Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was born on this date, January 19. He was one of the greatest writers of the strange and macabre. Depending on how you split hairs when defining your terms, he has been credited with creating the detective story and science fiction. And while some might say that’s a stretch, there’s no denying that he was an early practitioner of those genres as well as a writer of some truly gothic tales. H. P. Lovecraft, himself no slouch in the weird fiction department, was greatly influenced by him.

I don’t recall when I first became aware of Poe. I have vague memories of someone talking about “The Pit and the Pendulum” when I was very young, like about five or so.

I was certainly aware of him and his work when I first read The Martian Chronicles. This would have been in fifth grade, I believe. You might be wondering what The Martian Chronicles has to do with Poe. So let me explain. Continue reading →

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was born today, January 19. There are few writers who have had the influence of Poe. He cast a long shadow over his contemporaries, as I discussed here. He was one of the greatest scribes of darkness. And his work is dark.

But it’s also very, very good.

So many of his tales, poems, and stories are classics. “The Raven”. “The Fall of the House of Usher”. “The Pit and the Pendulum”. “The Cask of Amontillado”. “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”. “The Gold-Bug”. The Masque of the Red Death”. “The Premature Burial”. “The Black Cat”. “The Tell-Tale Heart”.

So let me throw this question out. If you were going to put together a collection Poe’s best works, a greatest hits collection, if you will, what would you include, and why?

Edgar Allan Poe was born on this day, January 19, in 1809.  He died in 1849.

My father-in-law was buried this morning, a cold and windy morning, so today is a good day to read Poe.  But which Poe?

I got to thinking about this a few nights ago on an extended drive with my son.  I asked what they were reading in English this six weeks, and he said they had a variety of short stories to choose from, including “Harrison Beregeron”, “The Veldt”, some other Bradbury stories, and some by Poe.  My son had read “The Cask of Amontillado”, so we got to talk about that one.

But how many other Poe stories are still widely-read today?  “The Fall of the House of Usher”, “The Raven”, “The Pit and the Pendulum”, “The Masque of the Red Death”, and “The Tell-Tale Heart” are all probably still widely read.  But what about “The Purloined Letter”,” Hop-Frog”, “The Gold Bug”, or “The Premature Burial”?  “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”?  “A Descent into the Maelstrom”?

I don’t know.  Stories wax and wane in popularity.  What are your favorite Poe stories?  I’m going to try to read something I’ve not read before.

Edgar Allan Poe was born on this date (January 19) in 1809 in Boston, Massachusetts.

I doubt anyone reading this blog intentionally, as opposed to stumbling across it, needs an explanation of who he was and the influence he still has. He casts one of the longest shadows over the field of dark literature.

I’ll read something by him in a little while.  I haven’t decided what yet. But I thought I would ask, what’s your favorite story by Edgar Allan Poe? Or poem for that matter?