Finally, a good and comprehensive guide for the Poe reader and aficionado is available. I found the entries clear, thorough, knowledgeable. Highly recommended

Poe's main theme in his short stories are clearly the fear everyone has about being buried alive and the passivity of being in such a position, and he deals with it in stories such as "The fall of the House of Usher", "The black cat", "The cask of Amontillado", "The pit and the pendulum".

In "The premature burial", Poe divides the story in two parts. In the first, he discusses the theme, presenting various real accounts (real?) of people being buried and then brought back to life by one event or another. In the second part, a man fixed with the idea and the terror of being buried alive because of his cataleptic condition, tells his own experience and how he overcame it.

Some of Poe's tales have this parts where his intent is to mix reality with fantasy. but the reader never knows if the reality is really real, or if it is just another part of his immense immagination thrown into the story to get the reader thinking.

An interesting tale by the master of the gothic-romantic horror-fantasy.

Grade 8.9/10

Book ios suitable for high school and college level use. It has a good life chronology and timeline with an excellent biographical sketch. Would love to see more literary criticism on Poe's short stories.

he has a great imagination and i respect that he had a true gift for super natural horror stories more people should read his books and poems my favorite story is the black cat

Arthur Gordon Pym was a young man who had dreams of great adventure. He defied his family and stowed away on board a whaling ship. Doing this lead him into all sorts of exciting adventures. He confronted things like mutiny, near starvation, and altercations with different cultures.

I'd have to say that this story is "classic Poe". If you are a fan of Poe's short stories, you'll definitely like this book. I only had a few problems with the story. There were times that the story dragged, but this is far outweighed by the times that the story was very exciting, and I couldn't put the book down. I won't go into the ending, but it left me unsettled.

I found that the explanatory notes were very helpful. I'm not a great scholar on any level, nor will I ever claim to be. The explanatory notes were very simple to understand, and it helped me understand portions of the story that caused confusion, particularly the end.

I haven't yet ruled out the possibility that I'm simply an oddball, but I assume every boy goes through a sort of Poe mania at some stage, at least I did. In fact, I got so bad around 5th grade that, having torn through the stories and poems, I was even reading biographies about him. But somehow, even with all of that, I think I had missed this longer work. I'm sorry I did, because while this wildly overstuffed adventure is enjoyable now, I would have really loved it as a kid.

When Arthur Gordon Pym stows away on a whaling ship, he little dreams that he'll encounter tyranny, mutiny, biblical storms, cannibalism, shipwreck...and Poe's just getting warmed up.

I've read that he cobbled together this semi-novel from several shorter pieces he'd written. It has a somewhat uneven feel to it; episodic, even disjointed. And as the episodes are piled one on top of the other it becomes a tad much. But it is always fun, often thrilling, and the mayhem that lurks on the surface guards layer upon layer of allegory and allusion. As you read you find yourself saying, "Hey, Melville borrowed that scene and Jack London got that idea here and Lovecraft cadged this plot..." If you have any doubts about how influential a literary figure Edgar Allan Poe was, this melodramatic masterpiece will put them to rest. More importantly, you'll thoroughly enjoy yourself.

GRADE: A-

A Great Poe Story

"The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym of Nantucket" is a devilish tale about a young sea-loving man by the name of Arthur Gordon Pym. He becomes a stowaway onboard a ship by the name of Grampus. This gravely error causes the mutiny of the Grampus, the stranding of the Grampus at sea, and the death of his friend, Augustus. I believe this story is a wonderful spine-tingling tale by the popular author Edgar Allan Poe. This story would be a wonderful addition to anyone's horror story collection, especially anyone who loves Edgar A. Poe's gruesomely good stories of horror and mystery.

Edgar Allan Poe is one of America's greatest writers. He is an absolute master of the short story and the poem. A collection of Poe's writings is a welcome addition to any bookshelf. I would not, however, chose this particular collection.

Because all of his works fit handsomely in a single volume, there is no real need to purchase a "selected works" version like this one. There are other "value priced" editions that have everything and you will be better off with one of them. Look for the term "complete works."

Poe's writings do not disappoint, but this presentation of his writings does.

Edgar Allan Poe is truely the father of Horror stories. My favourite creepy story is 'The Tell-Tale Heart' a short read that should be read late at night to get the atmosphere of a true Edgar Allan Poe work of art.

I also enjoyed 'The Masque of Red Death' - a little known short story as well as 'Murders in the Rue Morgue'. Poe's greatest known work - 'The Raven' is also included, and that is by far the best thing Poe has written.

There are not only short stories and poetry. Poe did give script writing a go, and the play 'The Power of Words' is an interesting read, and shows a discussion with a tutor and a pupil over various topics. This script is meant to be read and nor performed, however.

