Book 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.Download Description
This collection of specially-commissioned essays by experts in the field explores key dimensions of Edgar Allan Poe's work and life. Contributions provide a series of new perspectives on one of the most enigmatic and controversial American writers. The essays, specially tailored to the needs of undergraduates, examine all of Poe's major writings, his poetry, short stories and criticism, and place his work in a variety of literary, cultural and political contexts. They situate his imaginative writings in relation to different modes of writing: humor, Gothicism, anti-slavery tracts, science fiction, the detective story, and sentimental fiction. Three chapters examine specific works: The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, 'The Fall of the House of Usher', 'The Raven', and 'Ulalume'. The volume features a detailed chronology and a comprehensive guide to further reading, and will be of interest to students and scholars alike. ... Read more

Book Description
A fully revised collection of Poe’s work

The first new edition of this landmark anthology since 1945 presents a more complicated, perverse, and culturally engaged Poe. Along with the author’s familiar masterworks in poetry and fiction, this new Portable Poe includes satirical tales that reflect his critique of American culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

The essential Poe
This volume contains the essential Poe, the stories and poems for which he is most well- known.
Like all American schoolchildren I had to read Poe when I was quite young. And I remember how his tales did not provide the kind of pleasure and insight I had found in other literature. "The Gold Bug" confounded me , and "The Tell- Tale Heart" frightened me, and the truth is even in adult years I have never taken much delight in the reading of the fictions of Poe.
The horror of real life has always seemed to me more than enough, and I have never particularly enjoyed the mood and tone of Poe's fictions.
I must admit too that Poe always seemed to me even when reading him as a child , 'extremely weird' to use a children's word. And ' weird' not simply with the connotation of ' strange' but of 'frighteningly so'.
In any case there is a Poe that I have treasured. It might not be in the whole of the poem, but in the rhythmn of 'Nevermore' there did strike a kind of fascinating note. And there are in the poetry of Poe great lines, 'the beauty that was Greece, the glory that was Rome'. And a sadness and a feeling of tragedy in some of the love- poetry.
Poe is of course much else to most other readers than to me, and the lovers of mystery stories, and detectives, of fictional conundrums tending toward horror, and of strange obsessions with beauty that dies young, will find more than they ask for in this anthology.

All the Poe You'll Ever Need
Unless you're a collector or completist, this volume compiles all the Poe you could possibly ask for. All the classic stories are here, and you can clearly see how Poe broke new ground and influenced all creative fiction that came after him. While most people are wary of "classics" that everybody talks about, but nobody seems to really like, Poe's classics will give you a true appreciation for his genius. You will truly be enthralled by such well-known tales like "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (in which Poe invents the detective story), and especially the immortal "The Raven".

The editor has included many of the surviving letters that Poe wrote to the various women he unsuccessfully tried to court, and especially to his cruel stepfather, which provide great insight into Poe's inner demons. If you ever wonder why most of Poe's stories are based on death and/or madness, these letters will show you why. The only problem with this particular book is that it is a little too exhaustive, and includes many items that are more of historical interest than they are readable. This is true of most of the entries in the Articles, Criticism, and Opinions sections of the book.

Annabel Lee
I think it was emotional and she was sick and really ill after catching a chill on a beach,the authoris mourning the death of his lover.

in my opinion it was sad,but a great book.there is alot of romance.It was kind of hard toread because i'm only 9 and I had to have someone explain the story to me.

Ahh Poe. . .
Of all the writers you were forced to read in High School, Poe may be the most contemporary. After all, where would today's Alternative Goth culture be without the influence of Poe.

In this volume, fans of the strangegenius are given a rare treat. Editor Philip Van Doren Stern has collectednot only the all-time greats (e.g. "The Tell-Tale Heart""The Pit and the Pendulum" "The Raven" etc.), but alsosome eccentric choices like "The Man of the Crowd". In addition,the book gives several non-fiction articles and literary reviews written byPoe showing that he was not without a practical side.

But perhaps themost fascinating thing is a section of letters Poe wrote, to among otherpeople, his stepfather, his wife, his mother-in-law, and various members ofthe literary community. These paint a colorful picture of his oftendesperate existence. After reading these letters, you may think Poe tragic,pathetic, pretentious or maybe even egotistical, but you wll never think ofhim in quite the same way you previously did.

Read this book for a freshlook at one of American literature's greatest geniuses. ... Read more

Book Description
Edgar Allan Poe's works, with their gothic and often obsessive themes, have had a significant influence on American literature. In this Norton Critical Edition, G. R. Thompson has fully introduced, annotated, and edited each text.

"Backgrounds and Contexts" includes fifty-seven carefully chosen documents that illuminate Poe's prolific but short career, among them reviews, prefaces, and correspondence by Poe as well as thematic pieces dealing with Transcendentalism and alternative romanticism, sciences of the mind, sensation fiction, and the South and slavery.

