This is a spectacular multi-story book. It has a wonderful variety of excitement, adventure and a lot of horror. i really enjoyed this exclusive group of books. I kept my nose in it as long as possible each time I read this book. I recommend this to any reader who enjoys horror and many other genres

Mystery, terror, suspense... it's all here. Just look at all the classic stories in this one volume: The Fall of the House of Usher, The Tell-Tell Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, and his masterpiece the Gold Bug. This is required reading for any fan of Poe, or classic writings in general.

This is a very good book to read at night or while camping. This is my favorite book because it has lots of stories in it and it keeps you from buying all the books seperately.And if you have a report to do and you need illistrations this has one on everypage.

This little Dover edition is cheap and fits easily into any bag, which makes it good bus stop reading. There is, however, a disadvantage to this portable Poe; namely, it's not all there. The collection excludes the story for which Poe is credited for having begun the detective genre itself: "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" introduces the characters of Dupin and our narrator, and prepares the scene for the detective figure to fill the gap of reasoning that the overly-methodical Parisian police have left. It sets the tone for the increased emphasis on analysis in "Marie Rogêt" and the humorous rivalry between police and detective in "The Purloined Letter." That being said, the other stories fit well together; "The Oblong Box" has one foot in the detective genre and the other in that species of psychological drama that we see in "William Wilson." Wilson and his doppelganger compliment the double corpse question in "Marie Rogêt," and the parallel worlds and coincidences, which make the mystery of Marie Rogêt more fascinating, lend an uncanny quality to "MS Found in a Bottle," with the discovery of Mercator's map. If these stories show us anything about Poe, it is his ability to bring a story to a logical conclusion that still leaves an eerie taste in the reader's mouth.

As always Edgar Allan Poe has created a masterpiece with this work, just as he has done with all his others. He makes haunting, chilling, and tingling stories come to life like nightmares during the daytime. He was a true master of suspense and storytelling and this work is no exception. If you enjoyed any of his others, like The Tell-tale Heart or The Raven, then you'll be sure to enjoy these tales of terror and detection.

Edgar allen poe is one of the greatest short story writers I have ever had the pleasure to read. His stories are varied and extremely intelligent. And at the cheap price this collection of stories are a must buy. I give it an extra star just for the price.

...but still a good read! I've always liked the works of Poe. This book was a little hard to follow and the names were a bit long but I enjoyed it. If you have any interest in Poe, you should read this book!

Edgar Allan Poe is probably best known for scary mysterious stories. The Cask of Amontillado is a perfect example of Poe's bizarre and peculiar style.

Poe's unusual writing style is not typical of most 19th century writers. Poe writes about death as if he was a psycho, obsessed with murder. This technique works because the reader is continuously trying to find out what happens on the next page.

In The cask of Amontillado Poe peculiar writing is at his best. The main character holds a revengeful grudge for his friend Fortunato. He takes him to taste a fine sherry, but he really buries Fortunato alive. The main character burring Fortunato is alive in a stone crypt. There is suspense throughout the whole story, the reader is always thinking about what is going to happen next.

Most of Poe's works are suspenseful, well written and exciting. The Cask of Amontillado will invite the reader into Poe's bizarre and peculiar imagination.

First of all, I think it goes without saying that the stories collected here are wonderful. "The Cask Of Amontillado", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Fall Of The House Of Usher" - it doesn't get much better (or more horrifying) than this. The price is also nice. A dollar fifty? What can you buy for a dollar fifty these days?

My sole complaint regards the absence of footnotes. Take "Cask Of Amontillado", for example. It's hardly essential to know that "motley" is the garb of a jester or a clown (or that a "pipe" is a wine cask) in order to enjoy the story, but that information would have been nice to have nonetheless.

In conclusion, this collection is a wonderful bargain, but if you have a little more money you may want to invest in an annotated collection of these tales.

Edgar Allan Poe is a master of words, wisdom and the English language in general. He sits high up with the greats of English literature and reading this book, you will know why. He is master of his words and moulds them with such love that leads the reader into thinking they are one with the author. Lead me on...

"The difference between the right word and the almost right word," said Mark Twain, "is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."

Twain's insight is brilliantly illustrated in Harold Schechter's new novel, The Hum Bug, in which Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) joins forces with P(hineas) T(aylor) Barnum (1810-1891) to track down a psychopath.

The most impressive feature of Schechter's novel is not the tale itself, but rather the author's uncanny ability to find precisely "the right word" for every circumstance.

Longtime admirers of Poe (among whom I include myself) are cognizant of Poe's idiosyncratic style: the subtle nuances of his diction and vocabulary; the cadence and rhythm of his sentences; the haunting, melancholy mood of his essays, short stories, and poems; the aesthetic beauty of his poetic prose.

