Where does one start with Lovecraft?

[Lindasen]

I'd like to read something by H.P. Lovecraft, but I am not in the least bit interested in trying to tackle any substantial portion of the Cthulu Mythos. Is there a single book that is generally considered one of his best, and that I would be able to get into fairly easily? I don't really care if there is any order to his work, I just want a good representative sample that I'll be able to pick up.

[skuu sunshine]

It's easy if you're talking about stories. Since they're mostly short you can read lots of ones by him that are very good even for someone not familiar with him like The Colour out of Space or From Beyond.

If you want a whole book, most collections I've seen are a healthy mix of shorter, more accessible stories and some longer mythos-heavy ones.

Just avoid the longer ones and the 'flowery' or dream stories, they can be a hassle, unless that sounds more attractive to you.

If the whole idea of 'mythos' turns you off, he wrote a number of stories that are more realistic and ambient (but perhaps more boring to some) like The Night Ocean.

[JulieH]

When you ask about "books", that's a bit awkward, since there are so many anthologies out there.  Better for some suggestions on individual stories to look for.

My favorite among the shorter stories would be The Picture in the House, but From Beyond is good too. The terrible old man and In the Vault are simple and to the point as well.  Ease into it...

Then read the Colour out of Space.

[Parallaxicality]

On Youtube. "The Haunter of the Dark", "The Call of Cthulhu", "The Colour Out of Space" (note the British spelling for search purposes), "The Picture In the House" and "The Outsider" are all available unabridged.  There are some half-baked adaptations of "Mountains of Madness", "The Shadow Over Insmouth" and "The Dunwich Horror" on youtube as well.

Or you could try librivox. They have a list of "The public domain works of H P Lovecraft", unabridged. I should note that most are read by a woman named MorganScorpion who has a weally notithable speech impediment you will either find adorable or grating.

At the Mountains of Madness is available in pieces on Archive.org.

[Genus Unknown]

Online, hplovecraft.com has all of his fiction and a good deal of his poetry. If you just want a representative sample, this was my first-ever H.P. Lovecraft collection when I was 13, and fits the bill nicely.

If you just want to know some stories, there are three that will give you a good idea of his style and subject matter without going into all that "Mythos" silliness (ignoring the fact that the name Dagon reappears in some later "Mythos" stories).

"Dagon"
"From Beyond"
"The Colour Out of Space"

The first two are tiny - you could probably read both of them on your lunch break - and "Colour" is a bit longer. I would recommend these three to anyone who just wants to get an idea of Lovecraft. They're great stories, too.

And of course, if you like what you read, "The Call of Cthulhu," "The Shadow Over Innsmouth," "The Dunwich Horror," The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, and At the Mountains of Madness are essential reading. But that can come later.

[DMcCool]

The Mythos stories don't really have any kind of chronology (by and large), so don't be afraid to start anywhere.

[catamount]

I would recommend "The Shadow Over Innsmouth" first, just because the story moves pretty quickly, you don't really have to be conversant in the mythos and it is entertaining as a stand alone tale. However, you really can't go wrong with any of the suggestions made...I'd stay away from any of the Dreamland stories, they are stories that have to grow on you...like fungi from Y....well, you know.

[Dionysius8421]

Dagon.

That is all.

[Bulbatron]

If I was trying to introduce somebody to Lovecraft, then for short stories, I'd probably suggest either Dagon, The Picture in the House or The Colour Out of Space.

For longer stories, that's probably a bit trickier, but I think I'd agree with catamount in suggesting The Shadow Over Innsmouth, for pretty much the same reasons.

[old book]

I think the first Lovecraft I read was Dunwich Horror. I was hooked.

[TFeldt]

I think the first Lovecraft I read was Dunwich Horror. I was hooked.

Even though I prefer other stories, and would probably recommend Dagon over it, this is a great suggestion. Dunwich horror is one of the few HPL stories that has a somewhat happy ending. This might be important for people easing their way into the dark and cataclysmic world of Lovecraft that tends to favor antagonists over protagonists.

[Ruth - CthulhuChick]

"Shadow Over Innsmouth" maybe "Rats in the Walls" if you can handle....oh hell, the entirety of Lovecraft should be prefaced "if you can handle the racism." Those are my two for starters.

[Miskatonic Philologus]

The Call of Cthulhu: And Other Weird Stories (Penguin Modern Classics), I think is an excellent start. It's got the notes by Joshi, too.

ISBN-13: 978-0141187068

[TheMediocreYoungishOne -Tom-]

The first Lovecraft story that I ever read was "Cool Air".

[MediaGhost]

"Cool Air" would be as good a place to start as any.  Otherwise, I'd say "Herbert west - Re-Animator" is one of HPL's more accessible works.  It's got a pulpy/action-y feel that should be reassuringly familiar.