Thomas Ligotti (born July 9, 1953, in Detroit, Michigan) is a writer of horror stories. July 9 is the 190th day of the year (191st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 175 days remaining. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... The term writer can apply to anyone who creates a written work, but the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... Horror fiction is, broadly, fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle or horrify the reader. ...

Something of a cult figure, Ligotti is rather little known, but has seen high praise as one of the most effective and unique horror writers of recent decades: The The Washington Post calls him "the best kept secret in contemporary horror fiction." Another critic declared "It's a skilled writer indeed who can suggest a horror so shocking that one is grateful it was kept offstage."[1] A cult following is a group of fans devoted to a specific item, usually a film, television or radio program, though some comic books, musicians, writers or others also gain dedicated followings. ... The Washington Post is the largest and oldest newspaper in Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. ...

Overview

Ligotti attended Macomb County Community College between 1971 and 1973 and graduated from Wayne State University in 1977. Wayne State University Wayne State University, located in Detroit, Michigan, is adjacent to the citys Cultural Center. ...

Often favorably compared to Edgar Allan Poe, Jorge Luis Borges, Franz Kafka and H.P. Lovecraft, Ligotti began his publishing career in the early 1980s with a number of short stories published in various American small press magazines. This daguerreotype of Poe was taken less than a year before his death at the age of 40. ... Jorge Luis Borges () (August 24, 1899 â€“ June 14, 1986) was an Argentine writer who is considered to be one of the foremost writers of the 20th century. ... -1... Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction, noted for combining these three genres within single narratives. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The Dun Emer Press in 1903 with Elizabeth Yeats working the hand press Small press is a term often used to describe publishers who typically specialize in genre fiction, or limited edition books or magazines. ...

His unique and affecting tales gathered a small following. Ligotti's relative anonymity and reclusiveness led to speculation about his identity: Was Ligotti a pseudonym used by a prominent literary writer? Were his stories in fact collaborations of multiple authors? In an introduction to her collection The Nightmare Factory, Poppy Z. Brite mentioned these notions, with a rhetorical question: "Are you out there, Thomas Ligotti?" A pseudonym (Greek: false name) is a fictitious name used by an individual as an alternative to his or her legal name. ... Poppy Z. Brite (born Melissa Ann Brite on May 25, 1967) is an American author born in New Orleans. ...

In recent years, Ligotti has conducted interviews and disclosed some details of his background. For twenty-three years Ligotti worked as an Associate Editor at Gale Research (now the Gale Group), a publishing company that produces compilations of literary (and other) research. In the summer of 2001, Ligotti quit his job at the Gale Group and moved to south Florida. His favorite music is generally instrumental rock. Nevertheless there are still some who question Ligotti's actual existence and--in a fittingly Ligottian notion--claim these biographical details are part of an extended literary conspiracy. Instrumental rock is a type of rock and roll which features only musical instruments, and no singing. ...

Ligotti's worldview has been described as profoundly nihilistic (though he's wary of the label, stating "'Nihilist' is a name that other people call you. No intelligent person has ever described or thought of himself as a nihilist."[2]), and has stated he has suffered from anxiety for much of his life; these have been prominent themes in his work. A world view, also spelled as worldview is a term calqued from the German word Weltanschauung (look onto the world). The German word is also in wide use in English, as well as the translated form world outlook. ... The nonexistence of God is a quintessential nihilistic concern. ... Anxiety disorder is a blanket term covering several different forms of abnormal anxiety, fear, phobia and nervous condition, that come on suddenly and prevent pursuing normal daily routines. ...