Fourteen judiciously selected critical essays address Poe's poetry, fiction, politics, and psychology. Contributors include Floyd Stovall, Robert C. McLean, Richard Wilbur, James W. Gargano, Joseph J. Moldenhauer, Paul John Eakin, Grace Farrell, Liahna Klenman Babener, Barton Levi St. Armand, Joseph N. Riddel, J. Gerald Kennedy, John Carlos Rowe, Terence Whalen, and John T. Irwin.

A Selected Bibliography is also included.

About the series: No other series of classic texts equals the caliber of the Norton Critical Editions. Each volume combines the most authoritative text available with the comprehensive pedagogical apparatus necessary to appreciate the work fully. Careful editing, first-rate translation, and thorough explanatory annotations allow each text to meet the highest literary standards while remaining accessible to students. Each edition is printed on acid-free paper and every text in the series remains in print. Norton Critical Editions are the choice for excellence in scholarship for students at more than 2,000 universities worldwide. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A generous selection of Poe's works and a full picture of his interests and achievments?For 16 bucks?Oh, man!
If you're looking for a "complete" Poe, you have two sensible choices, the first being Thomas Ollive Mabbott's 3 volume edition (richly annotated, and each of the works introduced with an account covering composition, publication, aesthetic aims and critical consensus), and the second the delightful and portable Library of America volume.I put "complete" in quotes because even these miss Poe's "Eureka" and some of his own reviews and sketches.The market offers countless other "complete" Poes, often available in the remaindered section of book stores, but these two options serve him (and you) best--if you want all his poems and tales.

But if you want a selection, this Norton Critical Edition is your single best choice.It's far from complete--30 poems, 35 stories, a novel and then a collection of letters and articles.But all your favorites are here, and they are also well annotated, which is not just scholarly fluff but a way of filling you in on all of Poe's now obscure knowledge of pseudo-science, his views about slavery (an issue in The Narrative of Gordon Pym), theories of the mind, 18th century gothic precepts, etc etc.These things really preoccupied Poe and they inform his stories, and knowing about them honors his intentions while only increasing our appreciation for the tales and poems.People in a huff about footnotes can just skip them, and people who wish to know what Poe was drawing on--what often inspired the tales--can read them, and if you know about it already, more power to you.Anyway, these notes are really useful and pretty thorough, often including info about publication, alternate versions Poe later wrote, motives for writing it, plus of course all that now lost cultural context that Poe was so much a part of.

This volume opens with one of my favorite features in any Norton Critical Edition I know, and that is a 37-page overview biography of Poe.It's incisive, analytical, and knowing, and it's broken down further into headings that cover particular segements of his life.It's also written in a lucid, engaging way, and it covers the American history and politics relevant to Poe's own life.It serves as a nice median between an ecyclopedia or anthology bio and a full-scale bio, and I've really enjoyed it.

So you get 65 works by Poe, a novel and other letters and articles, that awesome biography of him, but then you get a great selection of writing ABOUT Poe from the years when he was publishing, reviews and mentions by Whitman, Hawthorne, Baudelaire, Longfellow, Lowell, and many many others.How illuminating to hear the other great figures from the American Renaissance (and from Europe) discussing the man's works as they come out.This volume then offers more in-depth articles, both from the time and from later scholars, concering those "sciences" and brain theories and other issues that Poe filled his writing with, so you can read the sources from his day and voices from our day talking about what fascinated Poe as a writer.If you already just like sitting down and enjoying the stories and poems, this would be a great next step for you.I would liken it to listening to your favorite band's influences, or your favorite director's favorite movies--you read what Poe himself found so compelling, and it lets you "get" him more completely.

Finally, the volume concludes with a great number of more recent discussions of Poe, some of the articles covering a particular story or poem, and some discussing some aspect of Poe more generally.In short, this book offers a total experience of Edgar Allan Poe.While it offers a smaller selection of his writings than a complete Poe does, you still get 75 pages of his poetry and over 500 pages of his prose, and then all the other material!And that other material presents a full picture of Poe's interests, how his contemporaries thought of him, and some views from today.The book itself is handsome, with fine typesets and a generous but portable pagecut that stays open readily (especially when it's laying in your hands) due to a good, flexible binding.All this for 16 bucks?Why wait? ... Read more

Book Description
One of America's most admired living poets revisits an American original. Richard Wilbur explores the philosophical depth of verse more widely noted for its macabre and gothic surfaces and uniquely matches the whole canon of Poe's mature poetry with a judicious selection of essays and stories that illuminate his poetic goals. ... Read more

Book Description
While traveling alone from Richmond, Virginia, to New York City, Poe disappeared for nearly a week. When seen again he was terribly drunk and nearly dead in Baltimore. In the hospital, four days later, after periods of raving delirium, he died. The immediate cause of death given was "congestion of the brain." At first no one seriously doubted that Poe died from drunken debauchery. However, Poe adherents suggested many theories of a physical nature about precipitating causes but no one has seroiusly probed the mystery of the missing week . . . until now. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Interesting Book But Not Convincing
While certainly an enjoyble read and very well researched,John Evangelist Walsh's book 'Midnight Dreary' does not present an utterly convincing case as to the cause of Edgar Allan Poe's death.
I really did enjoy reading this book and it does present a nice picture of Poe's final days.The real problem is that Walsh's theory is really to dependant on a certain amount of speculation,and as another reviewer noted Walsh seems to bend the facts to make it fit his theory rather then the other way round,like assuming Poe's visit to John Sartain was in fact in October instead of July of 1849 as Sartain said.Well its obvious a certain amount of speculation is needed to come up with any idea as to how Poe died as there are simply not enough established facts as to what occured during those 5 days that Poe was missing and the events surrounding it to say for certain what occured then.That being said the speculation in this book does go a bit over board and is based it seems on mainly cicrumstancial evidence.As for Walsh suggesting certain people in those times where in fact mistaken or lied about the dates that things happened,well thats just unacceptable.

