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Ten Great Mysteries
The Pit and the Pendulum...The Purloined Letter...The Tell-Tale Heart...A Descent into Maelstrom...and six other choice chillers by the acknowledged master of mystery, fantasy, and horror.
These ten absorbing stories, selected by a famed anthologist of science-fiction and the supernatural, prove that even after a century Poe's imagination still works it macabre magic.
--back cover
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Purloined Letter
The Tell-Tale Heart
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Pit and the Pendulum
A Tale of the Ragged Mountains
A Descent Into the Maelstrom
The Black Cat
"thou Art the Man"
Metzengerstein
The Haunted Palace
The City in the Sea
To Helen
Annabel Lee
The Bells
These ten absorbing stories, selected by a famed anthologist of science-fiction and the supernatural, prove that even after a century Poe's imagination still works it macabre magic.
--back cover
The Murders in the Rue Morgue
The Purloined Letter
The Tell-Tale Heart
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Pit and the Pendulum
A Tale of the Ragged Mountains
A Descent Into the Maelstrom
The Black Cat
"thou Art the Man"
Metzengerstein
The Haunted Palace
The City in the Sea
To Helen
Annabel Lee
The Bells
210 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1960
55 people are currently reading
1118 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Allan Poe
9,789 books28.7k followersThe name Poe brings to mind images of murderers and madmen, premature burials, and mysterious women who return from the dead. His works have been in print since 1827 and include such literary classics as The Tell-Tale Heart, The Raven, and The Fall of the House of Usher. This versatile writer’s oeuvre includes short stories, poetry, a novel, a textbook, a book of scientific theory, and hundreds of essays and book reviews. He is widely acknowledged as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator in the science fiction genre, but he made his living as America’s first great literary critic and theoretician. Poe’s reputation today rests primarily on his tales of terror as well as on his haunting lyric poetry.
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
Just as the bizarre characters in Poe’s stories have captured the public imagination so too has Poe himself. He is seen as a morbid, mysterious figure lurking in the shadows of moonlit cemeteries or crumbling castles. This is the Poe of legend. But much of what we know about Poe is wrong, the product of a biography written by one of his enemies in an attempt to defame the author’s name.
The real Poe was born to traveling actors in Boston on January 19, 1809. Edgar was the second of three children. His other brother William Henry Leonard Poe would also become a poet before his early death, and Poe’s sister Rosalie Poe would grow up to teach penmanship at a Richmond girls’ school. Within three years of Poe’s birth both of his parents had died, and he was taken in by the wealthy tobacco merchant John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan in Richmond, Virginia while Poe’s siblings went to live with other families. Mr. Allan would rear Poe to be a businessman and a Virginia gentleman, but Poe had dreams of being a writer in emulation of his childhood hero the British poet Lord Byron. Early poetic verses found written in a young Poe’s handwriting on the backs of Allan’s ledger sheets reveal how little interest Poe had in the tobacco business.
For more information, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_al...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
March 14, 2023
I don't know, Poe's stories don't do much for me. The writing is extremely wordy, as any modern reader will tell you, I suppose. He'll never use one word when he can use 26 and there's a fair chance that word is in Latin or French, and the cheapo edition you have doesn't translate it, and it would take forever to type it into Google translate.
Well, I did look up quite a few things (and words). Poe loves to use his entire vocabulary, which I guess is nice.
My other beef with Poe is the same I have with HP Lovecraft: every speaking voice is the author's. It doesn't matter who is talking, and what level of education or region of origin that person is from, they sound exactly like Poe, and are written in his obvious and easily identifiable voice. Did he really not ever meet or consider someone else might sound different? I don't know. Poe loved to read his own thoughts, or something like that.
