Product Description
This Companion consists of 14 essays by leading international scholars. They provide a series of new perspectives on one of the most enigmatic and controversial American writers. Specially tailored to the needs of undergraduates, the essays examine all of Poe's major writings, his poetry, short stores and criticism, and place his work in a variety of literary, cultural and political contexts. This volume will be of interest to scholars as well as students. It features a detailed chronology and a comprehensive guide to further reading. ... Read more

Product Description
The most complete collection of Poe's critical writings ever published, revealing his wit, uncompromising candor, and breadth of knowledge. Contains all his major writings on poetry, fiction, and the duties of a critic, along with his reviews of writers both known and unknown, and finally, his articles on a wealth of subjects, including South Sea exploration, geography, music, drama, cryptography, ancient languages, and modern critics. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Once owned, it is indispensable
I'll confess that I am only about 200 pages into this very lengthy book (but have skipped ahead occasionally to find his reviews of favorite authors), but I can say without hesitation that those pages alone have been worth the price. And with every paragraph I actually wish the book were longer. Anyone who truly appreciates the depth and soul of Poe's fiction and poetry, and the tragic life behind their creation, could not help but relish the man's words on any subject. Poe biographies are fine, but nothing can touch his own voice. His reviews of well-known writers like Hawthorne, Coleridge and Longfellow, among so many others, are gems of knowledge, humor and biting honesty that may surprise those who have as yet only been held in cherished suspense by his fiction. And his critiques of lesser known authors will probably serve to make a curious reader search out their work, even when he brutalizes it, as he often does! This book is a huge body of Poe's non-fiction, and the writing proves captivating, irreverently witty and beyond impressive in its scholarship.Above all, it shows the man as undeniably brilliant, brilliant, brilliant.

This book is essential for any serious study of poe.
I highly recommend this book!It is Poe in his own words.This book is a brilliant answer to many off-the-wall interpretations of his theories and life.This book is essential to any serious study of Poe, and certainlyfor any journalist or writer who wants to read a master at work!Poe wasnot just a fiction writer.He was the first artist as critic in America'shistory.This book will allow you to see Poe as a man. ... Read more

Product Description
The genius and orphan son of itinerant actors, Poe led a tragic life and suffered greatly--as much at his own hands as those of Fate. Yet tragedy never stopped him from writing: poems, short stories, literary journalism, and even creating a new genre, the detective story--a contribution so great that the most prestigious writing award for crime fiction, given annually by the Mystery Writers of America, bears his name.

The Everything Guide to Edgar Allan Poe is a fascinating guide to the tormented genius, with critical insight into:

• His difficult childhood
• His 13-year-old bride
• The truth about his drug use
• The enduring mystery of his death

Poe led a life as epic as one of his poems. In The Everything Guide to Edgar Allan Poe, you'll learn all the deepest secrets that haunted this tortured writer, influenced his writing, and ultimately drove him to an early death. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Lots of information
This product is extremely helpful and detailed in the information it gives about Edgar A. Poe.I would definatly recommend it as a guideline for people interested in his history and how that influenced his work.

A worthy entree to the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe
Dr. Bloomfield-Costa's Guide to Edgar Allan Poe, while concise, provides the reader with a generous amount of information about one of America's greatest writers. The Guide is an excellent source for the Poe aficionado,a tantalizer for those readers who are new to this literary genius ,and is sure to entertain both.

It's Not Nothing, But It's Hardly "Everything," Either
This book is an adequate enough introduction to Poe's remarkably complicated life--on a sort of "Edgar Allan Poe For Dummies" level--but for anyone wishing to get a true understanding of the man and his work, it inevitably falls short.

The "Everything Guide"--which, I assume, was intended as some sort of school textbook, as it is written on about a fourth-grade reading level--is an obvious blend of recent books and articles about Poe, often containing clumsily paraphrased and easily identifiable passages straight from these works.I have the feeling that the author didn't have much personal knowledge, or even interest, about Poe, but was hired by the publisher to merely summarize the most popular published opinions in an easily-absorbed format.Considering how virtually everything about Poe has been intensely debated by historians, this haphazard collating of texts leads to many confusions, vague assertions, and self-contradictions.(This is especially true in the section dealing with Frances S. Osgood, and the scandals that ensued over her acquaintance with Poe.Bloomfield falls into the common error of taking Osgood's affected, laboriously flirtatious poems at face value, and assuming from them--and Osgood's self-serving, misleading "reminiscences" published after Poe's death--that "Fanny" and Poe had much more of a relationship than the actual historical evidence indicates.)

Especially annoying (although understandable, under the circumstances,) is the author's heavy reliance on the writings of Susan Talley Weiss.Weiss was a minor Richmond poet who, in her later years, wrote prolifically about Poe, claiming to be an expert on his personal life, and describing in detail many long, intimate conversations she supposedly had with him.As Weiss was completely deaf (and unable to lip-read) her Poe anecdotes (which are usually quite bizarre on their face) must be taken with a healthy dose of skepticism.Additionally, on the few points where her statements can be verified, she is almost always completely wrong.It has always baffled me that this strange woman has been taken as anything other than comic relief by Poe historians, but after T.O. Mabbott--who never met a dubious Poe source he didn't like--gave her odd effusions his personal seal of approval, biographers use her writings without hesitation or question.This does a lot to help explain why there are so many bad Poe books out there.

In short, if you know of a schoolchild who has expressed an interest in learning about Poe, the "Everything Guide" is not the worst place to start.But it should be considered strictly as a start, not a finish. ... Read more

Product Description
The horrors of the Spanish Inquisition, with its dungeon of death, and the overhanging gloom on the House of Usher demonstrate unforgettably the unique imagination of Edgar Allan Poe. Unerringly, he touches upon some of our greatest nightmares - premature burial, ghostly transformation and words from beyond the grave. Written in the 1840s, they have retained their power to shock and frighten even now. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I loved listening to this one
I am a great fan of Poe and really enjoyed listening to this.If you love Poe you will like this.Only complaint, wish there were about three or four more cd's to this package.

