (the fear of stars), a swampy cemetery, a mention of cannibalism, a confusion between waking and dreaming life, and many poorly pronounced fantastical place and race names. If these things are likely to bother you unduly, you are urged to skip this episode.The ambiance for this episode is provided by Horror Wind Ambience. Scary Wind Sounds and Swamp Sounds at Night. Check their YouTube links for much longer versions!Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Claire and Tod talk about HP Lovecraft's "The Music of Erich Zann," first published in the March, 1922 issue of The National Amateur, and available at hplovecraft.com. As this is a horror podcast, please know that this episode may not be for everyone. This story, in particular, features some poorly pronounced French, a number of awkward social encounters, some disturbing and dangerous architecture, descriptions of fantastic otherworldly musical elements and the implied posthumous playing of the same.The video for Sparks's Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me) looks like the  Rue d'Auseil, to me.Read up on Pittsburgh's crazy city steps situation. 15 miles of steps!One drop in the episode comes from this amazing compilation of every time the word "cook" is spoken in Breaking Bad.Tod and Claire totally forgot to talk about, at length, the whole spectral music movement in contemporary classical. Go listen to to some,  and then read up on Kaija Saariaho. She was a genius.Also, the abyss, in this story, is really just the horror of neighborhood gentrification.Support the Show.Like the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Tod reads HP Lovecraft's The Music of Erich Zann, first published in the March, 1922 issue of The National Amateur, and first read by Tod on April 13, 2024.As this is a horror podcast, please know that this episode may not be for everyone. This story, in particular, features some poorly pronounced French, a number of awkward social encounters, some disturbing and dangerous architecture, descriptions of fantastic otherworldly musical elements, the implied, posthumous playing of the same, and the real otherworldly compositions of Kaija Saariaho, performed here by Jakob Koranyi on the ambiance track. Definitely check out her life and work, as it gets much, much weirder than what was used in this episode.Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Tod and Claire discuss The Descendant, by HP Lovecraft, first published in the winter 1938 issue of Leaves. We also talk about Charles Fort and the Fortean Times, kind of a lot.Links to things mentioned in the show include Angela Collier's "physics crackpots: a theory" and https://hplovecraft.com. We also talked about NecronomiCON Providence, which I hope you go to in mid-August.Please be aware, this is a horror podcast, so it might not be for everyone. Notably, this story fragment touches on the troubling topics of the ravages of age and dementia, the Roman empire and medieval England, the dreaded Necronomicon, 90's-era Satanism, and a nihilistic longing to escape the natural world. If these topics are likely to trouble you, you are urged to skip this episode.Editor's note: At about 12m30s, Tod states that Rats in the Walls was written in 1929. That is incorrect. Rats in the Walls was published in 1924, two years before this was written, which implies that maybe this actually was intended as a sequel (but with different names and not really a sequel). In other words, Claire was right and Tod was wrong. That's fine.Support the showLike the show? Say so with money! Or just hang out with us on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social. Or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. Best thing? Rate us (positively!) in your favorite podcast app. That helps other people find the show!

In which Tod reads HP Lovecraft's The Descendant, first published in the winter 1938 issue of "Leaves." Please be aware, this is a horror podcast, so it might not be for everyone. Notably, this story fragment touches on the troubling topics of the ravages of age and dementia, the Roman empire and medieval England, the dreaded Necronomicon, 90's-era Satanism, and a nihilistic longing to escape the natural world. If these topics are likely to trouble you, you are urged to skip this episode.

In which Claire and Tod discuss the Rats in the Walls. Note we spend the first quarter talking about racism in literature sooooooooo there's that.Here's the Javascript to change the cats name, do with it what thou wilt: https://gist.github.com/todb/35aa059ef2a94cb86a2db63e5121ddebAnd here's Jason Buck's Linktree, if you get a chance to see him, he's real good, even though we make just a little bit of fun: https://linktr.ee/jasonbuckstoryteller/Okay I gotta pick Claire up from the airport like, right now.In the meantime, feel free to drop us a line!Email: hideous@podsothoth.clubMastodon: @podsothoth@defcon.socialTwitter: nahFacebook: idk, Claire runs that, but if you search "Podsothoth" I'm sure you'll find it.

