Customer Reviews
Once upon a midnight dreary ... - By: molondas, 20 Jan 2007 
Great stuff - it's hard to believe that Poe's short stories were writtenin the first half of the 19th century. They are superbly modern, even postmodern,in their claustrophobic obsession with mystery, darkness, death & decay, madness, cruelty & torture. Poe is a master stylist, a superb writer of English, & all the stories are compact & totally consistentin atmosphere & tone.
As another reviewer mentions, this collection also inlcudes the detective stories about M. Dupin, solving the mysteries of "The Murdersin the Rue Morgue" & "The Purloined Letter". These are masterpieces of short fiction, while "The Black Cat" & "The Tell-tale Heart" are truly horrific. Other stories are more gothic - "Ligeia" & "The Fall of the House of Usher", while "The Pit & the Pendulum", "The Masque of the Red Death" & "The Cask of Amontillado" are compact, dense tales of medieval cruelty, torment & horror.
Also includedin this edition are some poems ("The Raven" is a particular highlight) & some of Poe's non-fiction writing - magazine articles, theatre & book reviews.
Fantastic Writing - By: , 23 Mar 2002 Edgar Allan Poe was perhaps the greatest American short story writerin our history. He is a surrealist & a subtle master of the pyschological thriller. In fact, it was Poe who created the Detective/Mystery genre, & it was he from whom Sir Author Conan Doyle drew his inspiration for Sherlock Holmes.
Poe, however, reaches his peek when he is telling a tale of madness & horror. My absolute favorite Poe tale is The Fall Of The House Of Usher. Also, the Pit And The Pendulum is an excellent read.
And, as has been stated, this book is an excellent primer for all would be Poe enthusiasts.
Perfect Introduction - By: jonograil@aol.com, 16 Sep 2001 This a collection of the best writings of Poe, featuring all of the most well known works such as the Raven.
It is an ideal introduction to the works of one of the greatest poet/story writers ever.
A great value for money book, & as I said, the perfect introduction.