... Read more

Product Description
Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe returns in a revised 4th Edition, with 40 new pages of content! New comics adaptations include The Pit and the Pendulum by David Hontiveros and Carlo Vergara, and William Wilson by Rafael Nieves and Dan Dougherty. The Raven returns in a revised adaptation by J.B. Bonivert, with Annabel Lee by the same artist as a new companion piece. Plus, The Black Cat, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher, and four more terrifying tales. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great New Updated 4th Edition
An anthology of graphic adaptations of some of Edgar Allan Poe's works, both short stories and poems. Each story is written/illustrated by different people such as Rick Geary, Carlo Vegara, Matt Howarth and others resulting in a wide variety of artist styles throughout the book. Most of Poe's works collected here are his most famous but there are a few lesser known ones as well.

There are quite a lot of changes to this 4th edition with the removal of, mostly, the shorter lesser known works and the addition of a few poems but especially two major long works. First, but most importantly; all my favourites from the 3rd edition are still present. As I said in that review,

"My favourites were Rick Geary's retelling of "The Tell-Tale Heart" as I am fond of his work. I also enjoyed "The Imp of the Perverse" by Tom Pomplum and Lance Tooks which I had never heard of before. I also enjoyed Pedro Lopez' rendition of "The Cask of Amontillado" as that is one of my favourite Poe stories and the adaptation was well done."

What has been removed are: King Pest, Eldorado (a poem), Spirits of the Dead (a poem), The Masque of Red Death, and Hop-Frog. The only one of these I deeply regret the removal of is The Masque of Red Death and to a much lesser degree Hop-Frog.

The additions are mostly very strong. The Black Cat returns after its removal from the 3rd edition. The two new long pieces are The Pit and the Pendulum and William Wilson. The Pit and the Pendulum is worth the price of admission. It has been incredibly rendered in all its eerie glory by David Hontiveros and Carlo Vergara. Another of my favourite stories that has been presented in a terrifyingly creepy and atmospheric manner. This one joins my favourites in the entire book. William Wilson is a strange story to begin with but the artwork is gorgeously detailed and atmospheric; I love the portrait of Poe on the wall in the last frame. Not one of my favourite stories but adapted to graphic form very well and certainly worth the removal of Hop-Frog. Also new to this addition are the poems In a Sequestered Churchyard Where Once Poe Walk'd by H.P. Lovecraft, and Annabel Lee. The Raven is not new but the illustrations have been redone by J.B. Bonivert and I have to say I am not pleased with them at all. I don't know what you call this type of art but it is plain weird (almost farcical to me) and totally distracts from the somber, eerie tone of the poem. On the other hand, Bonivert illustrates the new Annabel Lee and is much more successful using a fairy tale theme to the art that grows darker frame by frame.

If you already have a previous volume I think this one is well worth adding to your collection just for the addition of "The Pit and the Pendulum" alone. If you don't have this volume, what are you waiting for? This series is a great way to sample the author's work if you are unfamiliar with it and if you are a fan of Poe's it brings his work to another level by reading it in the graphic format.

A Lot Of Fun
Like the writings of his fellow American fantasists Edgar Rice Burroughs, H.P. Lovecraft, and Robert E. Howard, the work of Edgar Allan Poe cries out to be illustrated; so it's no wonder the folks at Eureka Productions chose to begin their series of Graphic Classics with a collection of illistrated tales and poems by this master of the macabre. They've hardly stinted on the talent, either - artists include the great Richard Corben (creator of the character Den seen in the film Heavy Metal (Collector's Edition)), the insane and ingenious Maxom Crumb (known from the excellent Terry Zwigoff film Crumb (Special Edition) and younger brother of underground comix great Robert), and Alan Moore collaborator John Coulthart (The Haunter of the Dark: And Other Grotesque Visions). Award-winning writer Joe R. Landsdale (The Bottoms) provides the introduction.

This collection strikes me as an incredibly useful book - teachers can use it as a remarkably faithful and accessible introduction to one of the giants of American literature; comics fans, to introduce themselves to a marvellous storyteller; and Poe aficianados can see some the greatest talents currently working in the fields of comics and illustration. Oh... and if you're somebody who just enjoys a good scary story, you'll have a lot of fun with this, too - and who doesn't like a good scary story?

Poe Graphicatalized
Great artistry behind one of the best poets of modern time.My personal favorite, The Raven, was put into wonderful artistic views.A must have for any Poe Fan.

Edgar Allan Poe Rocks!
Edgar Allan Poe Graphic Classics

Okay, I get the point.Having read all of Tom Pompluns' classic compilations, I have often thought `Why not get mainstream artists?I'm sure John Byrne would do one for him?Hey, Steranko?What about Wiacek?Or Perez?'.But, call me slow, this collection of stories has opened the door.

The tales he has chosen to adapt, and the artists he has assigned the work to, work.Why?In a twisted way, the sheer esoteric nature of the Poe, Twain, Stevenson, Doyle, Bierce, and Lovecraft stories match the highly stylized artwork from Geary, Weber, Howarth, Knight, Shaw and others.Put a story like King Pest into the hands of Frank Brunner, and you have a masterful piece, that may miss the off mark.Brunner is fantasy.Pest is satire, at its' best.Neal Adams doing the Cask of Amontilado would be a visual feast, but the art would overshadow the terror of the story.Some of the art in this volume does not necessarily make the tale sing, but it does put the onus onto the writer and as a team, it either does, or does not work.

Most of these work.This volume includes The Premature Burial, Imp of the Perverse, King Pest, The Tell Tale Heart, Masque of the Red Death, Hop Frog, Never Bet the Devil Your Head, Cask of Amontilado, Fall of the House of Usher, and the Raven.A couple of these are reprints but 40 of the 144 pages are new.Because of the new material, the book has a `new' feel to it.

