Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Macabre, enticing, and fantastic, Poe's stories reveal a first rate intellect and out of this world imagination. Poe was the first or one of the first authors of science fiction, when he wrote "Ligeia," which is a must read, underrated story of his. "The Devil in the Belfry" reveals Poe's comic talents, as does the delightful "X-ing a Paragrab." These two stories reveal the light, almost playful, side of Poe which is usually obscured by the dark side of his macabre horror stories and brooding poems. Speaking of which, his horror stories are some of the best ever written. I still feel the tension, reading them for the nth time in my life. Poe is also the originator of the detective story. Poe's intellect is evident in the story Mellonta Tauta, where he humorously explains the difference between the Aristotilean/deductive reasoning and Baconian (Hogian!)/ inductive reasoning. In his stories he also demonstrated some understanding of the theory of probability, foresaw the philosophical approach of perspectivalism, and raised the questions of sanity/normalcy that would become one of the major social questions of the 20th century, when power-hungry maniacal and clever madman came to power in some countries with the full intent of eventually ruling the world.
I consider Poe one of the most imaginative people who ever lived and one of the most insightful people of the 19th century. By today's standards, his life was short. But the legacy he left influenced and inspired so many people that he should be regarded as one of the greatest writers of short stories who ever lived, and as someone who belongs in the pantheon of many 19th century geniuses. --Reviewer: unraveler from CA United States
I've been a huge Edgar Allan Poe fan for a long time and believe he's one of the greatest authors ever. While not having this exact edition, I have one similiar. Knowing it contains all his stories and poems, you definitely can't go wrong picking this book up. It'll keep you busy for a long time.
Want a tale of mystery, deduction? Flip to "The Gold Bug" or "The Murders in the Rue Morgue".
Horror? "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Masque of the Red Death" and "The Oblong Box" will fit the bill.
Imagination? "The Island of the Fay", "The Sphinx".
Satire and Hoaxes? "The Devil in the Belfry", "Mystification" and "Loss of Breath" for starters.
These few stories are just the tip of the iceberg. Don't forget all his poems, including the classic "The Raven". "Alone" is another of my favorite poems.
Poe is a master of storytelling and this book will show it. Highly Recommended. --Reviewer: Charles from Boone, NC
