I've been reading a lot of stories by Lovecraft lately, as well as a lot ABOUT Lovecraft, and I thought I'd make a post addressing some of it.
Lovecraft was NOT insane, clinically. Whoever told me that was mistaken. His dad died a very violent death in an asylum when he was young, but he was never told about that. He did suffer a nervous breakdown as well as deep depression throughout his life, but none of that makes him insane. He was very, very smart; a genius. His books contain philosophical and historical symbols, and a lot of the books have more profound meanings than you get from a cursory reading of them.
He was born in 1890. His father died when he was around 10, and due to mismanagement of his family's money, he lost the house he was born in. He was brought up by his mother until she died, then his aunts. He was married briefly, but it didn't last long.
He ended up dying from malnutrition, among other things, in 1937 or so.
Many of his stories are freely available, although there is a dispute about who owns them. Anything before 1922 is free, by law, but the stuff he wrote afterwards may or may not be.
In any case, I highly recommend his works.
My favorite short-story:
The TombAnother good short-story:
The Picture in the HouseMy favorite longer-story:
The Whisperer in the DarknessHis most defining stories:
Call of Cthulhu and
The Shadow Over InnsmouthThe stories that explain the most about his worlds:
The Shadow out of Time and
The Dream-Quest of Unknown KadathI have read every one of those stories recently, and I enjoy them very much. I highly recommend reading, at the very lead, The Tomb.