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An unspeakable horror lurks in the secluded hills of rural Vermont. After the historic floods of 1917, mixed in with news stories of human loss and suffering are multiple reports of weird, sponge-like life-forms floating in a local river. Albert Wilmarth, a literature professor and folklore expert, responds to the claims with a healthy dose of skepticism and chalks up the sightings to naive locals mistaking storm-battered human remains for imagined aliens washing down from the hills.
But Wilmarth agrees to take a closer look after he receives a letter from Henry Akeley, a reclusive academic who lives near the hills and claims to have proof of the aliens' existence. As the two men correspond, the tone becomes ominous when Akeley's letters are mysteriously intercepted, and unseen forces attack his farmhouse at night. After gunfire erupts and Akeley's guard dogs are killed, he begins making plans to flee from his home.
Wilmarth is baffled by Akeley's next letter, praising the aliens and calling them benevolent. He urges Wilmarth to take a train to his Vermont farm for a meeting and asks that he bring with him the letters, photos, and other evidence Akeley had sent to prove that aliens lurked in the hills.
Within hours of his arrival, Wilmarth becomes a terrified believer and flees the farmhouse in fear for his life. When he returns with the local sheriff, Akeley has vanished and so has the proof of the alien's existence.
This Academic Edition is designed for classroom use by English, literature, and writing students, as well as casual readers in search of a great story. It contains the full text of Lovecraft's novel, The Whisperer in Darkness, as well as an Editor's Foreword offering historical context on the book, an Author Bio, a Study Guide, and a full set of chapter-based quizzes. It also has an interactive component, providing readers free access to a virtual classroom devoted to this literature classic on the Virtual University Press website.
About the author
H. P. Lovecraft (1890-1937) was an American writer whose innovative blend of horror, science fiction, and fantasy established him as a cornerstone of modern speculative fiction. Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Lovecraft faced early personal tragedies that shaped his fascination with the macabre and the unknown. His works often explored themes of cosmic insignificance and ancient, godlike entities, epitomized by the Cthulhu Mythos-a fictional universe that has profoundly influenced the horror genre.Although Lovecraft struggled financially and received little recognition during his lifetime, his stories, including The Call of Cthulhu and At the Mountains of Madness, have since become classics. His vivid imagination, meticulous world-building, and extensive correspondence inspired a network of authors who expanded on his mythos.Despite his enduring literary impact, Lovecraft's legacy is complicated by his xenophobic and racist views, which have drawn critical scrutiny. Today, his works remain widely read and celebrated for their imaginative depth, while also prompting reflection on the complexities of the author's life and beliefs.