Of the stories here, I had never heard of half of them.King Pest is a hoot.Hop Frog is delightful.The Imp of the Perverse is perverse.And the Premature Burial is masterful.Material from a genius like Poe should never be forgotten.

What the heck Tom, I bet Steranko would do a cover!!


Tim Lasiuta

Gothic comics - An outstanding blend of words and pictures
Edgar Allan Poe is a natural choice as the first volume of the Graphic Classics volumes, a series partially inspired by the Classic Illustrated collection of comic books, which attempted to lure young readers into reading respectable, "classic" authors through the comics medium. This new incarnation, however, takes an entirely different tact, combining fantastic literary stories with equally talented artists for something that is far more entertainment than education.

Also, while these are "comic books," the illustrators are far more "New Yorker" than "Fantastic Four." Creative, individualistic and highly stylized, each artist leaves their own distinctive mark on their story, creating a unique experience, a collaboration between author and artist.

This 3rd Edition of "Graphic Classics: Volume 1 - Edgar Allan Poe" assembles nine short stories and three poems of the master, including his most famous works as well as some less well-known. Each is given a different treatment, ranging from illustrated text pieces to full comic strips. Each is of very high quality, making this book highly recommended.

Included in this volume are:

"The Tell-Tale Heart" - My first Edgar Allan Poe story, that I was assigned to read in Jr. High School, is still a provocative and powerful piece. Artist Rick Geary gives us a straight-forward rendition, including a lovingly detailed picture of The Eye.

"King Pest" - A story of plague-ridden London, where two hapless sailors find themselves guests at the table of the King and Queen of pestilence.Anton Emdin's grotesque illustrations add a nice comic flair to the tale.

"The Premature Burial" - A claustrophobic tale of fear of premature burial, and how we often create the demon's that haunt us.Joe Ollman does a splendid job of creating atmosphere, and the panic of being buried alive.

"El Dorado" - This one I liked a lot. A semi-humorous cartoons style brings the point of the sad poem home even more fiercely.

"Spirits of the Dead" - A surrealistic adaptation of a quiet Poe poem, ruminating on death.

"The Imp of the Perverse" - Like "The Tell-tale Heart," a story of the sting of guilt, and how a perfect murder is never as perfect as we would like to think.

"The Raven" - A new adaptation of Poe's masterpiece, this is an assemble version with a different artist doing a different stanza.It comes off beautifully, allowing Poe's words to be the true star of the show.

"The Masque of the Red Death" - A text-and-pictures adaptation,full of the stunning delights of Propero's hidden Bohemia, and the plague of the Red Death that intrudes on their party.

"Never Bet the Devil Your Head" - A wild and funny adaptation of a wild and funny story. An excellent ending.

"Hop-Frog" - The text is presented in its entirety, and the artists is so completely well-suited to this story that I think I will forever see the foolish fat king and his eight fat friends as portrayed by artist Lisa K. Weber.

"The Cask of Amontillado" - My favorite Poe story is well treated, keeping the essential dialog and tension, even while being distilled down to a few pages.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" - Mostly a text-and-pictures piece with some dialog, the artist captures the haunted Roderic Usher's lonely fate. As well as his sisters'. ... Read more

Product Description
Few authors can claim Edgar Allan Poe's influence on literary and popular culture. During his short and turbulent life, he invented the modern detective story and horror genres with such immortal works as "The Raven", "The Tell-Tale Heart", and "The Pit and the Pendulum". Best known for the haunting melody of his poetry and prose, Poe also wrote numerous critical articles and reviews, essays and magazine articles on a variety of subjects. Drawing from a broad range of sources, such as personal correspondence and reviews, this comprehensive reference covers all of Poe's major works and most minor works. As well as information on Poe's personal life, the entries include synopses of his works, and descriptions of his characters. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good overview - but do more work
Sova has done a great job compiling a wide list of topics into concise overviews. Everything from individual works by Poe to people in Poe's life are presented. With that said, however, be careful with this book! There are quite a few inaccuracies ranging from the slight (a typo gave the original title of "The City in the Sea" as "The Domed City" rather than "Doomed") to the patently incorrect (the timeline at the back of the book gives Poe's date of death as October 8, rather than the 7th). This book should give you a good place to start with your inquiries regarding Poe, but you might have to do some more research to follow-up.

Comprehensive, detailed, and superbly organized
Edgar Allan Poe: A To Z is a comprehensive, detailed, superbly organized and presented reference to the life and work of the man who invented the modern detective story and horror genres in American literature. Poe was also a prolific literary critic and editor of several periodicals of the day in which he published his reviews, essays, and articles. Edgar Allan Poe: A To Z features more than 3,400 entries ranging from synopses of his tales, poetry and critical works; to descriptions of his characters; to background information on family, friends and associates; to discussion of his influence on Baudelair and other French poets; to film, musical, and theatrical adaptions of his works; to places that influenced and affected his life and work ranging from Baltimore to New York City. Edgar Allan Poe: A To Z is an essential, highly recommended reference for academic library collections and features a chronology of Poe's life and work; a select bibliography; and a listing of Poe research collections in the United Sates. The informative text is enhanced with photographs and illustrations.

Excelente Recopilación de Datos Biográficos
Es uno de los mejores libro que he visto hasta el momento en lo referente a recopilacion de hechos de la vida de POE. Analiza cada una de las posibles referencias que ayudan a comprender mejor la vida del Genio que fué Edgar Allan Poe.

EXCELLENT MANUAL OF POE'S LIFE
I'm really happy with the book. Accurate with all the information... the book show us a lot of anecdotes about how was the genius life and a different kind of pleasant biography. ... Read more

Product Description
En este volumen presentamos la narrativa completa de Edgar Allan Poe. El acceso a los relatos es sencillo gracias a los dos índices de hiperenlaces incluídos. El primero de ellos presenta los relatos por fecha de publicación y el segundo clasificados temáticamente. De esta manera se facilita tanto el primer encuentro con la extensa obra del autor como el acceso y reconocimiento rápido de las obras.

