American Writers (one Hundred Pages At A Time)

We finish the penultimate volume of Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE with some mighty fine action scenes. An attempt on the life of Peter the Great and an impaling by a cello are some of the highlights. And Jack Shaftoe comes out in force here. 

In this section of the final volume of Neal Stephenson's epic BAROQUE CYCLE, we see the investigative club seemingly achieve its goals through a stake out at Bedlam, leading to an important revelation.

I think this will be the end of my H. P. Lovecraft Book Club. While there is much more I could do, I think this is a fine place to stop. For those interested, the second volume of THE MEANS TO FREEDOM completes the conversation between Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard.

As we come to the close of the Baroque Cycle in the book CURRENCY, we get lessons in modern economics through a fascination discussion between Daniel Waterhouse and Eliza. Picking up with Eliza is welcome after the previous book in the BAROQUE CYCLE.

The next episode in my series looking at the letters of H. P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard. This episode focuses on the summer of 1932 and a handful of massive letters dealing with issues such as war with Japan and American regionalism and folklore.

The climax to SOLOMON'S GOLD by Neal Stephenson is a heist on the Tower of London by Jack Shaftoe. For most of this section, Newton and Daniel Waterhouse are completely outclassed by their antagonist. SOLOMON' S GOLD is my least favorite book in the BAROQUE CYCLE, but it has a riveting climax.

This is part 2 of my review of SOLOMON'S GOLD, part of the BAROQUE CYCLE, by Neal Stephenson. As always it is a fun exploration of the 17th and 18th centuries. In this section, Daniel Waterhouse starts an investigative club.

More of my look at the Robert E. Howard-H. P. Lovecraft letters, focusing on the period from September 1931 to June 1932. We really get into explorations of American regionalism in these letters.

The final volume of Neal Stephenson's BAROQUE CYCLE begins with Daniel Waterhouse's return to England. He learns about the beginning of the Industrial Age and runs errands, while a mystery begins.

Our final look at THE CONFUSION by Neal Stephenson. These sections involve a dramatic journey across the Pacific, religious drama in the Americas and Jack Shaftoe's traumatic return to Europe. Great stuff.

I guess some more of my commentary on the Robert E. Howard and H. P. Lovecraft letters. A bit of a slog but they are certainly worth reading for a glimpse at the ideas of each author about history and folklore.

In this episode, I look continue my read-through of the BAROQUE CYCLE and come toward the end of THE CONFUSION. In this section of the tale, we pick up with the adventures of Jack Shaftoe in the Indian Ocean, where he becomes a temporary king.

In part four of my review of Neal Stephenson's THE CONFUSION, we see the high point of Eliza's character, as she uses the Nine Years War to destroy an alchemist banker (sort of) villain. It all comes down to the emergence of new banking systems in Western Europe.

Here starts a 9-part series exploring the Lovecraft-Robert E. Howard letters. It will be a nice way to finish up this series. The conversation begins with a discourse on the peopling of the British isles.

This is part three of my review of THE CONFUSION (Book 2 of the BAROQUE CYCLE). In this section, Eliza in France, escapes a trap by marrying a villain, while changes are in the works for the English banking system.

We end out look at Lovecraft's stories with THE CHALLENGE FROM BEYOND, a round-robin tale. Started promising but then Lovecraft hijacks it. Next up, a 9-episode conclusion to this book club focusing on the Howard-Lovecraft letters.

This part of THE CONFUSION by Neal Stephenson focuses on the voyage from Spain to Cairo and Jack Shaftoe and the Cabal stealing the Solomonic gold from creepy French slave traders and the Pasha's men. Plus, Jack gets revenge for Eliza. Lots of fun.

In books four and five of THE BAROQUE CYCLE, the story becomes "confused". We will explore these two intertwined stories in six episodes. We start with a reintroduction to Jack Shaftoe in Algiers, still a galley slave.

As we wrap up this look at the Lovecraft revisions we come to the Kenneth Streling story "In the Walls of Eryx", a science fiction tale with a Lovecraftian theme.

THE DIARY OF LORENZO TYPER is a Lovecraft collaboration with William Lumely. It is a pretty solid story that relates to the Lovecraft mythos.