Authors: Daniel Harms, John Wisdom Gonce
ISBN-13: 9781578632695, ISBN-10: 1578632692
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
Date Published: August 2003
Edition: Revised & Expanded
Necronomicon -- a mere glance at its pages sends its readers shrieking into the night, their soul seared for all eternity! At least that's what people want you to believe ... Thank goodness authors Daniel Harms and John Wisdom Gonce III set the record straight in this scholarly yet accessible history of the dreaded tome. The Necronomicon Files is an incredibly comprehensive guide to the Necronomicon that covers all aspects, legends, and factual history surrounding this nefarious book. From a complete history of the book as it evolved in the Cthulhu mythos started by Lovecraft and continued by others, to contemporary editions now available to the public. From appearances and references in movies and other media, to the actual magical concepts behind the fictional and published Necronomicon variants. Much more than just a dry, factual account, Harms's and Gonce's deep knowledge in their respective fields of interest bring the history and continuing influence of the Necronomicon alive with wit and verve. Humorous and intriguing, this compassionate examination of the Necronomicon is a thorough repudiation of the myths surrounding it, yet preserves much of the romance and fascination associated with the legend.
Preface: The Necronomicon--Shadow in the Mind | ix | |
Introduction | xv | |
Initiation | xx | |
Acknowledgments | xxiv | |
Part I | The Necronomicon and Literature | |
Chapter 1 | H. P. Lovecraft and the Necronomicon | 3 |
Chapter 2 | "Many a Quaint and Curious Volume ...": The Necronomicon Made Flesh | 29 |
Chapter 3 | Evaluating Necronomicon Rumors | 61 |
Part II | The Necronomicon and Occultism | |
Chapter 4 | The Evolution of Sorcery: A Brief History of Modern Magick | 71 |
Chapter 5 | Lovecraftian Magick--Sources and Heirs | 85 |
Chapter 6 | A Plague of Necronomicons | 127 |
Chapter 7 | Simon, Slater, and the Gang: True Origins of the Necronomicon | 173 |
Chapter 8 | The Chaos of Confusion | 197 |
Chapter 9 | The Necronomicon and Psychic Attack | 215 |
Part III | The Necronomicon and Entertainment | |
Chapter 10 | Unspeakable Cuts: The Necronomicon on Film | 225 |
Chapter 11 | Call of the Cathode Ray Tube: The Necronomicon on Television | 281 |
Conclusion | 297 | |
Appendix | History of the Necronomicon | 303 |
Endnotes | 307 |