If you want a decent account of Poe's final days and another theory as to how the man died this book is worth reading however if what you seek is a book to put forth a truly convincing theory on Poe's death this book will be a bit of a disapointment

Another theory on Poe's demise.Follow the tale of Poe's moustache.was it there or wasn't it?
An interesting Poe murder theory.true Poe did make alot of enemies and even if it is gossip it can still hurt a persons reputation,especially if the gossipers themselves are socially prominent,"In my opinion of course Mr.Poe is a(gold digging,womanizing,drunkard-personally i respect the mans' works but can't stand him as a person)"The book spends some time going over alot of these rumours that even if untrue do seem to stick.Silverman in his book suggested that Poe may have been impotent,but this work turns him into a probable lecher(all rumour however)I am convinced that he was engaged to Elmira Shelton(a wealthy widow and childhood sweetheart of Poe) at the time of his Baltimore/Richmond/ Philly mishaps.Poe's ego would make him feel justified in such a high stake game for after all as poe would remind one,"I wrote "The Raven" .The book strongly suggests that Ms. Shelton"s 3 brothers were anything but impressed with Mr. Poe and may have engineered his unfortunate mishaps resulting in his demise.The Shelton brothers andboth of Elmira Sheltons'adult children wanted nothing to do with Poe and may have seen his engagement as an attempt by Poe to "land a cash cow" for his pet projects.It's all speculation but it could fit as logically as the bunk about the election day "cooping" which the author proves false to at least my satisfaction.the pictures in the book all relate to this detective story. Is the stern face of Elmira Shelton the result of a stern Puritanic faith or is she hiding a terrible secret?Kissinger always said "even the true paranoic has real enemies",and Poe would definitely have made headlines for todays tabloids.Remember he married his 13 year old first cousin and then the rumours of alcohol and opiates not to mention the harsh criticisms of other writers that could be studied by those wishing to give "the perfect insult"..I always theorized that maybe Poe had a diabetic episode in Baltimore that left him at the mercy of urban predators who stole his clothes,then beat and robbed him.It never entered my mind before reading this book that maybe someone was hired for the job and Poe became only too aware of it.DT's have little to nothing to do with this book.It is a detective story that Poe himself would have been proud to write.

An odd theory in book form
What kills John E. Walsh's book is that he spends the first half of his book debunking others for their half-cooked theories on Poe's death and their basis on speculation rather than evidence. The second half of the book is Walsh's own half-cooked theory on Poe's death based on speculation rather than evidence.

And to the "doc" who posted: many doctors have considered this case over the past 150 years and each has come up with a different final answer. His alcoholism is not a fact and is in wide dispute, and he may have been sober for at least a year before his death. Case closed...?

D.T.'s KILLED HIM.
An interesting book, but tell a physician the following scenario: alcoholic is found in tavern, dressed in tattered clothes (probably sold his original suit to buy more booze),
placed in a hospital where he has no further access to alcohol,
then dies raving three or four days later - and he will tell you that the patient died of delerium tremens (DT's). This is the withdrawal syndrome from ethanol and three to four days is just about right for it to kick in.It has a mortality rate of 15% if not treated with IV's and medication (none of this in mid-nineteenth century).Ironically, if his friend had kept Mr. Poe drinking, he would have survived - at least temporarily. You do not need a convoluted thesis of homicide here, folks.

Interesting and Compelling
Those who take issue with John Evangelist Walsh's "Midnight Dreary" are, I think, missing the point.Certainly, there is truth to the suggestion that this is two books, one, a detailed recreation of the last days of Poe and two,the author's attempt to make sense of the random data and form a reasonable explanation.

In the first instance, Walsh succeeds beyond one's expectations.I ahve read dozens of biographies of Poe and have not come across a good deal of this material.Letters, journal entries, recollections of personal interviews - Walsh succeeds in bringing extant material to light.

In the second endeavor, Walsh has not been as successful.In my opinion, he falls into every theorists greatest trap - attempting to bend the facts to fit his hypothesis.In several cases, Walsh accuses his subjects of faulty memory and/or outright embellishment."Such and such can not have occurred on this date, but if we assume that the wrier was incorrect and it actually occurred on blah-blah date, then it all makes sense."No.No and no.As observers of history, we do not have the luxury of assuming those who lived it were forgetful liars.

