The pilot episode of Lovecraft Country explored the dangers of traveling while Black in America during the 1950s Jim Crow era. Created by Misha Green, who executive produced the show alongside Jordan Peele and J.J. Abrams. Lovecraft Country revolves around Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors), a science fiction fanatic who embarks on a trip with his Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) and childhood friend Letitia “Leti” Lewis (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) in search of his missing father. Throughout the first episode, the trio encounters a variety of evils, from otherworldly monsters to racist cops.

Given the show’s historical backdrop, here are 4 books to read if you are digging Lovecraft Country so far:

1. Lovecraft Country by Matt Ruff

We would be remiss to talk about Lovecraft Country without including the book of the same name by Matt Ruff, which is great for fans who want to read the book before watching the show. Released in 2016, Lovecraft Country blends Lovecraftian horrors such as with perhaps the greatest American horror: being Black in America. Similar to the television adaptation, Ruff’s bestselling novel follows the tale of Atticus Turner, who embarks on a road trip across segregated America with his uncle George and his childhood friend Letitia Dandridge in search of his father, Montrose. During their journey, the trio comes in contact with a litany of horrors, from family cults to Lovecraftian monsters. As we’ve seen so far in the show, Lovecraft Country tends to deviate away from its source material, so even if you read the book, things aren’t going to completely line up with the series.

2. Sundown Towns by James W. Loewen

Toward the end of Lovecraft Country’s first episode, our protagonists, Leti, Tic and Uncle George, are pulled over by a police officer, who informs them they are in a sundown town.” The police officer then threatens to lynch the trio unless they make it out of the town before dusk. Our trio of protagonists must then race the setting sun to make it out alive. For those unfamiliar, sundown towns are all white towns (and sometimes counties) that were unsafe for Black people to be after dark. Any Black person caught in a sundown town after sunset risked being beaten and murdered by the town’s white inhabitants. Anyone eager to learn more about this a relatively unknown aspect of American history should read James W. Loewen’s Sundown Towns, which dives headfirst into the history of such locales and how some still exist even to this day.

3. Gordon Parks: Segregation Story

Throughout the pilot, there are various homages to the work of legendary photographer Gordon Parks. Known for his iconic images of segregated South, Gordon Parks explored poverty, civil rights and everyday life for Black people in America through his camera. The book, Gordon Parks: Segregation Story, offers those curious of Parks’ works a more expansive look at his photography.

4. Overground Railroad: The Green Book And The Roots Of Black Travel In America by Candacy Taylor

In Lovecraft Country, Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) is a publisher of the Safe Negro Travel Guide, frequently traveling and writing down a list of establishments safe for Black people during the Jim Crow. In reality, Uncle George is apparently based on Victor Hugo Green, the creator of the Negro Motorist Green Book, a travel guide that listed hotels, restaurants and gas stations that were safe for Black people. Candacy Taylor’s Overground Railroad explores the history behind the Green Book and the Black Americans who used it as a guide for their travels.

READ MORE:

‘Lovecraft Country’ Review: An Epic Genre Mash-Up Of Bloody Brilliant Proportions

 

Photo: HBO