Contiene:


CUENTOS POLICÍACOS
Los crímenes de la calle Morgue – El misterio de Marie Rogêt – El escarabajo de oro – La carta robada – «Tú eres el hombre»

CUENTOS DE TERROR, MISTERIO y MUERTE
Metzengerstein – Berenice – Morella – La cita – El jugador de ajedrez de Maelzel – El rey Peste – Ligeia – La caída de la casa de Usher – William Wilson – Eleonora – El retrato oval – La máscara de la Muerte Roja – El pozo y el péndulo – El corazón delator – El gato negro – Un cuento de las Montañas Escabrosas – El entierro prematuro – Revelación mesmérica – La caja oblonga – El demonio de la perversidad – Los hechos en el caso de M. Valdemar – El barril de amontillado – Hop–Frog – Von Kempelen y su descubrimiento

CUENTOS FILOSÓFICOS
Sombra – Silencio. Una fábula – La conversación de Eiros y Charmion – El hombre de la multitud – Coloquio entre Monos y Una – El poder de las palabras

CUENTOS HUMORÍSTICOS
El duque de L'Omelette – Cuento de Jerusalén – Pérdida de aliento – Bon–Bon – Los leones – Cuatro bestias en una – Mixtificación – Como escribir un artículo de Blackwood – Una malaventura – El diablo en el campanario – El hombre consumido – Porqué el pequeño francés lleva la mano en cabestrillo – El hombre de negocios – Nunca apuestes tu cabeza al diablo – Tres domingos en una semana – Los anteojos – El timo – El ángel de lo estrambótico – La vida literaria de Thingum Bob – El cuento mil y dos de Sherezade – Conversación con una momia – El método del doctor Tarr y del profesor Fether – La esfinge – X en un suelto

IMPRESIONES PAISAJÍSTICAS
La isla del hada – El alce – El dominio de Arnheim. El jardín paisajístico – El «cottage» de Landor

VIAJES FANTASTICOS
La incomparable aventura de un tal Hans Pfaall – El camelo del globo – Mellonta Tauta

AVENTURAS FABULOSAS
Manuscrito hallado en una botella – Las aventuras de Arthur Gordon Pym – Un descenso al Maelström ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Illustrations disappoint
This book runs to 80 pages and includes The Fall of the House of Usher; The Masque of the Red Death; The Tell Tale Heart; The Cask of Amontillado and The Oval Portrait. Choice of stories is good, if predictable, and the stories feature a running glossary which will be useful for adults and young people alike.
I have mixed feelings about the illustrations for the book - some are excellent - as with the cover design and that of the temporary entombment in the Fall of the House of Usher - whereas others are amorphous and "bled" of detail - and offer little appeal to either the young reader or the adult.
Despite such reservations, I feel that this book offers excellent value for money - and recommend it along with the others in the series, of which I count at least four. ... Read more

Product Description
Kaplan guarantees that readers will improve their SAT score using guides—or get their money back.

Vocabulary is a critical part of studying for the SATs. Memorizing words that are written on flashcards can be difficult because they are not put in the context of a sentence. Kaplan’s SAT Score-Raising Classics make learning SAT vocabulary words easier and more enjoyable for students. Classic novels that are taught throughout high school can now be read while learning vocabulary words that frequently appear on the SAT exam.

Designed for easy use, these books feature the actual text on one side of the page, with the word definitions on the opposite side. In addition, the vocabulary words are in easy-to-spot bold typeface throughout.

Each Kaplan SAT Score-Raising Classic features:

• The complete text of the classic novel
• Hundreds of vocabulary words tested on the SAT exam
• Definitions for each highlighted work on the facing page
• A pronunciation guide
• An index for easy reference
• A teachers’ guide that includes instructional suggestions, in-class activities, and homework assignments posted on our web site: kaptest.com

Kaplan’s SAT Score-Raising Classics series give readers get an invaluable learning tool and an enjoyable reading experience. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

TOO GLoooooooooooooMY
For general, i liked this book. Yet, every single short stories
ended with a death and it really disturbed me a lot. If this were
not required for my summer project, i wuld not have read it.

Still, it certainly helped me in reminding the SAT vocabularies.

Fantastic novel if you want to learn SAT words or you love Poe
Kaplan has created a few books that help with the development of learning SAT vocabulary. This book, which has many of the well-known Edgar Allan Poe stories, does likewise, defining over seven hundred vocabulary words on the opposite page or in the glossary. The neat aspect of this book is that it not only defines the various difficult words on the opposite page, but also puts the words in bold in the text and underlines them. On the opposite page the words appear with a definition, a pronunciation key, and a few examples of synonyms. Students who find the vocabulary difficult in a Poe story can readily access this, and it makes comprehension that much easier.

The most important part, however, is the just the thrill of being able to read many of Poe's chilling classic stories in this format. Many of the stories that students read in grade school and high school are included such as "The Tell Tale Heart", "The Fall of the House of Usher" and "The Pit and the Pendulum", and also a few of the lesser-known titles, such as "Hop Frog", "The Black Cat", and William Wilson."

The book itself is easy to carry around and has easy to read font which makes it a great buy. The stories are fantastic and the neat essence of this book is that you can read and learn vocabulary at the same time. Exceptional book!

very creative way to SAT study
excellent purchase; very helpful; an interesting approach to vocabulary and great literature.

Great way to study for the SAT
I loved reading this book and it was so much more fun to study SAT vocab words this way than by using flashcards.I told my friends about it so they could use it too.There are so many SAT words in the book and it's fun and easy to learn them. ... Read more

Product Description
The definitive, fully annotated collection of the 422 known Poe letters, cjronologically arranged, with 5 appendixes, bibliography, and Check List. 74 illustrations, slipcased. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Yes, it is still in print
It is not really appropriate for me to review my own book, but I did want to correct Amazon's ridiculous error in stating that the book is out of print, or that availability is limited. The fact is that it is easily obtainable from the publisher, Gordian Press, but only by mail. The book is not readily available through Amazon because they are impossible to deal with!

