The Raven and Other Favorite Poems (Dover Thrift Editions)

Rating:
Summary: Music From Another World
Review: I have read most of the American poets, both past and present. For my money Poe is simply one of the best when it comes to rhythm and rhyme. Plus his imagery and themes are so dark and foreboding that poems, such as his masterpiece "The Raven" will stand forever as immortal verses from this master of shadows and sheer terror.

Rating:
Summary: All my favorites!
Review: I was first hooked on literature in high school, having before that been strictly a reader of sci-fi and horror. I was wonderfully surprised to discover Poe's tales and poems, not only because they catered to my love of the dark and disturbed, but because they were something altogether different from what I'd been reading! This book contains the poem that Poe is most favorite for and one of my long time faves, the Raven. But it also contains a wonderful assortment of other poems so that you get the full range of Poe's literary ability in one slim little book! Whoever put teen angst in such beautiful terms; "From childhood's hour I have not been/as others were..." If you're looking for a cheap version with a good cross section of his poetry, this is most definitely the book to pick up.

Rating:
Summary: The work of a poetic virtuoso--with a twist
Review: The Dover Thrift Edition of "The Raven and Other Favorite Poems," by Edgar Allan Poe, is a fine collection of work from one of the most remarkable figures in American literature. The poems in this volume demonstrate Poe's total mastery of poetic effects: rhyme, meter, alliteration, etc. He is inventive and versatile in his use of different poetic structures. The many allusions mark this as the work of a truly brainy poet.

But it's not just his skill and intelligence that are characteristic of Poe. He is also a poet of deeply felt passions. This collection shows his appreciation of love and beauty, as well as his concern with loss and tragedy.

I'll just mention a few of the selections that struck me most. "Sonnet--To Science": brilliantly expresses the tension between scientific and mythopoetic worldviews. "The Coliseum": a thrilling exploration of the power of ancient ruins. "The Haunted Palace": the rich language contributes to its fairy-tale like flavor. "To My Mother": an achingly tender tribute to the speaker's mother-in-law. "Annabel Lee": a hauntingly beautiful, yet disturbingly creepy poem of love and loss. And of course, the unforgettable title poem.

Dive into Poe's poetry and you enter a realm haunted by both angels and demons--a world of sorrow and joy, of terror and intoxicating beauty.