Book Information
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Hi! I'm here to answer all your questions about those oddball books you can't find. Looking for a title, but not sure if it exists? Wanting to know who the real author is on a book you're pretty sure was written under a nom de plume? Where the heck is that Stephen King story your favorite movie is based on? Ask away!
Today's question:
The Necronomicon
I heard about this book called the Necronomicon in a movie, and I've seen it mentioned other places, some people even say it was bound in human skin (Eww!) and can destroy the universe. What's the real deal? This is probably the most famous phantom book ever, mentioned in the "Evil Dead" trilogy, "Ghostbusters," and even a film named "Necronomicon!" , and many different editions abound, called by their real author's names. There is the Hay version, the Simon version, and a few others. However, all of these were written within the past sixty years, and most authors have come forward to admit their copy is a hoax. For the whole fictional story, check out this page.

The Necronomicon, by the Mad Arab (different names abound), is a fictional book in that it was not written until after it was made up. The horror writer H.P. Lovecraft mentioned that book in stories early in the 21st century. Books by that title have been written after they were referred to in H.P. Lovecraft's stories, but even  Lovecraft himself only wrote a bibliographical history, a small (4 pp.) but thorough tracing of the book' s origins, author, and translations beginning in 730 AD.  All of which he invented. There are no copies I am aware of bound in anything but paperback. (I'll refrain from using the term 'soft cover' to stop confusion)

If any book could really destroy the universe, I haven't heard of it.  Although "Bridget Jones' Diary" sure came close.
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