Ligotti generally avoids the explicit violence common in some recent horror fiction, preferring to establish an intensely disquieting, pessimistic atmosphere through the use of subtlety and repetition. He has cited Vladimir Nabokov, Thomas Bernhard, Edgar Allan Poe, Bruno Schulz, E. M. Cioran and William S. Burroughs among his favorite writers. There are similarities between some of Ligotti's work and the subtly disturbing stories of Robert Aickman, as well. H.P. Lovecraft is also an important touchstone for Ligotti: At least one story, most explicitly "The Sect of the Idiot", reference Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. Also, his novella "The Last Feast of Harlequin" was dedicated to Lovecraft. Splatterpunk is a neologism coined to describe a subgenre of horror fiction distinguished by its graphic depiction of violence. ... Half full or half empty? Pessimism describes a general belief that things are bad, and tend to become worse; or that looks to the eventual triumph of evil over good; it contrasts with optimism, the contrary belief in the goodness and betterment of things generally. ... Vladimir Nabokov This page is about the novelist. ... Thomas Bernhard Thomas Bernhard (February 9, 1931 - February 12, 1989) was an Austrian playwright and novelist. ... This daguerreotype of Poe was taken less than a year before his death at the age of 40. ... Self portrait of Schulz Bruno Schulz (July 12, 1892 – November 19, 1942) was a Polish novelist and painter of the Jewish faith, widely considered to be one of the greatest Polish prose stylists of the 20th century. ... Emil Cioran (known in French as Émile Cioran), (April 8, 1911 - June 20, 1995) was a writer noted for his somber works in the French language. ... William S. Burroughs William Seward Burroughs II (February 5, 1914 – August 2, 1997) was an American novelist, essayist, social critic and spoken word performer. ... The term writer can apply to anyone who creates a written work, but the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... Robert Fordyce Aickman (born June 24, 1914 - died February 26, 1981) was a British author of supernatural short stories he liked to describe as strange. // Overview Aickman was the grandson of prolific Victorian novelist Richard Marsh (1857-1915), known for his occult novel The Beetle (1897), a book arguably almost... Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction, noted for combining these three genres within single narratives. ... Cthulhu in Rlyeh Cthulhu mythos is the term coined by the writer August Derleth to describe the shared themes, characters, and elements in the works of H.P. Lovecraft, his protegés, and writers influenced by him. ... A novella is a short, narrative, prose fiction work. ...

Ligotti has explored metafictional notions in several stories: "Notes on the Writing of Horror" and "Professor Nobody's Little Lectures on Supernatural Horror." Both begin as advice for prospective writers of horror fiction, but gradually become uniquely Ligottian exercises in quietly disturbing fiction. Metafiction is a kind of fiction which self-consciously addresses the devices of fiction. ... Horror fiction is, broadly, fiction in any medium intended to scare, unsettle or horrify the reader. ... The Three Graces, here in a painting by Sandro Botticelli, were the goddesses of charm, beauty, nature, human creativity and fertility in Greek mythology. ...

Ligotti has stated he prefers short stories to longer forms, both as a reader and writer, though he has recently written a novella, My Work Is Not Yet Done. This article is in need of attention. ... A novella is a short, narrative, prose fiction work. ...

Ligotti has collaborated with the musical group Current 93 on several albums: In A Foreign Town, In A Foreign Land; This Degenerate Little Town; and I Have A Special Plan For This World. Current 93 are a British music group founded in 1982 by David Tibet (né David Michael Bunting, renamed Tibet by Genesis P-Orridge sometime prior to forming the group). ...

Reviews

Critical opinion of Ligotti has generally been favorable.

• The New York Times Book Review: "If there were a literary genre called 'philosophical horror,' Thomas Ligotti's Grimscribe would easily fit within it...provocative images and a style that is both entertaining and lyrical;" [3]

A critical analysis of Ligotti's work can be found in S. T. Joshi's book The Modern Weird Tale (2001). The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Lyric can have a number of meanings. ... Sunanda Tryambak Joshi (b. ...

A new presentation of The Tenant by Roland Topor is to be released in October, 2006. The book has Topor's original novel, a new introduction by Thomas Ligotti, a selection of short stories by Topor, a healthy representation of Topor's artwork, and an essay on the famous Roman Polanski film version. There is a working possibility of having Mr Polanski write a new foreword to this edition. Roland Topor (7 January 1938 in Paris - 16 April 1997), was a French illustrator, painter, writer and filmmaker, known for the surreal nature of his work. ... Roman Polański at Cannes with Adrien Brody, 2002 Roman Polański (born August 18, 1933) is a Franco-Polish film director and actor. ...

