Tag Archives: Henry S. Whitehead

When a God Passes

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Today, March 5, is the birthday of Henry S,. Whitehead (1882-1932}. Whitehead wrote for Weird Tales, and if he hadn’t died so young, I believe  he would have attained a reputation, if not on par with Howard, Lovecraft, and Smith, at least only slightly less well-regarded. Whitehead lived much of his adult life in the Caribbean, and he drew on his first-hand knowledge of the iinhabitants of the region when writing his fiction. He was a popular writer in his day, and was highly regarded by Lovecraft. Unfortunately, he is almost forgotten today.

I reviewed one of his best tales, “Seven Turns in a Hangman’s Rope“, some years back. It remains one of my favorites.

Today I’m going to look at an audio edition of his story, “The Passing of a God”. I’m  on the road today, and I listened to it earlier while I was driving. There are spoilers below the fold. Continue reading →

“The Fireplace” by Henry S. Whitehead

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“The Fireplace”
Henry S. Whitehead
originally published in Weird Tales, January 1925
reprinted in Weird Tales, February 1935
currently available in Voodoo Tales: The Ghost Stories of Henry S. Whitehead
paperback $8.51
ebook $3.99

Henry S. Whitehead (1882-1932) was born on this date, March 5. He was well on his way to becoming one of the major authors for Weird Tales when he died far too young.

I was going to take a look at “The Lips” for today’s post, which I had intended to call “The Lips of Henry S. Whitehead”.  Continue reading →

Henry S. Whitehead

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Today (March 5) marks the birth of Henry S. Whitehead.  He was born in 1882 and passed away in November of 1932.  Whitehead was a contributor of Weird Tales and a correspondent of H.P. Lovecraft.  The year before Whitehead died, Lovecraft visited him at his Florida home and quite liked him.  Had he not died so young, Whitehead would have been a major author of the weird and fantastic.  I consider him to be so, and I’m sure I’m not alone in that.

Whitehead served for a time as the Archdeacon for the Episcopal Church in the Virgin Islands.  This posting would become a major influence on his fiction, as most of it dealt with voodoo and other fantastic aspects of Caribbean life.

Whitehead wrote no novels, but his short fiction is worth seeking out.  I reviewed “Seven Turns in a Hangman’s Rope” a few years ago.  Fortunately, his work is available in electronic format.  If I get a chance, I’ll try to read something else by him.

Happy Brithday, Farnsworth Wright

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Weird Tales editorial office, l. to r., unknown, Farnsworth Wright, Henry Kuttner, Robert Bloch

By the time of his death in 1940, Farnsworth Wright had become one of the most influential editors the field of the fantastic would ever see. Wright was born in 1888 on July, 29.  I would argue his influence on science fiction, fantasy, and horror has been greater than any other editor, including John W. Campbell, Dorothy McIlwraith, Fred Pohl, Ray Palmer, or Hugo Gernsback.

Yes, I realize that last sentence could be controversial, especially the inclusion of Campbell and Gernsback.  So be it.  Farnsworth Wright edited Weird Tales during what is considered to be the magazine’s golden age.  The authors he published have had a greater impact on the literature of the fantastic than those of any other editor at any time in history. Continue reading →

In Observance of Henry S. Whitehead’s Birthday

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Weird_Tales_March_1929Henry S. Whitehead was born today, March 5, in 1882.  He wrote a number of stories for Weird Tales during its early years before his untimely death in 1932.  Much of his fiction focused on the Caribbean, where he was stationed for a number of years as a minister of the Episcopal Church.  H. P. Lovecraft visited Whitehead for several weeks in 1931.  He had a great respect for Whitehead as a person and as a writer.

To mark the occasion, I read “The People of Pan”, which was first published in the March 1929 issue of Weird Tales.  The story is available in Voodoo Tales  The Ghost Stories of Henry S. Whitehead.  Continue reading →

Long Looks at Short Fiction: “Seven Turns in a Hangman’s Rope” by Henry S. Whitehead

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Voodoo TalesVoodoo Tales The Ghost Stories of Henry S. Whitehead
Wordsworth Editions
704 p., ebook, $3.99

It is my opinion that had he lived, the Rev. Henry S. Whitehead would have be better remembered today. He was a prolific and popular writer for Weird Tales in the 1920s and early 1930s and a personal friend of H. P. Lovecraft.

Most of his work consisted of short stories, but there were a few novelettes and novellas. “Seven Turns in a Hangman’s Rope” is one of his best. In addition to the intriguing title, the story also has pirates, voodoo, and a painting that bleeds. How cool is that? Continue reading →