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Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe

Complete Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe

List Price: $22.95
Your Price: $15.61
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: pioneer of Horror, and a damn fine poet too
Review: Edgar Allan Poe is best remembered for his weird, creepy short stories, but he was also a great poet. Unfortunately, he lived much of his life in drunkenness and poverty, and died relatively young... or was murdered, we don't know for sure. All we know is he was found dead. But he left us with some very hauntingly atmospheric tales like "House of Usher" or "Pit and the Pendulum" and some memorable poems, including the gloomy pieces "The Raven" and "Annabel Lee", a fantasy about being put in the coffin with his beloved dead wife. But Poe was a pretty romantic guy in the normal sense too, as expressed in his love poems, and people who see him as simply a dark, morbid figure have missed out on his deep understanding of beauty and appreciation of beauty clearly visible in his poetry.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Deep into the psyche
Review: The horror of being; the darkest depths of man's soul; the deepest fears brought about by darkness: it's all here. This is the work of the original genius of terror. And the most terrifying thing about Poe's stories and poems is that the threat doesn't come from a monster, or a devil, or a murderer: it comes from inside yourself, from your mind and your heart. There's no escaping them. Poe is not, of course a "terror" writer. He's just a writer, and one of the best there has been. His work can not be confined to a "genre". His tales touch horror, but there are some analytical, metaphysical, futurists, and tales of love (strange love, but love).

As correctly pointed out by other reviewers, Poe practically invented the mystery tale in which the detective is an amateur who solves the problem through reason and deduction alone ("The crimes of the Rue Morgue"). A wonderful cryptic and deductive tale is "The golden bug". "The cask of Amontillado" is a masterpiece of cruel vengeance. "The pit and the pendulum" is pure terror, like "The black cat".

The poems have even more variety. You know what the famous ones are: The Raven, The bells, Annabel Lee. Here, the most remarkable characteristics are music and rhythm. "Quoth the raven: nevermore!", and the ringing of the bells, the bells, bells, bells, etc. My personal favorite is Annabel Lee, but there are many other, less known, which are just excellent.

Poe was a troubled man, addicted to drugs and alcohol, who died in a miserable way (some thugs made him drink to use him in an electoral fraud; he died from drunkness on the streets of Baltimore). But his intellect and sensibility (hypersensibility) made him a true genius, a profound connoiseur of the human soul, up and down. His writing is superb and he will remain as a master of literature for centuries to come. In case you have never approached his work, do so now. Choose your favorite couch; wait until everybody is asleep, get yourself a good drink, and travel to the bottom of your own soul.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: good !
Review: ok Edgar Allen Poe is a good writter no doubt and his stuff is good to read so take my advice buy it and you wont be disapointed k....

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sweet Madness and wonder
Review: In this book are all of Edgar Allan Poes stories and poems.It is one of the best books I have ever read.It has stories such as the Tell Tale Heart in which the person telling the story can not be trusted because he is mad and tries hard to convince you he is not.And also The Fall of The House of Usher,in which old frinds reunite and play out long days that end in an unexplainable twist.But other than the stories there are the poems such as Annabel Lee which was inspired by Poes favorite topic,The death of a beautiful woman.And of course the famous poem of lost love,The Raven.So if you are looking for a great book to read I suggest this one:)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Master of horror
Review: Edgar Allan Poe is arguably one of the greatest writers of fiction. His brilliant collection of short stories, including The Pit and the Pendulum, can be found inside this massive edition of his many works. No collection would be complete without the well-known poem, The Raven, which basically deals with the character's inability to deal with the death of Lenore. Mostly known for his horror stories, some may be surprised that he was also a mystery writer. The Purloined Letter is just one example of a detective short story. Poe's writing is phenomenal, especially since he is able to create a scary atmosphere, and the characters are trapped in danger, even if they are not fully aware of it at first. This is true with The Masque of the Red Death, in which a kingdom believes that they are immune from the plague due to the fact that they enclosed themselves in the castle. However, danger soon approaches. Read for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Horrors of Poe Make You Crave Them Some More
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best..
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Nobody Does Horror Better Than Edgar Allen Poe
Review: Whether you were forced to read him as a high school student, numbly opening to one of his many short stories or poems, or as an avid fan of the macabre, you delved into his darkest works, it doesn't take long to understand why Edgar Allen Poe is considered to be one of the great writers of all time, blending styles ranging from horror to comedy into his volume of work to create stories that capture the imagination and thrill the soul.

Many of his writings have been translated into film, or referenced in other literary works, television programs, even some of the great satires of the stage and screen. Here now, is a chance to share in the complete works of this masterful writer of the macabre.

From "The Raven" to "The Tell-Tale Heart", this collection of his stories and poems is beautifully laid out in a hard-cover edition that is far less expensive than comparible collections of his works in paperback. For anyone from the casual reader to the most dedicated fan of American literature, this collection is a must have for any home library.

Scott Kolecki

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great for younger readers who like horror
Review: This is inevitably a favorite of high school students and it's a great way to tempt the reader who hates classics. Poe was the 19th Century Stephen King, except without the money (Poe died in a gutter) or the car accident (which would have put Mr. King dead in a gutter except that he was a lucky man.)

Favorite of mine is the evil and wacky "Pit and the Pendulum" which just about defines horror for me, and the of course the poems, which I like even better; "The Raven" which is worth memorizing or at least studying for the assonance ("And the silken, sad, uncertain, rustling of each purple curtain".) While this is fun to read for anyone of any age, the complete poems and stories of Poe are really good to introduce the classics into your reading.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great book
Review: If you like Edger Allan Poe's stories and poems then you will love this book. Its big, easy to read print and hardback.


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