Great book. A bit slow at first, hard to get into I think. As you read it more though, the book begins to develop around you and draw you in. I enjoyed it greatly. Being able to walk in Poe's footsteps, see through his eyes, you begin to wonder and imagine that you are Poe. The sheer historical and visual aspect of it is enough to capture the imagination and intrigue of anyone.

I found the book hard to follow, and yet by the end I was strangely drawn to it - its bewildering account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe. I plan to hang on to my copy and reread it later, if anything, just to figure out the plot(s).

a great tale from poe. the title really does say it all.

Poe's done it again. This author always finds the way to steal the reader's mind play wit it and then just leaves it to its own. This book is no different. The only thing is that Poe makes it so that teenagers can get more into it. It is definitely easy to read and very intriguing.

A teen!

I have always found Poe interesting, and this is no different. Although the writing style is wordy, the work is not boring. I liked it a bunch.

Frank J. Finamore has pieced together a rather enjoyable read. His selection of authors could only be outdone with the inclusion of a few others(such as Robert Louis Stevenson("Markeim" would have worked well here)and Lovecraft), but what might have worked even better for this collection would be a progression of stories through the ages. Most of these tales are from authors who lived in the 1800's, which in itself is a pleasure to read tales written in a time less centered on foul language and gory depictions. However, Mr. Finamore, in his introduction, advises that as we near(ed) the millenium, society's fascination with the devil may have an impact on us individually. To back this up, he provides us with tales of devilish deals sealed within the jaws of rats, the devil in the guise of a minstrel and a gambler, and bargains gone awry. Some of the stories I had never read before(such as the re-telling of the legend of Kathleen O'Shea), but most were old favorites, such as the infamous "The Devil and Daniel Webster", in which a patriot abuses old Scratch so badly you almost feel sorry for him. The best thing about this collection is that it brings together some old favorites, and adds a few to the list. Most compilations, however, progress(see any of the Greenberg/Weinberg collections), while this one starts classicly great and stays that way. The only disapointment is in the introduction, where you think that maybe Mr. Finamore was trying to assemble a classroom ready tome and not a study on the literary fascination with the devil. Then again, any collection that includes Caballero's "The Devil's Mother-In-Law", in which we see a demon fearing something more than every married man on earth has feared for centuries, has to be good.

It included info. on every Poe work. I found it useful. It also implied his life into the works.

(If it was an option I would give this book an 8.975 out of 10)

This book offers those of a very low reading level a way to explore classic literature. After using it in my classroom with my special education students, they were able to freely participate in discussions as well as contribute to group projects. It allows those reading below the third grade level to engage with other adults and older students in literary conversations.

You may find this story very scary. Not advisable for scaredies. As usaul, Poe is up to this type of mysterious stuff.

The tale tell heart is a very well written story. It is very decribtive. Thou the most scary part came when the narrator was nervous of how he heard the heart beat. I would recomend it

I think it was emotional and she was sick and really ill after catching a chill on a beach,the authoris mourning the death of his lover.

in my opinion it was sad,but a great book.there is alot of romance. It was kind of hard toread because i'm only 9 and I had to have someone explain the story to me.

Unless you're a collector or completist, this volume compiles all the Poe you could possibly ask for. All the classic stories are here, and you can clearly see how Poe broke new ground and influenced all creative fiction that came after him. While most people are wary of "classics" that everybody talks about, but nobody seems to really like, Poe's classics will give you a true appreciation for his genius. You will truly be enthralled by such well-known tales like "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (in which Poe invents the detective story), and especially the immortal "The Raven".

The editor has included many of the surviving letters that Poe wrote to the various women he unsuccessfully tried to court, and especially to his cruel stepfather, which provide great insight into Poe's inner demons. If you ever wonder why most of Poe's stories are based on death and/or madness, these letters will show you why. The only problem with this particular book is that it is a little too exhaustive, and includes many items that are more of historical interest than they are readable. This is true of most of the entries in the Articles, Criticism, and Opinions sections of the book.

Of all the writers you were forced to read in High School, Poe may be the most contemporary. After all, where would today's Alternative Goth culture be without the influence of Poe.

In this volume, fans of the strange genius are given a rare treat. Editor Philip Van Doren Stern has collected not only the all-time greats (e.g. "The Tell-Tale Heart" "The Pit and the Pendulum" "The Raven" etc.), but also some eccentric choices like "The Man of the Crowd". In addition, the book gives several non-fiction articles and literary reviews written by Poe showing that he was not without a practical side.

But perhaps the most fascinating thing is a section of letters Poe wrote, to among other people, his stepfather, his wife, his mother-in-law, and various members of the literary community. These paint a colorful picture of his often desperate existence. After reading these letters, you may think Poe tragic, pathetic, pretentious or maybe even egotistical, but you wll never think of him in quite the same way you previously did.

Read this book for a fresh look at one of American literature's greatest geniuses.