Nonetheless, this IS an interesting book and it is a treasure trove of data for those interested in Poe's death.Additionally, it is written in an interesting, conversational style that I found quite readable.I enjoyed this book, as a reader and as an historian. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Edgar Allen Poe
Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most memorable and respected writers of our time. He is not well known for his big, long and thick books, but rather for his short, interersting and mysterious stories.Poe goes down as one of the best writers because he understands people and he can also communicate with his reader. Versatitlity is a sign of a good writer and Edgar Allen Poe is a perfect example of this.Three of his stories "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Gold Bug" and "The Stolen Letter" are very well written and logical stories, but unless Poe's name was on the front page of the story, you wouldn't be able to tell that the stories were written by the same author.

In "The Pit and the Pendulum", Poe brings out depression and gives the reader a feel of being locked up like the charater in his story.He also makes you feel like you (the reader) is also facing the possibility of death and its your job to break free from the ropes so you won't be killed by a razor sharp, decending pendulum.In "The Stolen Letter" Edgar ALlen Poe switches his dark demented side, to a more light and curious theme.It is said that Poe is one of the first people to ever write a mystery. In this he has a detective and his buddy that try to find out about a mysterious letter that a high ranking government official has stolen from the princess.Through a series of events the mystery unravels and is solved."The Gold Bug"is probably one of the best short stories that I have ever read. This story has a little bit of everything in it, from mystery to adventure, to even a quick history lesson.Edgar ALlen Poe delivers every time with his use of words and expressions.

Quintessential Poe
In an age defined by its thist for material glamour and financial success, "Edgar Allan Poe: Poetry, Tales, and Selected Essays" is a refreshing reclamation of class and importance. Indeed, one rarely finds avolume more indicative of artistic essence, or more faithful to the memoryof great literary genius than this unassuming compendium. Moreover,"Poetry, Tales, and Selected Essays" demonstrates a peerlessselection of Poe's greatest work. The seasoned Poe-reader will find cause,after sufficient perusal, to conclude that few works are able to illustratePoe in so honest a light. Perhaps most admirable is the pursuit of fusionbetween Poe's fiction and nonfiction. Where many publications approach themixture in unbecoming fashion, "Poetry, Tales, and SelectedEssays" achieves an equilibrium wherein the literature may be viewedas a consequence of the principles discussed in each literary essay. Inthis way, the essays dovetail with the fiction beautifully, and the readercomes away blessed with a more catholic concept of Poe's genius. Thiseffort at capturing Poe's essence is both commendable and enjoyable. Truly,it is an indispensable purchase for the avid Poe-reader. ... Read more

Book Description
Since their first publication in the 1830s and 1840s, Edgar Allan Poe's extraordinary Gothic tales have established themselves as classics of horror fiction and have also created many of the conventions which still dominate the genre of detective fiction. Yet, as well as being highly enjoyable, Poe's tales are works of very real intellectual exploration.Abandoning the criteria of characterization and plotting in favour of blurred boundaries between self and other, will and morality, identity and memory, Poe uses the Gothic to question the integrity of human existence. Indeed, Poe is less interested in solving puzzles or in moral retribution than in exposing the misconceptions that make things seem `mysterious' in the first place.Attentive to the historical and political dimensions of these very American tales, this new critical edition selects twenty-four tales and places the most popular -`The Fall of the House of Usher', `The Masque of the Red Death', `The Murders in the Rue Morgue; and `The Purloined Letter' - alongside less well-known travel narratives, metaphysical essays and political satires. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sickening brilliance.
I used to loathe Poe's style, whose involutions seemed to drain his work of all their professed horror, while admiring the way he smuggled hugely complex ideas into popular modes - no wonder Hitchcock adored him.Now, as I grow older, I begin to value Poe more, recognise his obsessions and fearsin myself, while marvelling at a style that manages to convey hothouseexoticism with remarkable, chilling precision.

Of the three stories Iread recently in this volume, Morella is the least successful, a rehash ofLeonora (a dead wife is reincarnated in her daughter), but there abrilliance in Poe's dramatising of an idea that is admirable.

The Factsin the Case of M. Valdemar is truly disgusting and horrifying.A hynotistexperiments on a dying man to see if he can prolong life after death.Thecool analytic style lead contemporaries to confuse it with a medicaltestcase (it was published in a scientific journal), but what is mostmemorable is the anguish of the dead man who cannot rest.

Best of allthough is the immortal Black Cat.Violent and unconsionable, thebrutalities in this story are among the most grotesque in literature, bothto animals and to people.Poe's style is at his most poetically sustainedas he describes the most vile barbarities with his character'sobjectionable self-pity.What is most sublime, though, is the note ofblack comedy that is laced throughout, which would be foregrounded in RogerCorman's hilarious version in Tales Of Terror.

