Thomas Ligotti (born 1953 in Detroit) is an American author best known for his short-story collections of weird fiction, his nihilistic philosophical essay The Conspiracy Against the Human Race, and collaborations with the musical group Current 93.

Widely cited influences include Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, Arthur Schopenhauer and Peter Wessel Zapffe; Ligotti's work is described in reviews as polarising and often labelled 'nihilistic horror'. Italian editions and translations are frequently discussed in DeBaser reviews; connections to the TV series True Detective and collaborations with Current 93 are noted in the reviews.

Reviews present Ligotti as a polarising but essential figure in contemporary weird fiction. His work blends refined, pictorial prose with philosophical pessimism and nihilistic themes. Key texts include his short-story collections and the essay The Conspiracy Against the Human Race. Collaborations with Current 93 and the influence on popular culture (e.g., True Detective) are frequently noted.

For:Readers of weird fiction, fans of philosophical/nihilistic horror, and those interested in literary influences (Poe, Lovecraft, Schopenhauer).

 Ligotti is either loved or hated.

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 I believe Ligotti is "a theorist of horror," and I consider the extended essay The Conspiracy Against the Human Race to be his true masterpiece (this is also the opinion of Ramsey Campbell).

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 For those who love Thomas Ligotti, this issue of Zothique is simply unmissable.

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 As a young philosophy student, I used to say to myself: I will learn the madness of things. It was something I felt the need to know... something I felt the need to confront. If I could face the madness of things, I thought, then I would have nothing else to fear. I could live in the universe without the sensation of falling apart, without the sensation of being on the brink of exploding from the madness of things that in my mind was the true foundation of existence. I wanted to tear away the veil that covers things and look at them as they are, not blind myself to them.

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