H.P. Lovecraft's supernatural-themed novel, The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, was recently adopted by the Rhode Island School of Design as required reading for the entering class this fall. The school purchased enough books for every freshman to have a copy, as well as arranging assignments and activities for the new students based around the story.
The 51,500-word short novel was originally written in 1927 and was only first published by Weird Tales in 1941 after Lovecraft had already passed away. It is set notably in Lovecraft's hometown of Providence, Rhode Island.
This being Lovecraft's most personal work of fiction, The Case of . . . , tells the story of young Charles Dexter Ward as he gets caught up with his past, through a fascination with his wizard ancestor, Joseph Curwen. Writer Stephen King has called Lovecraft “the twentieth century’s greatest practitioner of the classic horror tale.”
This current edition from the University of Tampa Press provides a definitive text of the work, edited with an afterword and notes by the acclaimed Lovecraft scholar S. T. Joshi. It also includes a special photographic section on “Lovecraft's Providence” featuring the photographs of Donovan K. Loucks.
A hand-bound hardcover edition of the book is also available.
For ordering information please click here.
