Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961), perhaps best known today for his association with H.P Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, is in his own right a unique master of fantasy, horror and science-fiction. Highly imaginative, his genre-spanning visions of worlds beyond, combined with his profound understanding of the English language, have inspired an ever -increasing legion of fans and admirers.
For most of his life, he lived in physical and intellectual isolation in Auburn, California (USA). Predominantly self-educated with no formal education after grammar school, Smith wore out his local library and delved so deeply into the dictionary that his richly embellished, yet precise, prose leaves one with the sense that they are in the company of a true master of language.
Though Smith primarily considered himself a poet, having turned to prose for the meager financial sum it rewarded, his prose might best be appreciated as a "fleshed" out poetry. In this light, plot and characters are subservient to the milieu of work: a setting of cold quiet reality, which, mixed with the erotic and the exotic, places his work within its own unique, phantasmagoric genre. While he also experimented in painting, sculpture, and translation, it is in his written work that his legacy persists.
During his lifetime, Smith's work appeared commonly in the pulps alongside other masters such H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, August Derleth, and E. Hoffmann Price and like many great artists, recognition and appreciation have come posthumously. In recent decades though, a resurgence of interest in his works has lead to numerous reprintings as well as scholarly critiques.
The Eldritch Dark is a site to facilitate both scholars and fans in their appreciation and study of Clark Ashton Smith and his works.
Innsmouth Literary Festival 26
13 May, 2026 5:12AM by Innsmouth Gold
“Our fourth year will see the usual unique Innsmouthian blend of authors, artists, traders and gaming. Plus a Friday night quiz and Innsmouth After Dark.
All attendees get a goody bag, there are photo ops, the chance to chat with authors, and panels and presentations throughout the day.
This year's Guest of Honour are author/editor Stephen Jones… ”
Re: The Worm Ouroboros - what do you make of it?
11 May, 2026 10:18PM by Knygatin
“It was "the intestine", not "my" which is too forcibly outright.
"Rather I burst the intestine, than favor the innkeeper." I wonder if that may be derived from Shakespeare? No, surely it doesn't ring in his manner. Strindberg perhaps, or Gustav Fröding? Bellman? ..., no he was too jovial in drinking and eating matters.… ”
Re: The Worm Ouroboros - what do you make of it?
11 May, 2026 1:59AM by Knygatin
“Sawfish Wrote:
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> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> "The food at the new restaurant is awful, but at least the portions are large."
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My father used to banter, and had a saying:
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"Rather I burst my intestine, than favor the innkeeper!"
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I am sorry to say that is actually what happened.… ”
Re: The Worm Ouroboros - what do you make of it?
25 Apr, 2026 12:17PM by Sawfish
“Knygatin Wrote:
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> Maybe I was hasty, and went over the steep end
> here, in my restless impatience to awaken the
> "lethargic crew". My apologies if I offended fans
> of Aickman with exaggerations. I am sure Aickman
> in some measure was a great man, and of impeccable
> taste and huge knowledge in the field of
> supernatural… ”
Re: The Worm Ouroboros - what do you make of it?
18 Apr, 2026 3:26AM by Knygatin
“Maybe I was hasty, and went over the steep end here, in my restless impatience to awaken the "lethargic crew". My apologies if I offended fans of Aickman with exaggerations. I am sure Aickman in some measure was a great man, and of impeccable taste and huge knowledge in the field of supernatural literature. ...… ”