Van Leer's introduction isinformative enough, but there is a note of begrudgery and a refusal to takePoe altogether seriously, that is aggravating. ... Read more

Book Description
(from the back cover)In "Between Literature and Science"Peter Swirski uses an interdisciplinary approach to examine theintellectual scope of Edgar Allan Poe and Stanislaw Lem. He shows that theypropose far reaching hypotheses in aesthetics, epistemology, philosophy ofscience, and pragmatics, as well as cosmology, artificial intelligence, andfuturology. Swirski argues that previous studies of Poe and Lem havemisrepresented their artistic achievements by neglecting these broaderphilosophical and scientific ambitions. His analysis leads to boldarguments about the nature of literature and its relation to a broad rangeof other disciplines. "Breaking free of the duldrums of postmodernist thought, Swirski writeswith directness and vigor, and gives new hope for the future of literarystudies." Jerrold Levinson, University of Maryland. "A bold challenge to disciplinary narrowness... Between Literature andScience makes a significant contribution to Poe scholarship, Lemscholarship, literary theory, philosophy of literature, epistemology, andaesthetics... It stands out from the rank and file of academic books byvirtue of the breadth and depth of the reading and thinking it exemplifiesand conveys... Rarely have I been so enthusiastic about a book." PaisleyLivingston, Department of Philosophy, University of Aarhus. "Peter Swirski, a brilliant literary critic and a superb translator,deserves wide recognition as a scholar in American and Polish literatures.His expertise and thoroughness as a researcher and translator warrantcomplete faith in his critical and scholarly work." Stanislaw Lem. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

finally something smart and jargon-free in lit criticism
very very good, no jargon, analytical, no genuflection to postmodernist shibboleths, packed with ideas,

Superb interdisciplinary scholarship
A model of interdisciplinary/literary scholarship.The prose is lucid and informative, the ideas innovative, and the overall effect of a densely packed but readable study. ... Read more

Book Description
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) is internationally renowned as a pioneering master of the macabre.He is regarded as one of the world's great short story writers as well as a great lyric poet, and is credited with inventing the detective story and the modern gothic horror tale.He has been an important influence on many major American and European writers including William Faulkner, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Baudelaire, H.P. Lovecraft, and William Butler Yeats, among many others.
Poe's poetry, which is collected in this volume, is more personal than his prose. The themes of love, death, and despair which recur throughout reflect the anguish he suffered in his own troubled life. "Annabel Lee" is a haunting lament to his young wife, Virginia, who died of tuberculosis. "The Bells" is an eerie and melancholy meditation which recreates with brilliant musical language the hypnotic, funereal aura of ringing bells."The Raven" is a comic tour de force in which the protagonist turns his strange visitor into a symbol of his own sorrow and loss.Poe's best poems remain some of the most popular and technically accomplished in the English language.
This book features a deluxe cover, ribbon marker, top stain, and decorative endpaper with a name plate. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Decent
I found this book to be decent, even though I'm not one who cares much for poetry.Poe is an excellent poet and I recommend reading all of his poems.

Good Poetry, but No Introduction, Footnotes or Commentary
The Raven, Annabel Lee, Eldorado, The City in the Sea, and The Bells are commonly found in anthologies, but much of Poe's poetry is not widely read today. I enjoyed this inexpensive introduction (published by Barnes and Noble Books) to Poe's poetry, but I was disappointed by the absence of an introduction, footnotes, and commentary. The poems are apparently arranged chronologically from 1827 to 1840; Poe's best known poems are in the latter half.

Poe's best poetry is marked by creativity and innovation, sometimes unexpectedly transitioning from a theme of love and beauty to one of despair and death. I consider The City in the Sea, The Sleeper, The Valley of the Unrest, The Haunted Palace, The Conqueror Worm, For Annie, and Annabel Lee to be among the best examples of Poe's imaginative, haunting descriptions of death and dying.

Poe's early poetry, and some of his later works, are reminiscent of English romantic poetry.At his own expense Poe printed his first book, Tamerlane and Other Poems (1827). Poe's style in these earliest poems - Tamerlane, Song, Dreams, Spirits of the Dead, Evening Star, A Dream Within a Dream, Stanzas, A Dream, The Happiest Day --- The Happiest Hour, and The Lake - is characterized by lyrical descriptions, flowery language, and romantic themes.

I enjoyed the long poem Tamerlane. Tamerlane (or Tamburlaine, or Timur), a Tartar warrior of the fourteenth century, had amassed an immense empire, and was now reflecting on a distant, but not forgotten, youthful love. Following legend, Poe supposes that Tamerlane was born a lowly peasant, but it is more likely that he was descendant of the famous Khans. (In 1996 the newly independent Uzbekistan celebrated the 660th anniversary of the birth of Timur Khan.)

As in The Raven, Poe often employed refrains in later poems. We see Poe experimenting with this poetic technique in one of his earliest efforts, the lyrical poem titled Song. Spirits of the Dead is a contemplative look at death, not a poem of terror. A Dream Within a Dream questions reality itself.

I had more difficulty with the lengthy, early poem Al Aaraaf. This romantic fantasy portrays a visitation from a distant world "near four bright suns" to our lovely Earth, the home of the "Idea of Beauty".

