Edgar Allan Poe's Richmond:: The Raven in the River City

by Christopher P. Semtner

Acclaimed as one of America's most innovative authors and the inventor of the detective story, Edgar Allan Poe and his works are celebrated around the world. Yet the true story of Poe's time in Richmond, Virginia, is every bit as strange and exciting as his fiction.
Poe spent nearly a third of his life in Richmond. It was here that he matched wits with a chess-playing robot, set the record for swimming against the current in the James River, challenged a rival editor to a duel and first revealed his talent for practical jokes. Join Christopher P. Semtner, curator of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, as he reveals previously unpublished photographs and little-known source material to shed new light on how the mystery, madness and tragedy that Poe encountered during his Richmond years forever shaped his renowned fiction.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, American History

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2012

Reviews

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really interesting read. The author is even the painter of the cover photo as well as the curator of The Poe Museum in Richmond. His love and knowledge of the subject matter is evident throughout.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much cleared up for me about the timeline of where he lived, who he loved, and with whom he was at odds. I liked this genuine, funny yet pained portrayal of him. A great read, not dry at all. Thank you for this one, Chris Semtner.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read about Poe's time in Richmond, the one place he actually called home. The author (the director of the Poe Museum in Richmond) did a good job of keeping it short and sweet instead of going off on long tangents he knew weren't germane to the focus of his book – something I fault many historians/biographers for. In the process, I learned quite a bit about Poe that I had not yet known, and for that I am grateful. Reading about his six-mile swim up the James River, the broad jump record he set (by over a foot!) at UVA, his love of practical jokes, the dignified manner of his appearance and speech, the difficulties of his life, and the genuine care he had for people and animals painted a far more holistic and humane picture of the man than his mythology leads most to believe. Many great photos/explanations of the family, friends, and places that influenced Poe were also a bonus. A short book, but big in how it helped to demystify a man many think was just plain nuts, which he certainly was not. Well done, Mr. Semtner.

[Will Wixom · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a 20+ year curator of the coveted Poe Museum in my home of Richmond, Virginia, Christopher P Semter incredibly and accurately describes life in Richmond for Poe as well as his friends, and foster family. One of my favorite aspects is how Semter gives geographical precision to locations that were major places in Poe’s young life, such as the mansion he lived with the Allans ( now destroyed, but pieces and hardware were salvaged to aid in the construction and of Richmond’s Poe museum) and The Southern Literary Messenger, Poe’s first true career step in the world of writing and eventual story telling. Another great feature is the descriptions of Poe’s personal affects and belongings and their significance, and where to find them today- the Poe Museum in Richmond.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining, if brief, outline of Poe’s life and work. It’s a refined sketch, with some tantalizing details I hadn’t known prior—such as Poe’s swimming prowess. There’s a lot of mystery and speculation about this man, which the book artfully avoids. I enjoyed the historical geographic nuggets the author includes, which makes this enigma a bit more accessible to my imagination.

[Coral · Rating 4 out of 5]

A glimpse into Poe's life in Richmond, with Semtner providing some insight, pictures, and details not found in many Poe biographies. While those familiar with Richmond will probably get the most out of this, it would still be an interesting read for any Poe fan.

[Vivian Zenari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good. It's quite short. I kind of prefer Agnes M. Bondurant's Poe's Richmond. It's an older book but more detailed.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an interesting book on Poe’s life. I thought I knew a lot about him but this book is a whole new level. I have visited the Museum and really enjoyed it.

[Rachel Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richmond will always be my city. It was so neat to read about the historical significance of my neighborhood, EAP, and so many historical people who lived right in the place I did. I love you RVA.

[Levi Lionel Leland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Semtner's books are always fun reads! You learn so much about Poe's life through such a unique lens. This is, in my opinion, the definitive book of Poe's time in Richmond, Virginia.

[Tom Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book concentrates on one part of the author's life. The surprises, to me were how much in poverty was his Mother, after his Father passed. It portrays a gifted, artistic, rambunctious and undisciplined young man whose adopted father was quite the opposite. Yet, despite all literary suffocation, including a stay at West Point, Poe's talent finally blooms, much to our relief. His early days are spent in agony over lost love and the submission of poetry and criticism to local literary magazines. These publications made his name famous. Yet, with fame in his grasp, he never really achieves it, and moves from North to South, always in pursuit of a comfortable life for his little family.

[Eric David Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a complete biography, this focuses mainly on Poe's private life in Richmond. The text however really needs better editing, sometimes repeating itself, and at others going back and forth in time in a confusing manner. Good photos of buildings and people important in Poe's life.

[Phyllis Jennings]

Just the thorough but light study of Poe's time in Richmond to help me understand his role here!