In which Tod reads for you The Rats in the Walls by HP Lovecraft, first published in the March 1924 issue of Weird Tales. Please note, this is a horror podcast, so this episode might not be for everyone. This story contains depictions of cult worship, mispronunciations of various Anatolian and Roman deities, the American Civil War and the Great War, ancient and medieval architecture, Piltdown Man, The Marquis de Sade, surprise cannibalism, and of course, swarms and swarms of rats. If such things are likely to bother you unduly, you are encouraged to skip this episode.That said, the offensive cat name has been altered for this reading. My cat's name is Mephistopheles, so now he's in the story. He's also a black cat in real life. The intro and outro bits were recorded without a proper microphone, oops, and sound a little weird. Maybe I'll re-record those when I get back home.The ambiance is Haunted Catacomb Ambiance. There's some squeaky, scurrying rat noises in there. That might bug you.

In which Tod and Claire discuss "The Horror At Martin's Beach," by Sonia H Greene and HP Lovecraft, originally published as "The Invisible Monster" in the November, 1923 issue of Weird Tales.More about Sonia Greene:  https://www.gothamcenter.org/blog/marriage-failure-and-exile-hp-lovecraft-in-new-yorkMore about Captain Orne's possible connection to the Marsh family of Innsmouth: https://lovecraft.fandom.com/wiki/Marsh_familyI used a bit of short ambience in this recording, but if you want nine whole hours of creepy whispering, check it out at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOCZe0rssPMMore about the Martin's Beach court fight over access:  https://www.surfer.com/features/scotus-ends-martins-beach-sagaWant to get in touch with us? Email works at hideous@podsothoth.club, and so does Mastodon at https://defcon.social/@podsothoth -- I sometimes post other horror/gothy things there.Finally, we have another podcast! It's called, "Hot for Teacher: The Greatest American Hero Watch Party" and you can find it at https://hotforteacher.tv . It's pretty fun, and it's Claire's show, she calls all the shots!

Just in time for Halloween! In this episode of Podsothoth, a Lovecraft book club, Tod Beardsley reads to you The Horror at Martin's Beach by HP Lovecraft, which is also sometimes known as The Invisible Monster by Sonia H Greene. It was first published as the latter in the November, 1923 issue of Weird Tales.Please note, this is a horror podcast, so this episode might not be for everyone. This story contains depictions of fish monsters, Yankee capitalism, marine hypnosis, a decadent beachside hotel, and a mass oceanic drowning. If such things are likely to bother you unduly, you are enjoined to skip this episode.Ambiance is provided by Creaky Wooden Pirate Ship on the High Seas in a Thunderstorm by an unknown provider (it's since been deleted from YouTube, sadly).

In which Claire and Tod discuss The Shunned House, by HP Lovecraft, first published in the October, 1937 issue of Weird Tales.  And here are some links in case you're a weirdo who reads these show notes.Link to the Kickstarter project for publishing The Shunned House: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/helios-house/shunned-houseWikipedia article about The Shunned House, including the Gorey-esque illustration by Virgil Finlay: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shunned_HouseGirl with All the Gifts trailer, go watch it, it's pretty much my favorite zombie movie, and definitely my favorite fungus movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjGkB_oWTe0Learn all about Crookes Tubes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crookes_tubeSubscribe to our other podcast about The Greatest American Hero and also growing up in the 70s and 80s: https://hotforteacher.tv

In which Tod Beardsley reads The Shunned House, by HP Lovecraft, first published in the October, 1937 issue of Weird Tales. Since this is a horror podcast, it may not be for everyone. This reading contains detailed descriptions of 17th, 18th, and 19th Century architecture, a meandering genealogy, several child maladies and deaths, including stillbirth, an infectious madness, eerie fungi and vapors, a vampiric presence, and a rental property which certainly would not meet modern residential building codes. If any of these elements are likely to disturb you unduly, you are urged to skip this episode.Ambience provided by Haunted House Ambience 4 HOURS.If you like this episode, feel free to write to us at hideous@podsothoth.club, or hit us up on Mastodon, at @podsothoth@defcon.social.