Anyway, I don't want to dissuade anyone from reading Poe (maybe deep down I do) but these stories are a slog, especially the first, which isn't the horror story you're expecting, and spends a lot more time talking about chess vs. whist vs. a third game I don't know that sounds a lot like checkers. Why you would start with that one, I don't know (it's the Murders at the Rue Morgue, which does get interesting, but boy, that first part is not exactly a page turner).
Anyway, these stories are an interesting look at English colonial-era writing (by an American, but still) in the 18-somethings, when people had a lot of free time on their hands to read, assuming they were in the tiny percentage of the population that was educated enough to do so, and rich enough to have free time, which is a very small amount of people.
Another thing I hate about Poe—or this edition at least—he blanks out dates, names, and place titles all the time. Just say what year it is, geez. Maybe that's the lawyers of the era's fault.
And finally, in Poe's defense, many of the things in these stories that seem boring and cliche now, weren't so much when he wrote them. This edition takes pains to acknowledge his creation of the deductive detective story, which has spawned a billion copies in print and film and, especially TV, from "Murder She Wrote" to "Midsomer Murders," so we have that to thank (or condemn) him for.
Well, I did look up quite a few things (and words). Poe loves to use his entire vocabulary, which I guess is nice.
My other beef with Poe is the same I have with HP Lovecraft: every speaking voice is the author's. It doesn't matter who is talking, and what level of education or region of origin that person is from, they sound exactly like Poe, and are written in his obvious and easily identifiable voice. Did he really not ever meet or consider someone else might sound different? I don't know. Poe loved to read his own thoughts, or something like that.
Anyway, I don't want to dissuade anyone from reading Poe (maybe deep down I do) but these stories are a slog, especially the first, which isn't the horror story you're expecting, and spends a lot more time talking about chess vs. whist vs. a third game I don't know that sounds a lot like checkers. Why you would start with that one, I don't know (it's the Murders at the Rue Morgue, which does get interesting, but boy, that first part is not exactly a page turner).
Anyway, these stories are an interesting look at English colonial-era writing (by an American, but still) in the 18-somethings, when people had a lot of free time on their hands to read, assuming they were in the tiny percentage of the population that was educated enough to do so, and rich enough to have free time, which is a very small amount of people.
Another thing I hate about Poe—or this edition at least—he blanks out dates, names, and place titles all the time. Just say what year it is, geez. Maybe that's the lawyers of the era's fault.
And finally, in Poe's defense, many of the things in these stories that seem boring and cliche now, weren't so much when he wrote them. This edition takes pains to acknowledge his creation of the deductive detective story, which has spawned a billion copies in print and film and, especially TV, from "Murder She Wrote" to "Midsomer Murders," so we have that to thank (or condemn) him for.
June 22, 2019
Being that Edgar Allan Poe is public domain and well-established, this review is based not on the content, but on the nature of the collection. This book is totally fine if you're just looking for an introduction to Edgar Allen Poe - it's got most of the essentials. For a deeper read, however, you may want to look for another anthology for the following reasons:
(1) Introductions to the stories are very surface-level, and no introduction or supplementary information is provided whatsoever to the poetry.
(2) No annotations throughout, which is desired at the very least for translating passages in Latin, French, etc.
(3) Selection of stories doesn't have much direction other than a slight emphasis on mysteries. I would say around half of the selection is from his weaker material.
(1) Introductions to the stories are very surface-level, and no introduction or supplementary information is provided whatsoever to the poetry.
(2) No annotations throughout, which is desired at the very least for translating passages in Latin, French, etc.
(3) Selection of stories doesn't have much direction other than a slight emphasis on mysteries. I would say around half of the selection is from his weaker material.
December 3, 2013
I would give this book a 3.5 star rating because 3 just doesn't cut it.
Edgar Allan Poe and his work need little introduction. Poe has been considered one of the greatest story tellers of all time, and the man who has had an influence on the genre of mystery and crime like no other. His character, C. Auguste Dupin has even been looked upon as the inspiration, in some part, for Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Poe's work, however, doesn't necessarily cater to everyone. His work has a darkness, a macabre feel that is often a little too much for people to take. The Ten Great Mysteries is not very different.