Edgar Allan Poe's best work is defienetly in this volume, and I recomened it for lovers of reading and not just poetry, and vice versa.

Edgar Allen Poe's, "The Cast Of Amontillado," is a witty and daring tale between two enemies. It humorously portrays the foil of Fortunato, as he is led through the catacombs. Poe's humor is dark, sarcastic and very ironic, which quickly becomes a signpost of the tale. Poe sets himself apart from other authors in his works, based on how he depicts and encounters death. It accentuates the notion that at times, your worst enemy will appear as your best friend. Pride is the downfall of every man and the same can be said for fortunato. "Nemo me impune lacessit."

This collection is a wonderful introduction to the master's works. Poe is perhaps one of the most influential writers America has ever produced. Though known mostly as a critic in his own time, his stories were translated into French by the great French Poet, Charles Baudelaire, and thus his reputation started to spread in Europe, where he had a deep effect on writers such as Dickens and Doestoyevsky. And it's no wonder, since his stories are excellently crafted with many layers of subtle psychological meanings. "The Tell Tale Heart" for instance stands out in my mind as one of the penultimate tales of terror that was ever created by his sometimes feverish imagination. It could almost be read as a confession by a madman in an asylum. Then there's the deeply symbolic tale, "The Mosque of the Red Death." A truly moral tale for a man who had a rep for being a drunkard in his own lifetime. Strange, Hemingway, who drank gallons of booze, is never critiqued for this weakness, but poor Poe has suffered for his malady and is not given his proper place in the curriculum of our universities, though now his works are widely read and are being reassessed. For Poe was indeed a great master and perhaps 200 hundred years ahead of his time.

So read Poe - and you'll be equally horrorfied and entertained forevermore!

This book, by Edgar Allan Poe, is made up of 18 short stories that are considered the best. Most of his stories are based on death, terror, mystery, murder, and fear. One of the stories I really like is "The Tell - Tale Heart," and it's about a mad guy who is called upon an old man for care. Later, he kills the old man because he got too scared of his eyes and he hides the corpse under the planks of the house. When the police come and search through the house, he starts hearing strange heart beats from the place where the corpse is hidden. He gets nervous and the heart beats get louder and louder until he thought that the police could hear the heart beats and thought that the police were making a mockery of his horror. So he gets angry right away and tears up the planks saying he did it and telling them to stop making a mockery of him. It's a story based on extreme fear and horror of the protagonist. The final part is pretty ironic and has lots of suspense in it. There are more stories as good as this one I wrote about. I really enjoyed reading this book and I rate this as 10 out of 10. I would strongly recommend this book. I like these stories for different reasons: I always liked these kind of stories, the author has an incredible use of language for description, and it builds up suspense throughout the story. It's hard to predict what will happen next and it contains strong irony. I could say that these stories are the ones you must read at least once and, in fact, the best ones I've read.

For decades people have read, and re-read the works of Edgar Allan Poe--each time leaving the reader to walk away with a chill in the spine, and a deep sense that there are some things in life, however imagined, that are simply terrifying. Poe speaks through the heart of his own woes, his own terror...making his characters breathe life into their stories. Perhaps one of my favorites by this master of the macabre is "The Tell-Tale Heart," a maddening and sometimes angering ride through a deranged mind. This is an historical dance through the dark, perhaps even the most pivotal root in the life and love of the horror story. Poe worked not from the concepts of traditional monsters, but rather stirred the monsters haunting his protagonists...there are few who can lay claim to this level of suspense, drama, or who have ever invoked genuine fear in their readers. Poe does it with cunning, and seeming ease. Highly recommended reading.

This edition of Poe's literary output is the latest incarnation of the original 'Complete Tales & Poems' which cam out in 1938 by by Vintage Press. It has thus served several generations of students and Poe lovers. It's longevity is proof of it's basic quality and integrity. For the record, it also includes Poe's two essays, 'The Poetic Principal' and 'The Rationale of Verse.'
If you want a 'complete in one volume' approach. This is it.

Truth be told, there are a few technical drawbacks to this edition. The first is size. A thousand pages is a lot to deal with. I always feel clumsy reading it. The other big drawback is print size. I am well into the time of life when tiny print is getting difficult to read. Nor do I like narrow margins.

But really, I don't think one can argue about the sheer quantity of good literature for a reasonable price. It can be read, marked up, dragged around and have coffee spilled on it without ever making its owner feel the least bit guilty. Most of the Poe readers of the world will just love this book. Me, I'm a bit wierd. I would rather have a nice leather bound set of the complete works, rather than just the fiction and poetry, a bit slimmer to hand and easier to read. Considering that that would cost over 20 times the price of this paperback I intend to remain satisfied with this even if it kills me.