In which Tod and Claire discuss HP Lovecraft's The Nameless City, which was first published in the November, 1921 issue of The Wolverine. Please know that this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for everyone, especially if you have problems with claustrophobia and the 20th Century plunder of archeological sites.We talked about John Shirley's Lovecraft Alive! from Hippocampus Press and you should buy it and read it.We also mentioned "The Austin Frog" which is more properly referred to as simply Hi, How Are You.Here's this year's Human Era Calendar from Kurzgesagt but wait until October or so and they'll print a new one for 12,024. They make great gifts for archeology nerds.If you need to calculate HE dates on the fly, the Holocene Era Calculator works pretty well.Also, here's the Arkham Horror AH:TCG expansion, Guardians of the Abyss, which we are convinced is impossible to win. Prove us wrong!Follow on Mastodon at @podsothoth@defcon.social, email at hideous@podsothoth.club, and join this unsanctioned Facebook group that Tod doesn't know anything about.

HP Lovecraft's The The Nameless City, which was first published in the November, 1921 issue of The Wolverine, as read by Tod Beardsley in July of 2023.Please know that this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for everyone. This story in particular contains depictions of amateur, penetrative archeology by an imperialistic foreigner; various supernatural winds and sandstorms; claustrophobia and sightless spelunking; a very frightened camel who presumably dies alone in the desert; the mummified remains of prehistoric lizardmen; a portal to the hollow Earth; and an attack of a million ghosts. If these topics are likely to upset you, please skip this episode.On the other hand, if you like this episode and this sort of thing, be sure to leave a glowing review on your podcast app of choice. You can get in touch with us directly on Mastodon at @podsothoth@defcon.social, or by e-mailing us at hideous@podsothoth.club.Ambience for this episode is once again provided by Horror Wind Ambience. Scary Wind Sounds.

In which Tod and Claire discuss The Unnamable, a short story by HP Lovecraft, first published in the July, 1925 issue of Weird Tales. Please know that this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for everyone. This is especially true if you have feelings about Cotton Mather.We discussed the Magnalia Christi Americana by Cotton Mather, not the "Christos Magnalia Americana" which is probably the cursed version.We also played a little of Modular Sessions 9, by Mark Jenkins, and you should defo spend real money and have it shipped to you by real postal mail!Feel free to strike up a conversation with us! We're on Mastodon at @podsothoth@defcon.social, or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. We also have a YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@Podsothoth for some reason.

In which Tod reads HP Lovecraft's The Unnamable, first published in the July, 1925 issue of Weird Tales. Please know that this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for everyone. This story in particular contains depictions of the supernatural and spectral, as well as puritanism and religiosity, an 18th Century hanging, improvised burial rites, New England architecture, and a madness inflicted on a young boy after a terrible discovery. If these topics are likely to upset you, please skip this episode.Ambience for this episode is provided by Horror Wind Ambience. Scary Wind Sounds. If you like what you hear, please leave a comment or review on your podcast directory of choice, and you can follow the show on Mastodon at @podsothoth@defcon.social, or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club.