The first thing I would have to say is that they're not all mysteries. Some of the stories in this book are just short stories that fall mainly in the genre of being creepy. That Poe was obsessed with the idea and supposed beauty of death is a popularly accepted thought. The stories in this book only add to that thought. A lot of the stories deal with death, the act of death, the point that comes after death, and even rebirth. Characters die in every book, so why is death such a big deal here? It's because of the outlook. Poe looks at the very act in a manner that in unprecedented. He talks not of the fact that someone is dead or dying, but details the manner and the feelings associated with the fact. These feelings are not limited to the people witnessing the death either. In an odd way, he talks about the feelings of the person dying himself.
Added to that is the way in which he describes all of it. Poe has a way of writing that is oddly matter-of-fact, but incredibly gruesome. His description of the wail that escapes someone in agony is enough to make your hair stand up. His detailing of the manner of death is at times so plain yet descriptive that it is disturbing. I found his writing to have many contradictions, going from fancy to plain in just a few words, but no part of it breaks the flow.
One thing that was quite consistent though was the way his stories started. All of them seem to begin with a long monologue that can get a bit tedious. And yet, at some point, they snap to become really interesting and engaging. Maybe it is the fact that Poe's work seems to be written at leisure, a commodity that is not so freely available nowadays. If you plan on reading Poe's work, then you cannot think of rushing through it like you would a number of mystery and crime writers today. You need to take your time with it, especially given the classic lingo used.
The stories themselves were quite interesting, some more so than others. While I didn't hate them, I didn't exactly love them either. They were a good read, their grim nature being something I didn't mind since I'd gone into the book expecting it. And I can see why Poe has the reputation he does, why he's as great an influence as he is, and why he has been considered as a visionary author. He is a great storyteller, with a view into the darkness of the heart that is often hidden or ignored by so many others. Although I haven't become a fan personally, there are aspects of his writing such as his gruesome but honest outlook on human nature that I can truly appreciate. And I think that anyone who says that they love reading need to read Poe's work - at least once. It doesn't matter whether you like grim or not, whether death is not your favorite topic, or whether you are put off by the blatant ending of life. Poe is not an author you want to miss, even if it just for the experience. And the Ten Great Mysteries is a good place to start.
Edgar Allan Poe and his work need little introduction. Poe has been considered one of the greatest story tellers of all time, and the man who has had an influence on the genre of mystery and crime like no other. His character, C. Auguste Dupin has even been looked upon as the inspiration, in some part, for Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. Poe's work, however, doesn't necessarily cater to everyone. His work has a darkness, a macabre feel that is often a little too much for people to take. The Ten Great Mysteries is not very different.
The first thing I would have to say is that they're not all mysteries. Some of the stories in this book are just short stories that fall mainly in the genre of being creepy. That Poe was obsessed with the idea and supposed beauty of death is a popularly accepted thought. The stories in this book only add to that thought. A lot of the stories deal with death, the act of death, the point that comes after death, and even rebirth. Characters die in every book, so why is death such a big deal here? It's because of the outlook. Poe looks at the very act in a manner that in unprecedented. He talks not of the fact that someone is dead or dying, but details the manner and the feelings associated with the fact. These feelings are not limited to the people witnessing the death either. In an odd way, he talks about the feelings of the person dying himself.
Added to that is the way in which he describes all of it. Poe has a way of writing that is oddly matter-of-fact, but incredibly gruesome. His description of the wail that escapes someone in agony is enough to make your hair stand up. His detailing of the manner of death is at times so plain yet descriptive that it is disturbing. I found his writing to have many contradictions, going from fancy to plain in just a few words, but no part of it breaks the flow.