Strongly recommended as an essential reference for scholars
One of America's preeminent and influential 19th Century authors, the short stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe have intrigued the literary world and continue to be enjoyed by each new generation of readers. Now those readers can enjoy the revised and expanded biographical works of information available on this great author, which go beyond his literary works to give readers a view of Poe as an original thinker and major figure in American literary history. The knowledgeable and expert collaborative work of Burton R. Pollin and Jeffrey A. Savoye, "The Collected Letters of Edgar Allan Poe" have brought today's readers new and corrected information using the best available research drawn from the last four decades of Poe scholarship. Included in these handsomely designed, sturdy, and reformatted volumes are new letters, updated notes and a generous subject index with over 2,000 entries. More than double the original edition these boxed set two volumes contain 422 letters by Poe, with a number of fragments. A bonus for readers are 74 illustrations and a comprehensive check list of Poe's correspondence, also updated, to include over 1,000 entries! A core addition to academic and community library collections, "The Collected Letters of Edgar Allan Poe" is strongly recommended as an essential reference for scholars and any reader wishing to gain a better understanding of Poe.
... Read more

Product Description
Nine gripping tales of psychological terror and the supernatural, by the undisputed master of the American Gothic horror story: "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," "The Fall of the House of Usher," "The Masque of the Red Death," "The Tell-Tale Heart," "The Pit and the Pendulum" and four others. Inspired, easily affordable classics for mystery lovers and horror story fans.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The Pit and the Pendulum- a review by Lyric Arvizu
The Pit and the Pendulum is a story about a person who was punished by the Spanish Inquisition because he was a heretic. A heretic was someone who believed differently than the Catholics- who were the dominant church in Spain at the time. He was thrown into a torture pit and after some exploring, he discovered it had a well in the middle. After a while, he fell asleep due to some drug they gave him. When he awoke, he found that he was bound to a hard, wooden, torture cot. There was also a painting of father time as one would depict him on the ceiling and he was holding a moving pendulum. The pendulum was actually a blade, the man discovered, and it would very slowly shred him to pieces. When he found this out, he struggled to reach for the pendulum to end his life faster, but he could not reach it. When the pendulum was about to swing over his heart and take the first tear at his robe, rats that had been bothering him scurried p to him and started to chew up what bound him. As soon as he was free, the man inched out from under the swinging pendulum and ran to safety. But as soon as he did, he felt the walls getting very hot, and he saw that they were closing in on him. But he heard the muffled sound of human voices and he knew that the Inquisition had been defeated by its enemies. Soon, a French general named Lasalle saved him right before he fell into the well.
The theme represented in The Pit and the Pendulum is that physical torture is far less terrible than mental torture. On page 66 of The Gold Bug and Other Tales, a publication of many of Edgar Allen Poe's stories, the speaker of The Pit and the Pendulum says that, "To the victims of its tyranny, there was a choice of death with its direst physical agonies, or death with its most hideous moral horrors." Then on page 69, he says, "The pit whose horrors had been destined for so bold a recusant as myself- the pit, typical of hell, and regarded by rumor as the Ultima Thule pf all their punishments." More evidence that this is the theme is when the speaker said that mental torture added to death was "the most hideous of fates." The speaker also often wished he could get out or die a quick death.
The Pit and the Pendulum is a wonderful and exciting horror story that portrays a good theme and is based off of historical events. It should be and is classified as pure, classical literature.

How can you go wrong??
So it is hard to go wrong with any Poe books, and especially for one this cheap.These Dover Thrift editions do not have the most amazing print quality or anything, but have some great writings in cheap, easy to own packages.

Really though, if you can spare it, spent the 15 bucks or whatever and pick up one of the many complete collections of Poe if you can.

Free SF Reader
This includes:

Ligeia
The Fall of the House of Usher
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Masque of the Red Death
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Tell-Tale Heart
The Gold-Bug
The Black Cat
The Cask of Amontillado

The usual suspects are here, and a bit of variety like The Masque of the Red Death.So, another fine collection from Dover.

Nine Great Tales by the Master of the Macabre
America was a young country; its age was measured in decades. America had few established colleges and had produced few writers, artists, and musicians. It is ironic that Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), living in poverty and suffering from alcohol and opium abuse, would be one of America's greatest writers, and one of the key creators of two genre of fiction - the deductive mystery and the horror story.

This inexpensive Dover Thrift edition - The Gold Bug and Other Tales - contains nine unabridged short stories arranged in chronological order. Two are classic mystery stories. Seven are superb horror stories.

The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841) was not only innovative, but had lasting influence on later writers. Some fifty years later Conan Doyle closely patterned Sherlock Holmes on Poe's amateur detective, Monsieur C. Auguste Dupin, and Dr. Watson on Poe's unnamed narrator that had so much difficulty keeping pace with the brilliant deductions of Dupin. Would we have had Holmes without Dupin?

The Gold-Bug (1843) is the other deductive mystery story in this Dover edition. I still remember reading it for the first time years ago. I was a young, intense entomologist at that time; after reading this intriguing tale, I carefully reinspected every beetle in my collection. I will say nothing about the plot as it is best savored as a surprise.

Six of the horror stories - The Cask Of Amontillado (1846), The Black Cat (1843), The Tell-Tale Heart (1843), The Pit and the Pendulum (1842), The Masque of the Red Death (1842), and The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) - are among Poe's best known tales. They have all been adapted to films, often with considerable license on the part of the screen writer. Ligeia (1838), the earliest story in this collection, may be unfamiliar. These tales are usually told in narrative form, sometimes from the perspective of one not entirely sane.

Many years ago a teacher, Mr. McLeod, loaned me a thick, heavy book containing the complete stories and poetry of Edgar Allan Poe. I read it cover to cover. Poe remains one of my favorite authors.