Beyond doubt, Schechter has immersed himself in Poe's world. As one reads The Hum Bug, one suspects that the real Poe, as opposed to Schechter's fictional Poe, is actually narrating the tale. Indeed, one wonders if Schechter has purchased a Ouija board and is receiving direct messages from the Great Beyond!

For example, here is one of many passages I could cite: "As the workmen commenced to lower the casket into the yawning pit, I was seized with a sudden paroxysm of dread. Every fiber of my being recoiled from this all-too-vivid demonstration of the hideous end that awaits every mortal. To lie, for all eternity, within the confines of a narrow box, deep inside the earth, surrounded by the unseen but all-pervading presence of the Conqueror Worm! The mere thought of this awful eventuality caused my heart to quail--to cringe--to sicken. I gasped for breath--perspiration burst from every pore--my soul was possessed with a vague yet intolerable anguish!"

In lesser hands than those of Schechter, such an audacious first-person narrative by the author of "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart" would degenerate into maudlin purple prose--a ludicrous parody of Poe. On the contrary, Schechter succeeds with remarkable aplomb.

The time is 1844 in New York City. The venue is P. T. Barnum's American Museum, a vast assemblage of oddities, curiosities, and monstrosities. The plot centers around the search for a fiendish serial killer who is decapitating beautiful young women and leaving a long-stemmed crimson rose clenched between their teeth.

In addition to the well-developed characters of Poe and Barnum, the story features "Sissy" (Poe's wife: Virginia Clemm Poe); "Muddy" (Maria Clemm: Poe's aunt and mother-in-law); and the bizarre people who inhabit Barnum's menagerie.

Unless you are an astute detective, The Hum Bug will keep you guessing until the end, when the identity of the killer is revealed. Containing many allusions to classical works of literature, The Hum Bug is a crackling good yarn that both amuses and entertains.

Edgar Allan Poe is unable to feed his family on the wages he makes as a journalist/editor in Philadelphia. He relocates, with his family, to New York City where writing opportunities are much better. When he sees a handbill for the P.T. Barnum's American Circus, Edgar turns irate because he knows that at least one falsehood exists on the handbill he was given. He confronts Barnum, but obtains nothing but blarney from the glib talker.

Barnum is very impressed with Poe and visits the writer in his home when the media blames Barnum's American circus for causing a murder to happen. Poe who has solved murders before (SEE NEVERMORE) agrees to investigate. When the victim's missing arm is mailed to Poe's home, he concludes he is on the correct path and if can stay alive long enough he will solve the case.

Poe is clearly the star of this book as he uses his belief in his superior brain power to slice and dice everyone using self-deprecation so nobody will be offended. The HUMBUG is a serious historical mystery though Barnum lightens up the atmosphere with his unique brand of showmanship. Though a nineteenth century who-done-it, mystery lovers of all sub-genre persuasions will enjoy Harold Schecter's tale.

Harriet Klausner

I admire greatly the great works of Poe. He's magical in his own way. This book is mysterious and "spooky" yet a great treat for the mind.

Poe no fue alguien oscuro ni mucho menos loco, fue obsesivo. Quizas por esto cuando se leen sus cuentos y te relacionas con alguna situación que ocurre, además de entenderla la sientes. Pareciera que cuando ocurre esto las letras penetraran por las uñas y llegaran a tus nervios.

"How can you print a piece of your own soul," Dickinson, p. 51

This is the 2nd in the Krull and Hewitt's "Lives of ..." series. The book contains 19 chapters on 20 writers in birth order: Murasaki Shikibu (973?-1025?), Miguel de Cervantes (1547-1616), William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Jane Austen (1775-1817), Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), Charles Dickens (1812-1870), Charlotte & Emily Bronte (1816-1855 & 1818-1848), Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), Mark Twain (1835-1910), Frances Hodgson Burnett (1849-1924), Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894), Jack London (1876-1916), Carl Sandburg (1878-1967), E. B. White (1899-1985), Zora Neale Hurston (1901?-1960), Langston Hughes (1902-1967), Isaac Bashevis Singer (1904-1991)

This is a perfect book for young adolescents and pre-teens who as they grow and mature frequently feel awkward. Krull introduces us to the idiosyncrasies of the literary. Some of the authors were loners, eccentric, a wee bit peculiar. Michael Jackson's behaviors might seem normal when held in comparison. Some retreated into themselves. Some sought out adventures. Some as adults were unsuccessful at the ordinary.