Two poems, An Enigma and A Valentine, challenge the reader to uncover hidden names within the poetry itself. (They reminded me of Poe's secret code in his mystery The Gold Bug.) I have yet to unravel either riddle.

The best author ever lived
Edgar Allan Poe sure does something with writting and reality that all of us would like to do.He is able to write all autobiographies, but substatute it with something that you wouldn't even imangine that he istalking about himself.He has to be the author that suffered the most hiswhole life.But now after his death, we learn to appreciate his life, andhis place when he was here on earth.He is the best author that ever liveduntil this very day.

A wonderful collection of poems
The book "Poems Of Edgar Allan Poe", containsthirty one works by Edgar Allan Poe. Ranging from sonnets of love to personal depiction's and morbid descripive poems. Such selections as "The Raven", "Lenore", "Annabel Lee","To Helen", and my favorite poem "Alone" are included in "Poems Of EdgarAllan Poe". Poe's poetry is a beautiful display of human nature andemotion. Thepoetryportrays his abstract look at the world, especiallyin the poem "Alone" where a sympathetic nature arises in readers from understanding exactly what he poetically writes. With Poe's descriptions ofbeing an odd child during his youth, readers empathize with him andunderstand his sadness. Give Poe's work a try you may find a strangeconnection of your own. ... 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

Book Description

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

The Everything Guide to Edgar Allan Poe is a fascinating guide tothe 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 toEdgar Allan Poe, you'll learn all the deepest secrets that haunted thistortured writer, influenced his writing, and ultimately drove him to anearly death. ... Read more

Book Description
Who can forget haunting tales like "The Oblong Box," "Murders in the Rue Morgue," "The Pit and the Pendulum," and "Torture Garden"? This is a critical filmography of the 81 features from 13 countries that have adapted the literary works of Edgar Allan Poe. Each entry includes the title of the work, year of release, studio, full cast and credits, running time, and a detailed plot synopsis. Production and marketing notes first examine the degree to which the film is faithful to Poe's original work. Pertinent career information for the primary actors and filmmakers, anecdotes and perspectives from the principals, and an overview of the marketing of the movie are next provided. A thorough critical analysis, including contemporary reviews of the film, completes each entry. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

excellent made book about the films of Edgar Allan Poe
Since 1908 there have been more than 85 films from more than 13 countries based on the work of Poe - this book covers them all. It's excellent researched and good writen - the author has viewedmost of them personally. There is also a included list of poe-inspired films, poe-films by country of origin, poe titles and films adapted from them and a bibliography. In one word: a reference source book. The only negative point is perhaps the only small amount of pictures. ... Read more

Book Description

An indispensable anthology of brilliant hard-to-find writings by Poe on poetry, the imagination, humor, and the sublime which adds a new dimension to his stature as a speculative thinker and philosopher. Essays (in translation) by Charles Baudelaire Stephane Mallarme, Paul Valery, & Andre Breton shed light on Poe's relevance within European literary tradition.

Customer Reviews (4)

Fascinating little novelty
I've had "The Unknown Poe" for about five years now, and still can't understand how some of this material got past Poe scholars and found its way into this book.There are poems and aphorisms which are simply not available in the huge volumes of Poe's work and critical essays on the man.

The "Poems" section contains little of importance as regards his skill as a poet.I think these were lost for a reason, with the exception of "Deep In Earth", a two line couplet that foreshadows his later self-image as mega-sorrowful artist and "Lines on Ale" which is a sort of ode to his alcoholism.

His philosophical aphorisms range from banal and idiosyncratic to astoundingly brilliant.His constantly repeated belief that life is a "dream within a dream" gets less intriguing the fifth time he says it: but passages like "Men of Genius", which shows him to have been a close contemporary of Schopenhauer and Nietzsche, show quite plainly the unrealized potential he possessed in so many areas.He takes pains to contradict the image of himself as some mad, drunken genius.He expounds on the nature of instinct vs. reason, genius vs. talent, etc.

The comments of Mallarme, Valery and Breton can be seen anywhere.There is nothing unknown about the French adulation of Poe that began with Baudelaire, who never really knew him that well.There are some interesting illustrations/sketches of Poe in here also.This is a must have for many reasons.

a bit dissapointing
This collection was not quite as great as i was hoping. the poems were nice to have, most aren't in the complete tales and poems. i especially like the lines on ale. the letters were truly a gem to read. it gave a niceview of poe's thoughts and a hint of his wit. the selection from poe'smarginalia gave a wonderful insight to his mind. but the essays by thefrench were dull and really didn't give any new information, other than hisworship by the french. i recommend this collection only for the poeenthusiast (like me).

A successful in depth look at a genius.
The book goes far beyond the myth and the macabre of E.A. Poe. It goes into his everyday life and shows you in his own words how Poe saw it. From ordinary letters written to friends and relatives, to essays and the obscure of obscure poems from Poe's earlist days. A true gem for the Poe buff. This title shows how Poe became a legend so much in France that many of the French people thought him one of thier own. This of course you can read about in the book because of Charles Baudelaire's ceasless efforts to translate Poe for the French people. The downfalls of this book are few in that I felt that there should have been more of an effort to put Poe's letters in more context. The way they were printed was more in chronological order, rather than sensible order. Perhaps more narration between the letters were neccesary. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and especially the early work of Poe that he himself never thought much of publishing. This book is a steal at this price and should adorn every bookshelf of every Poe buff everywhere.