Great Stories That Could Use Some Footnotes
First of all, I think it goes without saying that the stories collected here are wonderful. "The Cask Of Amontillado", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Fall Of The House Of Usher" - it doesn't get much better (or more horrifying) than this. The price is also nice. A dollar fifty? What can you buy for a dollar fifty these days?

My sole complaint regards the absence of footnotes. Take "Cask Of Amontillado", for example. It's hardly essential to know that "motley" is the garb of a jester or a clown (or that a "pipe" is a wine cask) in order to enjoy the story, but that information would have been nice to have nonetheless.

In conclusion, this collection is a wonderful bargain, but if you have a little more money you may want to invest in an annotated collection of these tales. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Great illustrations!
To anyone who loves Edgar's poetry, the Dore illustrations bring to life the creatures and characters found throughout his poems.

Doré's Final Work
I bought this edition of Poe's classic poem on impulse during the holidays, mostly because the price was right and because I have always been partial to Doré's illustrations.In the past few years, I've purchased several of these large (12 x 9 1/2) hardbacks showcasing Doré's work, including Dante's Divine Comedy, and Scenes from the Bible, and I also have the old Dover paperback of 'The Rime of the Ancient Mariner'.I think these are exciting additions to my bookshelves, and, at the same time, I hope that Doré's work might act as a lure for the kids, inspiring them to investigate the literature to which these engravings belong.

To my mind, this edition of 'The Raven' has two specific flaws and some other small details that the publishers could have improved.The first, and most critical, is the book's layout.After a short biography of Poe and Doré, the full text of 'The Raven' is reprinted on four pages - sans illustrations.Immediately after, Doré's engravings begin, generally on the right hand page with the appropriate section of the poem on the left - but the complete poem is not included throughout the illustrated section.Instead, onlly excerpts are given, presented like captions.In other words, you cannot read the book as you might if you were reading an illustrated story - as, for instance, you might to children - without turning back to the first few pages. Approximately 25% or so of the poem is missing on the pages opposing the illustrations, and though I have tried, I can't think of any good reason for this, unless it has to do with some bizarre copyright rule.

The other flaw is intrinsic - these were Doré's last illustrations, and in comparison with his earlier work, I felt that on average they were washed out and indistinct.It is possible, of course, that Poe's dreamy, gauzy stanzas was what Doré was attempting to reflect, but one of the appealing aspects of his work is its sharp contrasting figures and distinctive expressions.I don't want to suggest that 'The Raven' is completely devoid of Doré's signature style - it isn't - but overall, it doesn't rise to the inspiring levels of his scenes from the Bible, or to his work on Coleridge's 'Ancient Mariner'.The compositions I thought were intriguing, but the execution only fair.

Other points that readers may or may not see as deficiencies include the other poems selected to fill out the volume, and their accompanying illustrations.To break up the text, the publishers used a great deal of clip art, which, truthfully, looks like clip art.Of course, there aren't any other engravings by Doré to correspond to these additional poems, but unfortunately, this other art feels 'tossed in' after 'The Raven'.And one last note, which is truthfully very minor and not likely to bother anyone else - in his short biography of Poe that precedes the main text, Dr. Brook Haley indulges in some pop Freudian psychoanalysis when listing the influences on Poe's life, and he also tends to present conjecture as fact when squaring the historical record.

These last few points in and of themselves do not detract enough from the book to mark it down in rating, but in conjunction with the incomplete sections of the poem facing the illustrations, I would drop the book's grade from 4 stars to 3 1/2.I'd then round back up for the sturdy construction, quality paper, and arresting cover.

Beautiful!
This slim book does just one thing: it presents "The Raven," one of the best-recognized poems of the American tradition, with Doré's dark and errie illustrations.

The poem itself is so distinctive that even its meter, set to other words is still recognizable. Doré's engravings are not nearly so well known, however, but should be. Few other ways to print images on a commercial scale existed, back before photographic reproduction. Doré's illustration brought many other works to life as well, including Dante's Divine Comedy, Don Quixote, and even the Bible. His dramatic, emotive style of illustration not only embodies Poe's complex mood, it also raises that poem to the stature of the other world treasures to which Doré lent his talent.

Printing quality in this book meets Dover's usual, impeccable standards, despite this book's affordability. Then, since only one engraving appears per 9x12" (22.5x30cm) page, the fine reproduction makes it possible to read much of the detail an original engraving would have offered. Graphic novel fans might also find something of historical interest here, as one of the great-grandparents of the visual tradition leading to today's illustrated fiction. This one is easy to enjoy in many ways, so dig in.

-- wiredweird

Has Everything You Could Ask For
I had to memorize this poem years ago.For years I believed that everyone did.Maybe it's a shame that they didn't.

This is classic Poe. It's not long.It is tight, straight to the point, and foreboding.And that is not the reason to buy the book.

The book really worth buying because of the classic illustration's by Dore.They are fantastic.They perfectly catch the tone of the poem.In a time before movies, animated cartoons, or TV, these illustrations showed the poem that was being read (probably out loud by an adult).They worked then.They still work.

Your children, your grandchildren, and your siblings will enjoy it as much as you will.

ridden with malaise
Not only is this book about intense emotions, but it takes you on a trip through madness. All the pieces are so well interwoven that you come out of it trembling with the central character. ... Read more

Product Description

This is an electronic edition of the complete book complemented by author biography. This book features the table of contents linked to every poem. The book was designed for optimal navigation on the Kindle, PDA, Smartphone, and other electronic readers. It is formatted to display on all electronic devices including the Kindle, Smartphones and other Mobile Devices with a small display.

Customer Reviews (1)

"Look again at me---but you won't understand me any better"---T.C. Latto on the A. C. Smith portrait of Poe
After reading Kenneth Silverman's excellent biography of Edgar Allan Poe, which included detailed analyses of some of the daguerreotypes of Poe, I became interested in learning more about the portraits and photographs of the legendary writer.How many daguerreotypes were taken of Poe?How many portraits and etchings were done for which Poe actually sat?Is there a definitive image?Michael J. Deas put together a study on just that subject.This well-illustrated work offers photos and analyses of all the known lifetime portraits, daguerreotypes, woodcuts, watercolors, and etchings of Poe as well as many of the posthumous images, fakes, copies, and information on lost portraits.It was exactly what I was looking for.

