In Memorium: Peter Straub
Legendary horror author and editor, Peter Straub died in Brooklyn, New York at the age of 79 on September 4, 2022, after complications resulting from a broken hip.
Peter, a well-known and admired author of horror, dark fantasy, and psychological thrillers, created an impressive body of work consisting of over sixteen novels, eleven novellas, and a multitude of short stories. He was also the recipient of numerous awards including World Fantasy, August Derleth, and Bram Stoker.
Straub first ventured into supernatural horror with Julia in 1975. But it wasn’t until his fifth novel Ghost Story in 1979, that he came into widespread popularity resulting in a film adaptation of the novel in 1981. He is perhaps best known for his collaboration with author Stephen King on the fantasy epic The Talisman released in 1984.
For the Lovecraft community, Peter will be remembered for taking on the job of editing the prestigious Library America edition of H.P. Lovecraft’s Tales. Peter hand-selected 22 stories, using the revised texts from scholar S.T. Joshi, that emphasized Lovecraft’s singular and “made-by-hand-voice,” including such cosmic horror classics “The Call of Cthulhu,” “The Colour Out of Space” and “At the Mountains of Madness.”
Fellow horror writers and collaborators remembered Peter Straub as a friend who was as kind as he was talented. Director Frank Woodward, Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown, said “I was blown away by how generous Peter was with his time and how gracious he was when he invited me into his home. Something, I will never forget and that will always bring a smile to my face.”
We are sure Peter, through his works, will continue to inspire generations to come. He shall be missed.