Edgar A. Poe (he never used Allan in print) has yet to be served by a collection worthy of a writer of his stature. This one certainly does a good job of collecting a great deal of material, including rarities as well as all the stories and poems you already know and love and even his only novel, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym." But the sequence of the works is random (not chronological, as I had hoped) and no notes are provided. Plus, the book's size makes it hard to read without some sort of physical support. Still, it's one of the more complete Poe collections around, and the price is reasonable for a book of this size.

For greater understanding of the short and tumultuous life that produced such astounding works of the imagination, I suggest reading "Edgar A. Poe: Mournful and Never-Ending Rememberance" by Kenneth Silverman in conjunction with this volume. I found it very enlightening to read a couple of chapters of Silverman's entertaining and informative biography, then read only the works produced during that particular period of Poe's life. Aside from the advantage of following his development as a writer and gaining a better understanding of the inspriration behind his work, you get a better cross-section of Poe's extraordinary range -- from comic satirist to journalist to detective fiction writer to, of course, the supreme creator of the horror and science fiction story.

The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe is a collection of all of Poe's work. It has 73 tales in all, including stories, poems, essays, criticism, and journalistic writings. If you are looking for a good scare, this book is right up your alley. Pick from "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Cask of Amontillado", and many more. "The Bells" and "Annabel Lee" are two of the poems in the book. Poe's great descriptive ability is shown in this collection and the tales will send a chill down your spine no matter how many times you read them. I would definitely recommend this book, but beware the vocabulary, it is pretty tough. But don't just take my word for it...

I bought this book on the strength of its good reviews and the interesting partyharvey website, but I just couldn't get into it. I tried several times, pushing grimly on from the beginning or giving another chapter a go, but it just seemed stilted and contrived. All a matter of taste, I'm sure -- so before you buy, do try to read any posted pages this book may have available.

This is truly a remarkable book. It was recommended to me by a professor at my college who teaches comparative literature, and that's exactly what it is. The entire novel is a dialogue between the greatest literary masterpieces of Western Literature. The main character, Captain Harvey, travels around Europe retracing the "steps" of Homer, Don Quijote, Dante, Van Gogh, to name a few, living out the adventures of both fictional and non-fictional characters in what becomes a humorous and profound parody. Clearly, it helps if you have some knowledge of the classics, especially Greek mythology, Dante, and Shakespeare, but even if you don't you can follow the story on a more superficial level as simple series of travel adventures. This is not a cookie-cutter John Grisham-type novel that you can read in your sleep, it requires a reader who is awake and is willing to stop and think about the very serious question, "What is the essence of personal identity?" If you are willing to ask questions, this novel will supply endless rewards.

5 Stars for Roland Twelves, "The Adventures of Captain Harvey"! This tome is a startling saga with refreshing views on life, love, and the perception of reality. In a brand new approach, Roland Twelves peals away the idealism of everyday existence to reveal the basic, naked self. In a state of vulnerability the book overpowers one's identity to impose one of it's own. The fundamental super ego vacuum of Captain Harvey drift's down upon the unsuspecting casualty only to transform the now bare slate into everyone and yet no one at the same time. In fact, I was so overcome by this narrative that I believed myself to be a rock for some time...

Take a Richard Matheson comedy screenplay on a Poe story, direct it by Roger Corman, throw in some overpretentious spooky castle sets, a good deal of Boris Karloff, Vincent Price and Peter Lorre, all in their best mood, and a dash of Jack Nicholson.
Mix and...
Voila!
The result could only turn out as a dream for a true horror-flick fan. This is a treat for any fan of Boris, Vincent, Peter, Roger, Jack or the genre (some kind of bizarre horror-comedy) in general.
The story owes very little to Poes original poem, it has only borrowed vague elements from it in the opening scenes, but is still one of the real treasures in the Poe/Corman series.

Storyline sum-up: (SPOILER WARNING)
The film opens on a "midnight dark and dreary" with Vincnet Prices creepy voice reading the Poe poem "The Raven". We soon find ourselves in some kind of strange D&D land, early 16th century. Dr Erasmus Craven (Vincent Price)is a sorcerer mourning his late wife Leonore in his old castle. He is surprised by a raven "entreating entrance at his window lattice." He learns that the raven is amateur sorcerer Dr Adolphus Bedloe (Peter Lorre)who has been enchanted by the evil grandmaster of all sorcerers, Dr Scarabous, and from here on the film takes on an abruptly comical turn.
The set of to the dungeon laboratory to find an antidote for Bedloe. After some complications Bedloe returns to normal and recognizes a photograph of Leonore, claiming that he saw her in Scarabous castle that very evening. Cravens doubt him at first, but after Bedloe convincing him, Craven, Bedloe, Bedloes son, Rexford (Jack Nicholson !), and Cravens daughter Estelle (Olivia Sturgess)sets of to Scarabous remote mountain castle.
After an adventuric journey the arrive at the creepy castle (sets reused in "The Terror"). Inside they are confronted by Scarabous (Karloff in his very best, he REALLY seems to enjoy the part) who asures them that he has nothing to do with Cravens wife, and has not taken control over her spirit, as Craven believs. Scarabous manages to convince Craven and invites them to dinner, at wich Bedloe gets drunk and challanges Scarabous on a magic duell in wich he is "accidentally" turned into a pile of rasperry jam.
Scarabous who has created a thunder storm gets the company to spend the night at his castle. Know it is revealed that Leonore (Hazel Court) is alive, she has left Craven for Scarabous welth and power. Scarabous has a plan, in wich Bedloe helps him, to conquer the powers of Craven.
...

