I have always been passionate about books and horror literature. My love for books began when I was a kid and couldn’t read yet.
I remember flipping through the mini-comics that came with the Master of Universe action figures. I couldn’t read yet but I could make up stories from the pictures. Later, while still a child, I started reading the weekly Mickey Mouse comics. I remember entire summers spent reading the comics of Mickey Mouse, Pluto, Gaston, Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge.
But it was the monthly Dylan Dog comics that introduced me to the horror genre for the first time. In my time, superhero comics were not marketed in Italy, or rather they were not as popular as they are today. The most widely read comic in Italy at that time was Dylan Dog. Dylan Dog with its stories of zombies, ghosts and other monsters was an adult comic because it was imbued with melancholy and a very dark and pessimistic philosophy. Definitely, my predilection for the horror genre was born from reading this comic.
My first book was the novelization of Spielberg’s movie “Hook“. Soon after, I read the novelization of Home Alone (both two films). After that, I read Stephen King’s book “IT”.
“IT” literally changed my young mind; it was a coming-age stunning reading. For the first time, I was aware of the power of writing. I was literally inside the mind of the characters and I could feel their sentiments. It was an impactful book.
But perhaps of all the things I´ve read, the one that has had the greatest impact is H.P. Lovecraft´s short story “The Call of Cthulhu“. The masterpiece of cosmic horror introduced me to Lovecraft. In the following years, Lovecraft’s life and letters to his friends strongly influenced my thinking and my personal approach to life. King’s books and Lovecraft’s life and thought have been instrumental in shaping my literary tastes.
Books have always been my passion, and horror literature has been my refuge. It has made me look at the world differently and has opened my mind to new perspectives. I’m grateful for having found it, and for having been able to grow and develop my love for it.