Deas includes impressive amounts of detail when describing each image.The histories of the images are covered as thoroughly as possible, including backgrounds on the daguerreotypists and artists who created them.The circumstances behind the daguerreotypes and portraits and the reactions to them from Poe, those who knew Poe, or Poe experts are recorded.Unfortunately, no definitive image seems to exist as faults were found in all of them, including the daguerreotypes.The publications where the images were used, reproductions, who owned them, and where they are now if known are included.A brief history of daguerreotypes reveals that, daguerreotypes done during Poe's time were reversed, so the resulting photo was a mirror image that had to be re-photographed to correct the reversal.Deas adds an asterisk to the images that are reversed.He also notes the dimensions of the originals.

Deas uses his understanding of the times and of Poe to give insightful analyses on the legitimate and bogus Poe images and the many unsubstantiated claims, such as Poe sitting for Matthew Brady.He even explains the abbreviations in the signatures of Poe's first published image (pg. 16). One question that was not answered, however, is the reason the middle buttons on Poe's vest were often undone in the daguerreotypes.It is most evident in the "Whitman" daguerreotype where it looks like a sloppy oversight.I assumed it was the style of the times and either allowed for the hand to slide into a Napoleon pose (i.e. the "Annie" and "Stella" daguerreotypes) or for a handkerchief (i.e. the "Thompson" daguerreotype), but this detail was not addressed.Still, this study is of great historical importance and was even quoted in the recent Bicentennial Exhibit "From Out That Shadow" at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin in the display of the etching in Graham's Magazine (pp. 20-22).
... Read more

Product Description
The narrator vows revenge on a man named Fortunato. He lures him into the recesses of an underground vault to taste a rare wine, a cask of Amontillado.


Like reading?Check out this series.

SHADES OF GRAY SERIES

1. Noir, City Shrouded By Darkness (Kindle B0026Q8044 or for Mobipocket 2.0 Version SHADES OF GRAY BOOK ONE

2. From Moscow, With Love (Kindle B001MSI2WC or Mobipocket 0979857511 )

3. Cerberus Versus Pandora (Kindle B001MSI2WM or Mobipocket 097985752X )

4. Sisters (Kindle B001MSI2WW or Mobipocket 0979857538 )

5. Night of the Twilight- the Chimera Strain *Sneak Peek* (*1st of zombie Twilight Quadrilogy) (Kindle B001MQCADQ or Mobipocket 0979857546 )- Full Version Coming Soon 06/2009

6. Dawn of the Twilight- Outbreak (*2nd of zombie Twilight Quadrilogy) -COMING SOON 12/2009

7. Day of the Twilight- Patient Zero (*3rd of zombie Twilight Quadrilogy) -COMING SOON

8. Land of the Twilight- Closing of Days (*4th of zombie Twilight Quadrilogy) -COMING SOON

9. Rise of the Gorgons -COMING SOON


... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

...
Poe was a master of his craft and way ahead of his time. Arthur Conan Doyle owes everything to the man. So does Dostoyevsky. And I have yet to find a group of students that aren't mesmerized by his talent and exploration of the human psyche. "The Cask of Amontillado" is a deceptively simple tale, one told by a murderer who buries his friend in his family's underground catacombs and leaves him for dead, but it's also the story of a man coming to terms with the "perfect crime" that has imprisoned his soul for the past half-century. Like the great ones, Poe's use of symbolism is both user-friendly and deeply complex (allusions to Dante's Inferno - both in setting and allegory - rear their head in horrific manner), but Poe's reputation as a trailblazer of modern gothic literature is felt throughout this story. They say revenge is a dish best served cold, but you had better check the name on the place-setting just to make sure who's getting the meal.

Fine High School Reading
This is my favorite short story of all time.Yes, it's a little twisted, but that's Poe for you.Poe makes excellent use of irony, foreshadowing, and sensory devices in "Cask of Amontillado," making it excellent fodder for a literary analysis essay.The vocabulary is a little dated, and you may need a dictionary if you don't remember what "immolation" means, but let's face it, kids, this is eighth or ninth grade reading here.You and ask.oxford.com can handle this little story.

Amazingly Entertaining
I read this story in college (English 2) and i must say this was probably the best horror story i've ever read.

First, i like to forget about the words he uses for a minute to explain that, although magnificently written, i take the story for how it was meant to be interpreted. And it was meant to leave you with a chill, and a feeling of despair that was so violently left in my stomach that i had to read it again and again.

I can't wait to be sitting around the camp fire to tell this story.

As far as the literary value, i am not shy in saying i didn't understand many of the words, but that's what a dictionary is for, and with the use of both books i came away thrilled with knowing and understanding what is probably one of the best horror stories ever written.

The story is a macabre tail of two men, both upper classmen mindful of their positions in society. One of them; seemingly distraught over past wrongs done, strives to avenge his house by comitting one brutal act. His prey however, does not know his fate until it has met him alone, and face to face...

Big Cheers to Poe for an amazingly entertaining story.

A Classic
The begining may be a little confusing to those who are literally challenged however it is not an extremely confussing story. Poe was a great writter.

