Short Story Quick-Review: A Reminiscence of Dr. Samuel Johnson by H.P. Lovecraft

Samuel Johnson by John Opie

Rating: 5/10

Plot:

An old man recounts his interactions with the members of a literary club in London.

Review:

I’ve read most of Lovecraft’s works, he is one of my top 10 favourite authors. That being said, I have no idea what the point of this short story is supposed to be. I know it is a spoof, Lovecraft making fun of his own “modern man with old-world sensibilities” personality. It feels like an inside joke, a joke you will only understand if you read Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell. You need to read a 1400-page biography to understand this 5-page spoof. If you are a Samuel Johnson fan you might get one or two chuckles from this story.

The antique capitalisation is a nice touch. Grammar and style are perfect, as always.

J.J.