A successful in depth look at a genius.
The book goes far beyond the myth and the macabre of E.A. Poe. It goes into his everyday life and shows you in his own words how Poe saw it. From ordinary letters written to friends and relatives, to essays and obscure of obscure poems from Poe's earlist days. A true gem for the Poe buff. This title shows how Poe became a legend so much in France that many of the French people thought him one of thier own. This of course you can read about in the book because of Charles Baudelaire's ceasless efforts to translate Poe for the French people. The downfalls of this book are few in that I felt that there should have been more of an effort to put Poe's letters in more context. The way they were printed was more in chronological order, rather than sensible order. Perhaps more narration between the letters were neccesary. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and especially the early work of Poe that he himself never thought much of publishing. This book is a steal at this price and should adorn every bookshelf of every Poe buff everywhere. ... Read more

Book Description
Series Editors: Gary Scharnhorst, University of New Mexico and Eric Haralson, State University of New York, Stony Brook

This is the only series to provide in-depth critical introductions to major modern and contemporary short story writers worldwide. Each volume offers:

• A comprehensive overview of the artist's short fiction-including detailed analyses of every significant story
• Interviews, essays, memoirs and other biographical materials -- oftenpreviously unpublished
• A representative selection of critical responses
• Acomprehensive primary bibliography, a selected bibliography of important criticism, a chronology of the artist's life and works and an index

Book Description
Edgar Allan Poe was driven by demons.

A poet and a storyteller, he was haunted by dark moods and darker thoughts, resulting in disturbing stories of high complexity, supernatural terror and exquisite mental turmoil.

But were the demons that drove him real?

That possibility is explored in the 96-page VERTIGO hardcover IN THE SHADOW OF EDGAR ALLAN POE — written by award-winning novelist Jonathan Scott Fuqua (The Reappearance of Sam Webber) and featuring photographic art by Stephen John Phillips (VEILS, I, PAPARAZZI) & Steve Parke (I, PAPARAZZI).

When a lost diary purported to be written by Poe falls into the hands of Sterling Tuttle, the Poe scholar uncovers a side of the writer that few people ever suspected. In the diary, the voice of the long-dead author reaches out from beyond the grave to give a chilling account of his tortured life. Haunted by the ghosts of his tragic past and the burden of relentless alcoholism, Poe soon finds that his creativity may depend on actual demons who have an unsavory agenda of their own…

Based on someof Poe's published works, IN THE SHADOW combines actual events in the writer's life with Fuqua and Parke's speculation on the nature of his muse, creating a mysterious drama wherein tragedy and fate intersect. With chilling photographs that invoke the fear that Poe wrestled with, Park & Phillips break the traditional boundaries of framed panels and create a graphic novel that explodes with original, unforgettable visuals. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick, sick and wrong
Disgusting, libelous twaddle that drags Poe's name through the mud. Useful as an emetic, perhaps.

A treat for Poe fans!
This book is a wonderful idea for a small book - A diary found that belonged to Edgar Allan Poe. The illustrations are fantastic, and lead to the character of the book. Follows the sad story of Poe. And the writing - it's a WOW - giving that Poe had his demons, (we knew that) but they were ACTUAL DEMONS)
For Poe fans especially - or those who want to see a great illustrated book for adults.

Hated it.
I'm surprised to see so many good reviews. Maybe I missed something. I thought the story was sensationalistic drivel -- **without** being intense or genuinely outré or mysterious or any of the other things that make Poe so much fun to read. I imagine that it all ties in cleverly with the true story of Poe's life, but I lack the patience to analyze a story that so fails to interest me.

I found the visual style overdone, with excessively fuzzy photographs intended to give a dramatic effect, and (if I recall right) some annoying typefaces. Although the props and costumes are (presumably) of the time period, the visual style as a whole is jarringly modern. Worst of all, I felt that the models for the photos didn't convey emotion effectively. Maybe something about posing for a series of still images makes it especially hard to be expressive and in character, or maybe the artists/models simply underestimated the importance of **acting.** This is a flaw in many otherwise fine comics with realistic art: instead of sketching a body and a face that have emotional impact and spontaneity, they call in a model who indicates or mimes the emotions. If the model is a good actor and the photographer or artist captures the moment well enough, it can work. In this comic, it doesn't work for me at all. It's like looking at stills from a bad movie. (The guy really looks like Poe, at least.)

I hate to be so down on this comic; it may be a sincere attempt to explore and honor Poe's psyche/life/work, and for all I know it might mean something more to Poe scholars than it does to a casual reader like me. But I just find it to be hokey and sophomoric and naïve, at best; and at worst, a crude, gossipy attempt to cash in on the guy's modern popularity.

I read the paperback version.