The Cask of Amontillado
It seems, like another reviewer stated, that many people miss the point, or possibly even the face value of this work. I read it as a sophomore in high school, that would be two years ago, and can't describe how much Ienjoyed it. The vocabulary really isn't very tough, if I recall correctly Iwas able to extrapolate the meaning of most of the words from the contextof their use. If you want to read something that will give you a feeling ofuneasy fear in the pit of your stomach, The Cask of Amontillado does justthat. ... Read more

Product Description
According to Wikipedia: "Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 - October 7, 1849) was an American poet, short-story writer, editor and literary critic, and is considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career." ... Read more

Product Description
The book has no illustrations or index. It may have numerous typos or missing text. However, purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original rare book from the publisher's website (GeneralBooksClub.com). You can also preview excerpts of the book there. Purchasers are also entitled to a free trial membership in the General Books Club where they can select from more than a million books without charge. Volume: 1; Original Publisher: J. ShiellsAmazon.com Review
He revolutionized the horror tale, giving it psychologicalinsight and a consistent tone and atmosphere; he invented the moderndetective story; he wrote some of the world's best-known lyric poetryand a major novella of the fantastic; he impressed such writers as Baudelaire,Mallarmeand Borges. If it'sbeen a while since you read any Edgar A. Poe (he never used "Allan"),you've probably forgotten how terrific he is. And some of his bestwork is in his lesser-known stories, such as "The Imp of the Perverse"and "A Descent into the Maelstrom." In short, what are you waitingfor? ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Extensive Collection
Selected Works / 0-517-05358-6

Odds are, you already know whether you like Poe or not, and if you're considering purchasing this volume, you would most benefit from a table of contents. Here is the list of all the included stories and poems included in this collection, listed in order of inclusion:

MS. Found in a Bottle
Berenice
Morella
Some Passages in the Life of a Lion
The Unparalleled Adventures of One Hans Pfaall
The Assignation
Bon-Bon
Shadow: A Parable
Loss of Breath: A Tale Neither In nor Out of "Blackwood"
King Pest: A Tale Containing an Allegory
Metzengerstein
Le Duc De l'Omelette
Four Beasts in One; The Homo-Cameleopard
A Tale of Jerusalem
Mystification
Ligeia
How to Write a Blackwood Article
A Predicament: The Scythe of Time
Silence: A Fable
The Journal of Julius Rodman
The Devil in the Belfry
The Man That Was Used Up
The Fall of the House of Usher
William Wilson
The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion
Why the Little Frenchman Wears His Hand in a Sling
The Business Man
The Man in the Crowd
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
A Descent into the Maelstrom
The Island of the Fay
The Colloquy of Monos and Una
Never Bet the Devil Your Head
Three Sundays a Week
Eleonora
The Oval Portrait
The Masque of the Red Death
The Mystery of Marie Roget
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Tell-Tale Heart
The Gold-Bug
The Black Cat
Diddling Considered as One of the Exact Sciences
A Tale of the Ragged Mountains
The Spectacles
The Balloon-Hoax
Mesmeric Revelation
The Premature Burial
The Oblong Box
The Angel of the Odd
Thou Art the Man
The Purloined Letter
The Literary Life of Thingum Bob, Esq.
The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade
Some Words with a Mummy
The Power of Words
The Imp of the Perverse
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The System of Dr. Tarr and Prof. Fether
The Sphinx
The Cask of Amontillado
The Domain of Arnheim
Mellonta Tauta
Hop-Frog
X-ing a Paragrab
Von Kempelen and His Discovery
Landor's Cottage
The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket
The Raven
The Bells
Annabel Lee
Lenore
Eulalie - A Song
To Helen
A Dream Within a Dream
Ulalume
Sonnet - To Science
Al Aaraaf
To the River
To My Mother
The Lake - To -
Catholic Hymn
Stanzas
Song
Fairy-Land
For Annie
The Sleeper
Bridal Ballad
To M -
To One in Paradise
The Haunted Palace
The City in the Sea
To F-s S. O-d
Dreams
To F-
Eldorado
To M.L.S.-

A Good Start
This book provides the reader a significant sampling of Poe's works both stories and poems.I found the 69 stories to be adequate for the casual reader including all the well known tales: The Masque of the Red Death, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Black Cat, and The Cask of Amontillado.I was pleased to see that "Hop Frog" also made the cut.

His included poems numbered 31 and included: The Raven, Lenore, To The River, The Sleeper, The Haunted Palace, and Dreams.I believe the collection is well suited for a "Selected Works" book.

The book itself is hardbound, the edges of the pages are gold, and a yellow ribbon book mark is built in to the top of the spine.The only negative thing I can truly say about this book is that my personal copy had a broken spine when I took it out of the box, though it was new.

Excellent Plethora of E. Allan Poe Material
This is an excellent book, it has gold leaf paper and its own bookmark and has a GREAT sum of his work although some 'may' be missing but all the great ones are there such as the infamous The Raven and The Masque of Red Death, The Fall of The House of Usher among many others; to keep this short and simple this book is well worth the price and looks better in person then what amazon shows. Do keep in mind like I said this is a very nice book and only buy it if your either an avid Poe fan or want a great book to add to your growing library (like me), otherwise buy a paperback if you want something to tote around with you between classes etc.

The Father of the Horror Genre!
Edgar Allan Poe is truely the father of Horror stories. My favourite creepy story is 'The Tell-Tale Heart' a short read that should be read late at night to get the atmosphere of a true Edgar Allan Poe work of art.

I also enjoyed 'The Masque of Red Death' - a little known short story as well as 'Murders in the Rue Morgue'. Poe's greatest known work - 'The Raven' is also included, and that is by far the best thing Poe has written.

There are not only short stories and poetry. Poe did give script writing a go, and the play 'The Power of Words' is an interesting read, and shows a discussion with a tutor and a pupil over various topics. This script is meant to be read and nor performed, however.

Edgar Allan Poe's best work is defienetly in this volume, and I recomened it for lovers of reading and not just poetry, and vice versa.

"The Cast Of Amontillado"
Edgar Allen Poe's, "The Cast Of Amontillado," is a witty and daring tale between two enemies.It humorously portrays the foil of Fortunato, as he is led through the catacombs.Poe's humor is dark, sarcastic and very ironic, which quickly becomes a signpost of the tale.Poe sets himself apart from other authors in his works, based on how he depicts and encounters death.It accentuates the notion that at times, your worst enemy will appear as your best friend.Pride is the downfall of every man and the same can be said for fortunato. "Nemo me impune lacessit." ... Read more