
Podsothoth: A Lovecraft Book Club
Podsothoth is a horror and comedy podcast dedicated to the works (and foibles) of H.P. Lovecraft, hosted by recovering goth and internet D-lister celebrity, Tod Beardsley. Every Lovecraft story will be covered over two episodes each. First, Tod will read the story with minimal production, and ideal for people who just want to hear Lovecraft's words. This is the horror part. Following each story is a discussion of, about, and around that story, and have plenty of jokes and giggles. This is the comedy part. Follow the show at https://defcon.social/@podsothoth, or email the show at hideous@podsothoth.club. Other media may crawl out from the chaos iN ThE ineffAbLE fUTUrE, beyOnD tHe KEn OF MAN OR BEAST ALIKE AND IN A TIME OF THE GREAT RETURN OF THE OLD ONES, WHO WILL F'THAGN R'YL'EHHHHH IA IA!!!!!
Podsothoth: A Lovecraft Book Club
25: The Curse of Yig
For tonight's episode, I'll be reading "The Curse of Yig," by HP Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop, which was first published in the November, 1929 issue of Weird Tales.
This reading includes, first and foremost, some unkind descriptions and misunderstandings of traditional Native American and Central American culture, as well as the displacement of those people by white American settlers.
However, the most obviously racist terms used by Lovecraft and Bishop to describe American Indians have been excised from this reading, and replaced with the more textually appropriate term, "Indian." It is this reader's understanding that the term "Indian" is not immediately and obviously offensive, and has been used throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries to describe the the specific cultures Lovecraft and Bishop are referring to, both within and without those cultures.
While other terms certainly exist, none seem to be universally adopted as the most correct term, and most are much more modern than the period written about. A Wikipedia article on this sensitive topic can provide more background.
With that said, this reading also touches on the horrors of Oklahoma barbecue, a poorly performed Ozarkian accent, supernatural birth defects, nonconsensual asylum commitment, a dog that dies in the end, snake violence, and acute ophidiophobia. If these subjects are likely to upset you, you are urged to skip this podcast episode.
The ambient background sounds are by Michael Ghelfi Studios, and is available on YouTube by searching for "Serpents Temple Adventure Ambience."
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