The Cult of Alien Gods H.P. Lovecraft And Extraterrestrial Pop Culture

by Colavito, Jason

• ISBN13: 9781591023524
• ISBN10: 1591023521
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-12-30
• Publisher: Prometheus

Summary

Nearly half of all Americans believe in existence of extraterrestrials, and many are also convinced that aliens have visited Earth at some point in history. Included in such popular beliefs is the notion that so-called ancient astronauts (visitors from outer space) were responsible for wonders like the Pyramids. Shocking new evidence proves that the entire genre is based on fictional horror stories, whose author once wrote that they never wished to mislead anyone. In this entertaining and informative book, the author traces the origins of a belief in these visitors to the work of H P Lovecraft (1890-1937). This amazing tale takes the reader through 50 years of pop culture and pseudoscience highlighting a number of influential figures and developments. Beyond documenting Lovecraft's influence on ancient astronaut theories and Raelian cloning efforts, Colavito also argues that the appeal of such myths is a troubling sign on an age when science is having its greatest success. He suggests that at the dawn of the 21st century Western society is witnessing a deep-seated erosion of Enlightenment values that are the basis of a modern world.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	7	(4)
Prelude
The Crossroads of Fact and Fiction	11	(18)
PART ONE: PRECURSORS OF THE MYTH
Science and Pseudoscience in Lovecraft's Time	29	(20)
Science Fiction and Horror before Lovecraft	49	(14)
PART TWO: STORIES OF GODS FROM OUTER SPACE
The Prophet of Providence	63	(20)
The Spread of the Lovecraft Circle	83	(24)
The UFO Craze in Fact and Fiction	107	(20)
PART THREE: FROM FICTION TO FACT
The French Connection	127	(14)
Charioteer of the Gods	141	(24)
INTERLUDE: THE VIEW FROM 1976
The Fork in the Road	165	(20)
PART FOUR: FROM SIRIUS TO ORION AND BEYOND
The Sirius Mystery	185	(20)
The Orion Mystery	205	(18)
Dusting for Fingerprints	223	(18)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen	241	(22)
PART FIVE: HUMAN CLONES FROM THE TWELFTH PLANET
Ancestors from Nibiru	263	(20)
Taking Off from Nibiru	283	(24)
The UFO Cults and Human Cloning	307	(22)
CONCLUSION
A Modern Mythology for Troubled Times	329	(12)
Appendix: A Continuum of Belief	341	(4)
Notes	345	(30)
Select Bibliography	375	(8)
Index	383