In which Tod and Claire discuss The Horror at Red Hook by HP Lovecraft, which was first published in the January, 1927 issue of Weird Tales. Please note, this is a horror podcast, so it might not be for everyone. We swear some in this episode, but more importantly, we talk, at length, about Lovecraft's unabashed racism and nativism, as well as discuss many scenes of police brutality.This is, near as we can tell, the worst story we've read so far on the podcast, when it comes to both the story and the barely concealed subtext. We're glad to have had the opportunity to discuss it, and of course, the portrayal of Detective Malone in the Tell No Tales staging of The Atrocities at Arkham was an absolute delight. But, boy oh boy, that source material is not great.In any event, speaking of Tell No Tales, you should follow them on whatever social media they use these days, as well as our other new friend of the show, Screen Rebels. Our mission now is to get both West End London theater companies to come to Providence for NecronomiCON 2024 and perform for American audiences in Lovecraft's home town! Let's make this happen!Now for the links mentioned in the show:Nocturne, the vampire bar that might be owned by the band Massive Attack, is described here. It's really pretty neat. Go there if you have a chance.Nethack, the greatest video game ever made, is currently on display at New York's Museum of Modern Art. You too can dance with succubi and incubi.Read the 1902 edition of Encyclopedia Britannica, if you want to delve into history.Alternatively, you can read a 2018 Norwegian Refuge Council report on present-day Yezidis and the recurring genocide they've been suffering since forever. They are real people and definitely not devil worshippers.For lighter listening, catch our ad on Greatest Generation episode 455. It's toward the end, but really, you should listen to the whole episode.And here's how I learned how to pronounce Pascoag.Claire mentioned the Magnificent Mile in reference to Chicago, and I only mention this is because Tod will be in Chicago in the middle of May, 2023 for a secret hacker conference. If you want to hang out, drop us a line at @podsothoth@defcon.social or hideous@podsothoth.club.

In which Tod reads The Horror at Red Hook by HP Lovecraft, which was first published in the January, 1927 issue of Weird Tales.Please note, this is a horror podcast, so it might not be suitable for everyone. Specifically, this story is concerned with Lovecraft's xenophobia regarding the immigrant population of Brooklyn, New York, as well as descriptions of post-traumatic stress disorder, police harassment, kidnapping, murder, and man-smuggling, as well as some poorly enunciated Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Rhode Islander fragments. Finally, the most egregiously racist descriptions of the varied people mentioned in this story have been omitted or replaced.If any of this sounds like it is likely to disturb or offend you, you are urged to skip this episode.For ambience, we have several tracks: Relaxing Meadow with Ambient Nature Sounds, Wildflowers, and Mountain View - 8 Hours  by Calmed by Nature,  Open Window New York City Soundscape at Night (Midtown Manhattan City Sounds) 4k by Nomadic Ambience,  Creaky Wooden Pirate Ship on the High Seas in a Thunderstorm by an unknown provider (it's since been deleted from YouTube, sadly), and Dark Tomb - | Cave Sounds | 45 Minutes by The Guild of Ambience. It's so much soundscape! Too much? Let us know on Mastodon at @podsothoth@defcon.social, or by email at hideous@podsothoth.club. If you do write, we may read your missive on the podcast, so any hints about proper noun pronunciation would be appreciated.

LIVE and UNEDITED! This is the raw export of the Februrary 15, 2023 live from London Lovecraft Festival discussion of HP Lovecraft's Herbert West -- Reanimator. We have not listened to this episode, at all, and is cut straight from our mighty podcasting deck to your mp3 player. It might just be an hour of unintelligible nonsense.  You have been warned.The next episode will almost certainly be an edited, and possibly re-recorded version of this episode. Note, this is a horror podcast, it's not for everyone, there are certainly several swears, and it's a little chaotic. We're pretty sure the audience audio didn't make it through, sadly, but maybe it did? We'll find out together!Thanks again for the London Lovecraft Festival 2023 for hosting us!

In which Tod reads Herbert West -- Reanimator by HP Lovecraft, first published in serial form in the first six issues of Home Brew, from February through July of 1922.Please note, this is a horror podcast, and it might not be for everyone. Tonights story is, as you might have guessed from the title, primarily concerned with the scientific pursuit of reanimation of the dead. It also touches on murder, grotesque experimentation, an indescribable reptile, the death of a child, and some unkind descriptions of Italian, Polish, and African Americans.Certain specific terms in the text have been slightly altered or omitted in the reading to be slightly less unkind.Our next episode will feature a discussion of this story, and it will be recorded live at the Drayton Arms Theater in Greater London. I sincerely hope you can join us there when we record; tickets can be secured for a very modest fee. Just search the Internet for the London Lovecraft Festival. The festival will run from Februrary 13th to 19th, 2023, and this show will be recorded on Wednesday, Februrary 15th, at 9pm. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at hideous@podsothoth.club, or follow us on Mastodon at @podsothoth@defcon.social. We'll see you soon in London!Ambience: Science Lab with Bubbling Liquids