Thomas Ligotti's introduction clocks in at 3,500 words and concerns the affirmative themes of world-renowned authors, focusing on Luigi Pirandello, with the negationist themes of Roland Topor's The Tenant. Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (June 28, 1867 – December 10, 1936) was an Italian dramatist, novelist, and short story writer awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1934. ...

Awards

Ligotti has received many awards and nominations for his work:

• 1982: Small Press Writers and Artists Organization, Best Author of Horror/Weird Fiction: "The Chymist"
• 1986: Rhysling Award, from Science Fiction Poetry Association (nomination): "One Thousand Painful Variations Performed Upon Divers Creatures Undergoing the Treatment of Dr. Moreau, Humanist"
• 1991: World Fantasy Award for Best Short Fiction (nomination): "The Last Feast of Harlequin"
• 1992: World Fantasy Award for Best Collection (nomination): Grimscribe: His Lives and Works
• 1997: World Fantasy Award for Best Collection (nomination): The Nightmare Factory
• 1995: Bram Stoker Award for Best Short Fiction (nomination): "The Bungalow House"
• 1996: Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection:The Nightmare Factory
• 1996: Bram Stoker Award for Best Long Fiction "The Red Tower"
• 2002: Bram Stoker Award for Best Long Fiction: "My Work Is Not Yet Done"
• 2002: International Horror Guild Award, Long Form Category: "My Work Is Not Yet Done"

1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Rhysling Awards are an annual award given for the best science fiction poetry. ... 1991 (MCMXCI in Roman) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This category was previously titled best short story. Nominees are listed below the winner(s) for each year. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Nominees are listed below the winner(s) for each year. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... This category of Bram Stoker Awards was previously titled best novella or best novellette. Nominees are listed below the winner(s) for each year. ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This category of Bram Stoker Awards was previously titled best novella or best novellette. Nominees are listed below the winner(s) for each year. ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Books

• Songs of a Dead Dreamer (1986, 1989)
• Grimscribe: His Lives and Works (1991)
• Noctuary (1994)
• The Agonizing Resurrection of Victor Frankenstein and Other Gothic Tales (1994)
• The Nightmare Factory (1996)
• In a Foreign Town, in a Foreign Land (1996, with Current 93)
• I Have a Special Plan for This World (1997)
• This Degenerate Little Town (2001, with Current 93)
• My Work Is Not Yet Done: Three Tales of Corporate Horror (2002)
• Crampton: A Screenplay (2003, with Brandon Trenz)
• Sideshow, and Other Stories (2003)
• Death Poems (2004)
• The Shadow at the Bottom of the World (2005)
• Teatro Grottesco (2005)

• The Thomas Ligotti Reader: Essays and Explorations (2003), edited by Darrell Schweitzer. A collection of essays about Ligotti's work, which includes one by Ligotti on the horror genre, a Ligotti interview, and a bibliography of his published works.

Songs of a Dead Dreamer is a 1986 short story collection by horror fiction writer Thomas Ligotti; DJ Spooky borrowed the title for his first full-length record. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX in Roman) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1991 (MCMXCI in Roman) is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Current 93 are a British music group founded in 1982 by David Tibet (né David Michael Bunting, renamed Tibet by Genesis P-Orridge sometime prior to forming the group). ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Current 93 are a British music group founded in 1982 by David Tibet (né David Michael Bunting, renamed Tibet by Genesis P-Orridge sometime prior to forming the group). ... 2002 (MMII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Thomas Ligotti Online
• A 2002 interview with Ligotti
• Literature Is Entertainment or It Is Nothing, a long, in-depth interview conducted by Neddal Ayad.
• "The Ultimate Mythos Book List" - Listing of all Cthulhu mythos novels, anthologies, collections, comic books, and more.
• Listing of his works