In the Dust of This Planet: Horror of Philosophy (Horror of Philosophy, 1) (Volume 1) Paperback – Illustrated, August 16, 2011

If you're a horror or black metal fan with an interest in philosophy, you're going to enjoy this short book immensely. You can tell the author really loves the subject and he treats it serious, with an appropriate amount of cheekiness. Hardcore analytic philosophy fans might find this to be less rigorous than they might like since It kind of has a comp lit close reading approach (which is what the author's PHD is in), but it's provocative and enjoyable.I'm a pretty deep fan of this stuff and I found page after page of new books and music to explore that I'd never heard of. True Detective super fans should check this out as it served as inspiration for the development of Rust Cohle.Read this book with Tomas Ligott's Conspiracy Against the Human Race, Albert Camus' Myth of Sisyphus, and a few of your favorite H.P. Lovecraft stories for the full effect.

As a writer, this book has helped me flesh out a few interesting ideas surrounding horror and magic. The idea of the "world-without-us" is something that has rattled in my brain for a few years now and I was happy to have Thacker validate and give structure to the illusive black ocean always lapping just around the next corner of my thoughts. A few of his arguments become dense and confusing, and there are moments where he leaps for his conclusions; but there are more fun, provocative, and mind-bending moments than not.Also, the simple cover art is bizarrely iconic and really drew me to the book. It's great.It's a wonderful book, and not nearly dark or depressing as its recent reputation has it pegged as. "In The Dust of This Planet" is a beautifully weird read.

Deeply unsettling, yet somehow also comforting. By deconstructing the way we consider our world through the lens of the horror genre, Thacker creates a piece of nihilist philosophy that doesn't feel obnoxiously glum or self loathing. Deeply analytical and carefully researched, this book is an excellent way for those new to nihilist philosophy or philosophy in general to dip their toes into the ancient art of placing ourselves in a physical and moral universe. As a lover of the horror genre, this book makes me feel as if my love for the macabre is not only valid and founded, but deeply rooted in my own subconscious understanding that my place in the cosmos is essentially meaningless. And the horror genre is a way in which we cope with that meaninglessness. Also, Glenn Beck hates it, so there's a reason to read it right there.

Excellent pandemic reading! Thacker is a fantastic guide to the strange and sometimes occult worlds of demonology, Cosmic Pessimism, black metal, zombie films, Lovecraftian supernatural horror, the themes of Dante's 'Inferno,' and so much more. This first (of three) excellent volumes taught me so much about the horror of philosophy! Looking forward to his other works.

Maybe I've read too many classics or I'm rusty with philosophical topics, but personally I found this book to more in line with media criticism, which makes sense considering the author's education and current position. There are interesting concepts, no doubt, in the book, but I'm unaccustomed to arguments being almost entirely supported by citing pop culture.I also thought the structure of the book was confusing and somewhat rambling. Many times it seemed he'd introduce a concept and after several paragraphs we'd already moved on to something else, as if he was trying to make a point about a new topic which hadn't been fully fleshed out anyways. I should have just read the Cliff Notes and saved myself some time.

Great book, worth reading. Learned about it from Radiolab on NPR. Definitely worth a read.

Esoteric in every sense of the word. This book is a very niche exegesis on the intersection of horror and philosophy. The analysis of cultural horror genre lead this work into some theological labyrinths that require the acceptance of several layers of illusive elucidation. I enjoyed the book, but began reading under the assumption that its subject matter would deal more with general nihilistic, solipsistic themes only to learn that the focus is almost entirely on that of what our creation of horror says about us.Eugene Thacker has written an incredible book here—his thorough understanding of the subject matter is evident. I look forward to reading his "Cosmic Pessimism," as perhaps that book is what I anticipated from this one.

I learned of this book through the radio show, on the media, where they discuss both its contents and how it was appropriated by pop culture. it has been a challenging read for me, the author clearly has an expansive knowledge of the topic and its contributors. It's academic and erudite. But I've enjoyed the challenge. It's wonderful to know that there are people thinking so deeply about this sort of cultural niche.