Totally hip
Okay, if you want to see the demise of intelligence in America, the sectional thinking, the special interests with their idiotic little hyper-concerns, read some of the reviews below. Just some. I mean, a few people seem to think that this is actually supposed to be a scholarly bio on Poe. Come on! They seem to think that the diary that's been found is somehow real and that the authors are doing Poe a great injustice, that they're arguing that Poe's enemy of the time probably cranked the thing out. So I have to ask, "What's going on in your heads?" This is a graphic novel boys and girls. It's a piece of fiction. Don't go writing your masters disertation and rely on this story, because you'll look foolish. And if you do, fellas, you should.
So here's my take. This is a full-throttle bit of fantasy writing combined with great, cinemagraphic art (manipulated photography that is absolutely cool) that is a miraculous little bundle of creepiness, literary deevolution, and gripping story telling, and you should buy it for no other reason than that. Don't go getting it if what you're looking for is a history text, buy it for the entertainment value. Don't go getting it and feel like it's some sideways dig at Poe and Poe's ability, because you'll look foolish. Get it cause it's good and entertaining as all get out. Don't go special-intresting this thing with your little nitch-Poe-hobby. You're missing the point. Instead, let Fuqua's perfect-pitch writing entertain, Phillips' photography work blow your mind, and Parke's magic rope it all together. Enjoy the thing in an easy chair with a lot of cushion. You'll read to the end and back again.

Very expensive printing and lots of drivel
I was drawn to In the Shadow of Edgar Allan Poe by the nice cover art and nice printing.These held out, and the entire book is very nicely manufactured and printed.And for me the very nice manufacturing (and hefty price to match) was the only thing I got from this book.

The story concerns a scholar who has been loaned a memoir which may or may not have been written by Poe just prior to his death.This memoir starts with Poe agreeing with several demons that they may accompany him through his life.From there on Poe's talents and relationships are stolen or corrupted and destroyed by the demons.He starts off talented in his own right but ends up drinking and not doing much else.Really, the story could be about a fictitious author of the past.It isn't about Poe, so why title it Poe except to drop a name.

The graphics inside were very nicely printed.Pictures were photographed and models were named in the credits section similar to a movie.The art itself didn't appeal to me.It was more of the same when I turned a page and not breath taking.Nothing really grabbed me, and art matters in a graphic novel.The photography thing is more a conceptual thing that could work than something that works here.

I wouldn't recommend buying this or even reading it.High quality printing would be better used on just about any other type of graphics - from art boks to a different comic book - and the high quality printing is the only memorable thing about this book. ... Read more

Book Description
The Tell-Tale Heart strips away the myths that have grown up around the life of Edgar Allen Poe, and provides a completely fresh assessment of both the man and his work. Symons reveals Poe as his contemporaries saw him - a man struggling to make a living out of hack journalism and striving to find a backer for his new magazine, and a man whose life was beset by so many tragedies that he was often driven to excessive drinking and a string of unhealthy relationships.

Fittingly written by another master in the art of crime writing, The Tell-Tale Heart brilliantly portrays the original creator of the detective story and reveals him as the genius - and unashamed plagiarist - that he was. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Well done and significant. Return it to print!
Too bad this book is out of print.One of England's most respected mystery writers of the 20th century and a decent critic, Julian Symons, envisioned this much as today's "Penguin Short Lives" series is conceived: to nail a prominent life in a swift moving narrative with style and critical thinking.He originally published it in 1978 for an English audience but it serves Americans very well.In fact, the absence of American academic obfuscation and the neutrality of perspective are extremely refreshing.He has moved an analysis of Poe's criticism, poetry and fiction, as well as his enduring reputation, to the back of the book to make for an uninterrupted biographical narrative up front.

Poe is hard on any biographer.He was hard on his contemporaries for that matter.He was known to embroider his own back story, and he inspired enough animosity among former colleagues that at least one, his literary executor, went to great lengths to rewrite Poe's life most unflatteringly.Symons performs a yeoman's job of getting down to the facts and reconciling a complex personality whose facets often opposed one another.He critiques the popular Freudian view of Poe and clears up a number of questions about his marriage to a young first cousin. Most importantly, he affirms Poe's place in literary history and provides a fascinating look at early American literary culture.
... Read more

Book Description
A popular spin-off from the Poetry for Young People series introduces children to America’s master of the spooky story: Edgar Allan Poe. Unabridged and fully illustrated, it’s the perfect collection to establish a life-long love of literature.

Edgar Allan Poe’s brooding tales of murder, madness, and revenge still grab today’s readers. Here are five of his finest, presented and fully annotated by Andrew Delbanco, a much-honored professor of humanities at Columbia University whom Time magazine called “America's Best Social Critic.” And throughout, chilling and evocative illustrations by renowned artist Gerard Dubois enhance the stories—among them a devilish, skull-like face to accompany “Masque of the Red Death” and an appropriately foreboding view of the House of Usher. The collection includes “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Cask of Amontillado,” and “The Oval Portrait”—and as always features an author biography, introductions to every story, and definitions of unfamiliar vocabulary.

... Read more