Some worked at a young age to support the family. Some took daily walks, very long daily walks. Some were not healthy and therefore wrote in bed. There were some similarities and some differences, but they all shared a singular conviction to write and write they each did well.

Hewitt's delightful portraits of the writers are precious. My favorite portrait is of Frances Hodgson Burnett of "The Secret Garden" fame. Her hat is the secret garden.

Given the high price of the book, I was surprised that Krull did not include a list of the authors' books and/or poems and the publication years. END

This book is a fun and informative book. The pictures are filled with humorous meanings and hidden information. The book keeps the reader's attention by keeping the included information short and simple, but also makes sure that the reader gets as much possible about the author. This book is great for kids and students to use as a report source as it is filled with great information. Kids would rather use this book as an information source rather than an encylopedia since the information is easy to understand. Authors in there are some you may not know, ( Murasaki Shikibu) and some well know ones ( Charles Dickens). I am glad I purchsed this book. I really liked the pictures which are so vibrant with color. This would make a great buy.

The Fall of the House of Usher was one of several Poe short stories our local book club reviewed last month. In doing research on Poe and the story itself, this is one of the books found to be related to the original story. It has a very interesting twist, the most obvious one is having Poe as a character within the story. Yes, I had my doubts at first, also, but it works! If you liked Anne Rice's Witching Hour series, you should also enjoy Madeline. The storyline is similiar as far as having a "family involvement" is concerned. If you read Poe's Fall of Usher, I'm sure you have some questions you would like to ask Poe. Well, Madeline helps with these loose ends.

This is the book of Kiraly's that I read the fastest. The insight into Edgar Allan Poe was temendous. He wasn't a person to me before, now he is. I identified with the non-conformist lifestyle of the Usher sister and brother...something struck a cord with me...definitely! It seems to be the way people think I live.

As a book-loving child, I always took it as an article of faith that Jules Verne and H.G. Wells were the two great pioneers of modern science fiction. But "The Science Fiction of Edgar Allan Poe," edited and with an introduction by Harold Beaver, well demonstrates that Poe was the pioneer who preceded those two giants of the genre. In fact, in his introduction Beaver notes that "Jules Verne himself acknowledged his debt to Poe." This book brings together a good selection of Poe's writings, with extensive endnotes.

The book as a whole is a mixed bag. Some of the pieces strike me as experiments which don't quite hold up. But the best of these pieces superbly showcase Poe's wit, descriptive skill, and active imagination. My favorite pieces are as follows:

"The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall": the story of a fantastic balloon journey; filled with clever details. "A Descent into the Maelstrom": an adventure story about an encounter with a horrific whirlpool. "Some Words with a Mummy": a humorous satire about an Egyptian mummy revived scientifically. And "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar": a creepy tale about death and "Mesmerism" (i.e. hypnosis); this story has the most in common with Poe's famous canon of horror tales.

Other selections in the book include "The Conversation of Eiros and Charmion," "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains," "The Balloon-Hoax," "The System of Dr Tarr and Prof. Fether," and some others. The longest piece in the book (at about 100 pages) is "Eureka: An Essay on the Material and Spiritual Universe." It's rather tedious and dated; in it Poe discusses such topics as the formation of the solar system, the age of the stars, and the nature of the human soul.

The best pieces in this book are truly remarkable. If you want to trace the genealogy of science fiction, don't miss this collection.

Many people believe that Edgar Allan Poe was merely a horror writer who penned his dark tales while under the mind-warping influence of laudanum (opium). What is misunderstood, underestimated or perhaps disregarded altogether is the greatness of Poe's philosophical mind and the genius of his theories about reality and existence. In the Science Fiction of Edgar Allan Poe his philosophical prowess is evident, most notably in 'Eureka,' where he lays out his intense -- certainly somewhat surreal -- but always fascinating interpretation of the universe and the nature of human existence. For those readers who want to go beyond the traditional canon of Poe works and discover the incredible range and depth of this man's writing and the substance of his philosophy, this is the book for you.

This book had 25 of Poe's best short stories in it. He has a way of twisting reality. Poe is a great writer of short essays and can make a person feel like their going through an emotional roller-coaster in two pages. I highly recomend this book and would encourage anybody to read it.

As you already know, Edgar Ellen Poe was the GREATEST writer in the history of horror writing. He is the man who started it all.

The man who started it all has included all of his great stories in this book, which would give you the chills, the scare, and whatever you get when you get scared or frightened.

This book is hard to explain because everyone already knows about Edgar Poe. The stories have an interesting way of dragging you in, and it's better if you read it out loud to yourself, pretending you are the narrator. TRY IT! A CERTAINLY BUYER