The potion mixturing scene, the duell between Scarabous and Bedloe and the final battle is masterpieces of comedy, and some moments they can get completely hilarious.
Vincent Price does an average good performance. He doesn't really reach up to the class of "House of Wax" or "Dr Phibes" but is stil highly enjoyable, with his usual charm and elegance. If you want to see a Poe film with Price at his absolutely best, watch "House of Usher" or "Pit and the Pendulum" instead.
Karloff, aging as a fine wine, never seem to had more fun. He is totally unrestrained as he smiles, glees, laughs and completely chew the scenery up with his hammy, lisping british accent, with wich he innocently asures; "Afraid, my dear? Theres nothing to be afraid of..." Look out for other highlight lines such as "Oh, dear! He really shouldn't have tried for that particular experiment, it requires such an enormous concetration" and his absolutely hilarious final line; "I'm afraid i just dont have it anymore".
Peter Lorre is superb as the total coward, uncureable drinker and rotten villain, Dr Bedloe. He gets the greatest share of good lines and brings up many laughters during the films 90 minutes playtime. The scene with the mad servant in Cravens castle, the dinner at Scarabous home and the final scenes is his absolute highlights.
And as for Jack Nicolson, well, he seems to have been in desperate need of a paycheck in 1963. Hes performance isn't really much to look for, despite his charisma, but a fan can make a nostalgical fiest only by his presence.
A fantastic horror-comedy, perhaps the greatest ever made. It isn't very frightening, but a masterpice none the less. Highly recommended for any classic horror fan and a real "clash of the titans".
A delicate mix to watch over and over again!

The pleasure of the movie derives from watching a splendid cast of vintage horror stars giving full value to Richard Matheson's elegant script , and clearly delighting in the whole experience.

Vincent Price is "Dr Craven" -a magician and the scion of a now deceased magician of some repute.While reading alone in his study he is interrupted by the titular raven,who turns out to be Peter Lorre, transformed into the unpreposessing avian by the evil Scarabus (Karloff).They venture to Scarbus castle -accompanied by Lorre's son ,a very young and callow Jack Nicholson.Scarabus is the new paramour of Craven,s love Lenotre whom he had thought dead.
Scarabus seeks Craven's power of magic by hand signals and the climax features a duel between the two sorcerers .
The tone is light and the movie is a lively inventive delight which shows what splendid actors its leads were.
Not one for gross out merchants but a fun horror comedy.

Director Roger Corman figured that the Poe adaptations he had been making at American International starting with "House of Usher" had pretty much run its course, so in a final masterstroke he decided to start playing up the humor. The result might be more like "Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein" than "The Pit and the Pendulum," but you have to admit "The Raven" is one of the best comedy-thrillers ever made. The film begins "straight" with Dr. Erasmuc Craven (Vincent Price) intoning Poe's poem, to an actual raven. But then the raven responsds on cue...with Peter Lorre's voice! It turns out the raven is really another magician, Dr. Bedlo, who has been victimized by Dr. Scarabus (Boris Karloff). Craven turns Bedlo back into a human, and Bedlo agrees to help Craven find his beloved Lenore (Hazel Court). Going along on the journey are Craven's daughter (Olive Sturgess) and Bedlo's son (Jack Nicholson--this explains a lot, huh?). The film's climax is an epic magical duel between Price and Karloff (why even bother with the characters' names anymore?), where the two sorcerers keep trying to top each other.

Ultimately the credit for this one goes mainly to the script from Richard Matheson, who invariably was the screenwriter on Corman's best films. This is another one of those early films with Nicholson that must have been a great source of embarrassment to him once upon a time, but Price, Karloff and Lorre are having so much fun hamming it up in this one that you have little choice but to enjoy the indignities heaped upon the future Oscar winner. This 1963 film should not be confused with the film with the same name Karloff made in 1935, although they would certainly make a rather obvious double-bill for a Saturday night.