In which Tod and Claire discuss The Hound, by HP Lovecraft, which was first published in the February, 1924 issue of Weird Tales. This episode is a little swearier than most, so kids, don't say these words in school. The other, usual content warnings apply, including subjects of drug use, suicide, and assorted gothery.You can read about the real-life unnamable museum in the The Washington Post, or head over to Boadgamegeek to check out Cthulhu: Death May Die.But most importantly, you can head over to https://bit.ly/podsothoth-tickets to get your tickets to our upcoming London show on Februray 15, 2023! It's a couple clicks from there, but they're only £12, which is not even 15 dollars in real money. Also, we expect it to be a pretty Covid-safe event -- judging by ticket sales so far, I'm pretty certain you can keep a 2 meter distance from other audience members. You can read up on the festival and other things going on that week at https://londonlovecraft.com, and I urge you to do so -- especially Reanimator: The Bloody Musical on February 14th, which we'll be at as well!As always, you can follow the show at @podsothoth@mastodon.social, or email us at hideous@podsothoth.club. We're no longer on Twitter, and never have been on Facebook. If you want to dive into Mastodon, head over to https://joinmastodon.org/ and pick an instance! It's like the FidoNET BBSes of the 1980s! It's rad!

In which Tod reads The Hound by HP Lovecraft, which was first published in the February, 1924 issue of Weird Tales magazine. As this is a horror podcast, it might not be suitable for all listeners. The story that follows contains graphic depictions of grave robbery, a violent attack by an unseen, supernatural being, suicidal thoughts and plans, a suspicion of madness, and the quest to feel something, anything, in the face of crushing ennui. It's really quite goth. If these subjects are likely to upset you, please skip this episode.Our next episode will feature a discussion of The Hound with my insightful co-host, Claire Reynolds. If you enjoy the show, toot at us at @podsothoth@mastodon.social, for Twitter is dead to us, or write to us at hideous@podsothoth.club.If you're listening to this as it is released, know that our first ever live show will be in just one month, in London! Buy tickets for our February 15th, 2023 show directly at https://bit.ly/podsothoth-tickets. I hope to see you there! No hounds allowed!

Note: This espisode was originally published December 11, 2022Tod and Claire discuss Azathoth, which was first published in the Winter, 1938 issue of Leaves.Note, this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for all listeners. This discussion of Azathoth is mostly centered around a shocking revelation about the nature of the cosmos and the origin of Azathoth, thanks entirely to The Prophetess Claire. Unless you are well-grounded in your perception of reality, please avoid this episode if you're at risk of accidentally joining a cult.In the meantime, see Lovecraft's original manuscript for Azathoth at Brown University's archival website.Note, we're going to London in February, 2023 as part of the London Lovecraft Festival! For details as they come, check in on http://londonlovecraft.com/ and surely that'll be updated with the latest news about the festival and all the other cool shows going on that week.Alternatively, you can cut out the middleman and just follow us on Mastodon at @podsothoth@mastodon.social, from where ever you get your Mastodon toots, and you'll catch the very latest news on our London show and the London Lovecraft Festival in general.

Note: This episode was originally published November 22, 2022In which Tod reads Azathoth, which was first published in the Winter, 1938 issue of Leaves. A discussion of this story will follow.While this reading isn't particularly scary, do note, that this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for all listeners. This very short story touches on nihilism, urbanization, a longing for the natural world, innocence lost, and an out of body experience. If any of these topics are likely to upset you, please skip this podcast.For ambience, we will hear Open Window New York City Soundscape at Night (Midtown Manhattan City Sounds) 4k by Nomadic Ambience and Relaxing Meadow with Ambient Nature Sounds, Wildflowers, and Mountain View - 8 Hours by Calmed by NatureYou can follow Podsothoth: A Lovecraft Book Club on Mastodon now, at @podsothoth@alhazred.podsothoth.club! We're very likely to retire our Twitter account, but email also works at hideous@podsothoth.club.Since we've just moved to a new hosting solution, do let us know if something is weird in the podcast!

