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H. P. Lovecraft: The Music of Erich Zann

“The Music of Erich Zann” is a short story by H. P. Lovecraft, published in March 1922 in The National Amateur magazine. The story follows a young metaphysics student who, searching for cheap lodgings, moves into a dilapidated boarding house on Rue d’Auseil, a steep and strangely inaccessible street. He meets Erich Zann, a mute violinist living in the highest attic room. Fascinated by the disturbing music he hears every night from his room, the narrator tries to get closer to the mysterious musician, unaware that behind each note lies an alien and terrifying reality.

James Baldwin: Sonny’s Blues

“Sonny’s Blues” is a short story by James Baldwin, published in 1957 in Partisan Review. Set in Harlem in the mid-20th century, the story begins when a professor learns that his younger brother, Sonny, has been arrested for selling and using heroin. This news triggers a profound reflection on their shared childhood, family tensions, and the harsh conditions of the neighborhood where they grew up. As he tries to reconnect with Sonny, the narrator is confronted with suffering, isolation, and the redemptive power of music as a form of expression and resistance.

Kate Chopin: Regret

“Regret” is a short story by Kate Chopin, published in May 1895 in Century magazine and later collected in the book A Night in Acadie (1897). The story centers on Mamzelle Aurélie, a strong-willed country woman who has never married and has no desire to do so. One day, her quiet routine is disrupted when she must care for her neighbor’s four young children. With no experience with children and reluctance to show affection, Mamzelle Aurélie begins a forced coexistence that tests her customs, patience, and deepest convictions.

C. M. Eddy Jr. & H. P. Lovecraft: The Loved Dead

C. M. Eddy, Jr. & H. P. Lovecraft - Los amados muertos

“The Loved Dead” is a short story written by C. M. Eddy, Jr. and H. P. Lovecraft and published in Weird Tales in May 1924. The story follows the confession of a man marked since childhood by a grim fascination with death. His withdrawn and melancholic nature sets him apart from others from his earliest years. One day, during his grandfather’s funeral, he experiences a disturbing revelation that will transform his life. From then on, his existence is driven by an irresistible desire to get closer to the dead, unleashing a dark and tragic obsession.

H. P. Lovecraft: The Alchemist. Summary and analysis

Antoine, the last descendant of the Counts of C—, lives secluded in a ruined castle, marked by an ancient curse: all the males in his family die at the age of 32. Orphaned at birth and raised by a single servant, Pierre, Antoine discovers on his 21st birthday a family manuscript that reveals the origin of the curse: in the 13th century, his ancestor Henri unjustly killed the alchemist Michel Mauvais, believing him to be responsible for the disappearance of his son. Then, Charles Le Sorcier, son of the alchemist, cast a curse: no male in the family would live beyond the age of 32. As he approaches that age, Antoine explores abandoned areas of the castle and finds a secret passage that leads him to an underground chamber where he confronts a ghostly-looking man who turns out to be Charles Le Sorcier, who is still alive thanks to an elixir of immortality. Charles confesses that he has personally murdered each heir for centuries in revenge. Antoine manages to defend himself by throwing his torch, which he uses to set the alchemist on fire. With his death, the chain of murders is finally broken and Antoine survives the fate that condemned his lineage for six hundred years.

H. P. Lovecraft: Polaris

“Polaris” is a story by H. P. Lovecraft, written in 1918 and published in December 1920 in the magazine Philosopher. It narrates the disturbing visions of a man who, under the motionless light of the North Star, begins to have strange dreams in which he contemplates an ancient marble city set among unknown mountains. Fascinated by the beauty and mystery, the protagonist, as he is submerged in this dream world, finds himself increasingly trapped between two realities: sleep and wakefulness.