Off the Ancient Track A Lovecraftian Guide to New England and Adjacent New York

Printed guidebook to the real world locales of H.P. Lovecraft.

This first edition guidebook to H.P. Lovecraft’s New England was published in West Warwick, Rhode Island by the Necronomicon Press in 1987. It was authored and illustrated by Jason C. Eckhardt, who acknowledges its limitations in a brief forward, advising the use of larger maps to achieve the full effect of a ‘Lovecraftian’ literary vacation.

The booklet’s 20 pages contain a fascinating overview of the real-life geography of Lovecraft’s horror-filled world. Sketched maps cover various parts of Providence, Boston, and New York City – all notable cities that play an influential role in several of his stories. Illustrations of major landmarks are accompanied by detailed descriptions and relevant excerpts from the respective novels.

H.P. Lovecraft, born in 1890 in Providence, Rhode Island, was a seminal figure in horror literature, known for his distinctive brand of cosmic horror and intricate mythos. Raised in a culturally rich yet somewhat sheltered environment, Lovecraft’s upbringing in New England played a crucial role in shaping his storytelling. His childhood fascination with history, antiquarianism, and the region’s Gothic architecture fueled his imagination. Lovecraft’s sense of isolation in Providence and exposure to the region’s storied past served as fertile ground for the creation of his iconic otherworldly beings and the development of a complex, interconnected mythological universe that remains influential in horror literature.