Tod and Claire discuss Azathoth, which was first published in the Winter, 1938 issue of Leaves. Note, this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for all listeners. This discussion of Azathoth is mostly centered around a shocking revelation about the nature of the cosmos and the origin of Azathoth, thanks entirely to The Prophetess Claire. Unless you are well-grounded in your perception of reality, please avoid this episode if you're at risk of accidentally joining a cult. In the meantime, see Lovecraft's original manuscript for Azathoth at Brown University's archival website. Note, we're going to London in February, 2023 as part of the London Lovecraft Festival! For details as they come, check in on http://londonlovecraft.com/ and surely that'll be updated with the latest news about the festival and all the other cool shows going on that week. Alternatively, you can cut out the middleman and just follow us on Mastodon at @podsothoth@mastodon.social, from where ever you get your Mastodon toots, and you'll catch the very latest news on our London show and the London Lovecraft Festival in general. You can also follow the show directly (sort of) at @podsothoth@alhazred.podsothoth.club, as long as we're running our own Castopod server. Ack ack ack ack ack. It's a little complicated.

In which Tod reads Azathoth, which was first published in the Winter, 1938 issue of Leaves. A discussion of this story will follow. While this reading isn't particularly scary, do note, that this is a horror podcast, and may not be suitable for all listeners. This very short story touches on nihilism, urbanization, a longing for the natural world, innocence lost, and an out of body experience. If any of these topics are likely to upset you, please skip this podcast. For ambience, we will hear Open Window New York City Soundscape at Night (Midtown Manhattan City Sounds) 4k by Nomadic Ambience and Relaxing Meadow with Ambient Nature Sounds, Wildflowers, and Mountain View - 8 Hours by Calmed by Nature You can follow Podsothoth: A Lovecraft Book Club on Mastodon now, at @podsothoth@alhazred.podsothoth.club! We're very likely to retire our Twitter account, but email also works at hideous@podsothoth.club. Since we've just moved to a new hosting solution, do let us know if something is weird in the podcast!

In this episode, Claire and I discuss "The Curse of Yig" by  By H. P. Lovecraftfor Zealia Bishop, first published in the November, 1929 issue of Weird Tales. We have a whole bunch of trigger warnings for this, the primary being, if you're a sufferer of ophidiophobia, the fear of snakes, you will defintely want to skip this one. We also talk about an implied fictional rape, some wistful wishing for fictional euthanasia, actual Nazis (because apparently you can't talk about anything without bringing up Nazis any more), a fictional dead dog who is described as "useless,"  fictional supernatural birth defects, rock and roll music, Oklahoma (both the actual state and the musical production), ficitonal asylum commitment, the real and horrifying Honduran jungle, the very real and awful tropical disease of leishmaniasis, and many other icky things. It's Halloween. It's a horror podcast. We went all out on this one. Recorded back in September, but released right in time for Halloween, anyway.You want links? We got 'em right here, in the order they were mentioned:New York Times article about NecronomiconThe Salem Wolves, a cool band we sawNecronomicon 2022 core programming featuring the work by Dr. Lubnow and Prof. BuxtonThe Forgotten Age by Fantasy Flight GamesLost City (Paramount Pictures)The Lost City of the Monkey God, a non-fiction book you should read now.The real sample, not Hollywood foley work, of a disturbed rattlesnake that plays every time Yig's name is mentioned is from this video by Michael Delany, and it's completely terrifying.Finally, while it was mentioned in the show, the @podsothoth Twitter account is going away, because Twitter just got way, way more awful. We'll re-establish our social media on Mastodon at https://mastodon.social/@podsothoth. It might be a little confusing and kind of a pain to migrate, but I'm sure we can all figure it out. You can always reach us at hideous@podsothoth.club, too.

For tonight's episode, I'll be reading "The Curse of Yig," by HP Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop, which was first published in the November, 1929 issue of Weird Tales.This reading includes, first and foremost, some unkind descriptions and misunderstandings of traditional Native American and Central American culture, as well as the displacement of those people by white American settlers.However, the most obviously racist terms used by Lovecraft and Bishop to describe American Indians have been excised from this reading, and replaced with the more textually appropriate term, "Indian." It is this reader's understanding that the term "Indian" is not immediately and obviously offensive, and has been used throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries to describe the the specific cultures Lovecraft and Bishop are referring to, both within and without those cultures.While other terms certainly exist, none seem to be universally adopted as the most correct term, and most are much more modern than the period written about. A Wikipedia article on this sensitive topic can provide more background.With that said, this reading also touches on the horrors of Oklahoma barbecue, a poorly performed Ozarkian accent, supernatural birth defects, nonconsensual asylum commitment, a dog that dies in the end, snake violence, and acute ophidiophobia. If these subjects are likely to upset you, you are urged to skip this podcast episode.The ambient background sounds are by Michael Ghelfi Studios, and is available on YouTube by searching for "Serpents Temple Adventure Ambience."

Please be aware, this story contains visions, portents, and omens regarding the end of days; mass hypnosis; and a mispronunciation of the word "tenebrous." If you feel you might be unduly disturbed by these elements, then please skip this episode.Also: We're going to be in Providence, Rhode Island, for NecronomiCon! Come say hi and hang out with us!

For tonight's episode, you'll hear the prose poem, "Nyarlathotep," which was first published in the November, 1920 issue of The United Amateur. Analysis, explorations, and jaunty banter will follow later, in episode 24.Please be aware, this story contains visions, portents, and omens regarding the end of days; mass hypnosis; and a mispronunciation of the word "tenebrous." If you feel you might be unduly disturbed by these elements, then please skip this episode.

In which Tod and Claire discuss Episode 20, "Dagon," by HP Lovecraft, first published in the 1919 issue of The Vagrant, and Tod edits this in a hotel room, his very first hotel edit since starting the show.Absolutely critical to understanding some of this episode is gazing upon the work of Gustave Doré, most notably, that crazy vase, which I hope to see some morning this week when I'm in San Francisco. Also, read up on Piltdown Man, as I'm sure we got some facts wrong.Hey, does anyone actually read the show notes?If so, let us know at hideous@podsothoth.club, or tweet about the show and mention @podsothoth when you do.  You can talk about what a dummy I am, like Mike's daughter did, by not calling ourselves Tod-Sothoth and Clairethulhu. A six year old noticed this! Six! Man. She should come to Providence, Rhode Island, in August and guest on a panel, since she's obviously a Lovecraft pun genius. In the meantime, I'm marking this episode explicit so maybe we won't get any more primary school age wunderkinds picking up obvious jokes we left on the table. :)(Just kidding, but we do swear a little bit in the discussions (and talk about unspeakable horrors).)

Tonight's episode is a reading of HP Lovecraft's Dagon, which was first published in the 1919 issue of "The Vagrant," and later republished in the October 1923 issue of "Weird Tales." Please be aware: this story contains depictions morphine addiction, suicidal thoughts, the odor of rotten fish, Piltdown man, and an unkind characterization of Pacific Islander religion. If any of these are likely to unduly bother you, please stop listening now.Note, I expect to have the discussion episode edited and published early next week, possibly even Monday. We went a little off the rails recording it, so it'll be an editing challenge. :)Special thanks to Master Pancake Theater for mentioning the podcast during their riff of Conan: The Barbarian! Robert E. Howard was a contemporary and friend of Lovecraft, so it was totally appropriate to watch while editing this episode!Ambience provided by Creaky Wooden Pirate Ship on the High Seas in a Thunderstorm.