One thing that was quite consistent though was the way his stories started. All of them seem to begin with a long monologue that can get a bit tedious. And yet, at some point, they snap to become really interesting and engaging. Maybe it is the fact that Poe's work seems to be written at leisure, a commodity that is not so freely available nowadays. If you plan on reading Poe's work, then you cannot think of rushing through it like you would a number of mystery and crime writers today. You need to take your time with it, especially given the classic lingo used.
The stories themselves were quite interesting, some more so than others. While I didn't hate them, I didn't exactly love them either. They were a good read, their grim nature being something I didn't mind since I'd gone into the book expecting it. And I can see why Poe has the reputation he does, why he's as great an influence as he is, and why he has been considered as a visionary author. He is a great storyteller, with a view into the darkness of the heart that is often hidden or ignored by so many others. Although I haven't become a fan personally, there are aspects of his writing such as his gruesome but honest outlook on human nature that I can truly appreciate. And I think that anyone who says that they love reading need to read Poe's work - at least once. It doesn't matter whether you like grim or not, whether death is not your favorite topic, or whether you are put off by the blatant ending of life. Poe is not an author you want to miss, even if it just for the experience. And the Ten Great Mysteries is a good place to start.
January 19, 2021
I love Poe's writing, but this collection leaves something to be desired. My biggest complaint is there are no translations of the foreign languages. When Poe wrote, it was expected the well-read would know all these languages, but with this edition being printed in the USA in the 60's, it would have been helpful to have included at least a page of notes. It really takes away from the magic that is Poe to pick up my cell phone to Google for a translation. The solution, of course, is to learn the other languages... Or find an anthology that is adapted for the poor education of many US students such as myself.
May 19, 2019
My favorite is "The Black Cat."
December 1, 2019
Ten great stories by the incomparable Poe. The book includes a few well known stories such as "The Pit and the Pendulum," "The Tell-Tale Heart," and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue." It also includes such not-so-well-known gems as "A Tale of the Ragged Mountains," "The Black Cat," "A Descent into the Maelstrom," and "Metzengerstein." A must read for all Poe fans.
August 14, 2018
Getting through this was one of 2018's hardest struggles.
March 22, 2025
Very spooky
April 24, 2010
Edgar Allen Poe wrote denser prose than to which today’s readers are accustomed and plots are slower moving. This was, I assume, the style of the time in which he wrote. Distractions were less and more time was available to read. I found myself frequently saying, “Get on with it.” However, that is my lack.
I think I appreciated Poe more as young teenager than I do as an adult. The macabre seems more suited to that strange in-between existence that being a young teen-ager was/is. This is not to say that I don’t appreciate him, today, but it is with the winter memory of a summer romance.
First, let me admit I haven’t the chops to offer more than my general reactions. If you are looking for something on the line of a scholars review, look elsewhere.
That said; let me begin with Murders in the Rue Morgue. Poe is credited with being the first American writer of a detective story. I suppose it is bad form to suggest that American and English detective stories only got better. I find Rue Morgue boring and C. Auguste Dupin irritating in his ‘superiority’. His supposed literary clones, Sherlock Holmes and my beloved Hercule Poirot are balanced with a kind of humor to them that Mr. Dupin does not possess. For its time, though, I suppose Rue Morgue was trail blazing. It certainly has found its place in literary history.
A less annoying Dupin mystery is The Purloined Letter. A cleverly hidden letter is a more believable plot mover than an escaped ape in a busy city neighborhood.
The Tell-Tale Heart still stands up well and proves be still one of my favorite Poe tales. The Black Cat, which is just a rehash of The Tell-Tale Heart reads well, but if you’ve read the ‘Heart‘, you know how the ‘Cat’ is going to end.
“The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar” is an odd little story of hypnotism combined with the process of dying. I found it an ultimately unsatisfying story. I will not say why because my comments will be a spoiler.
The Pit and The Pendulum is classic Poe terror and is another of my favorites.
A Tale of the Ragged Mountains I consider just a study of morphine-induced hallucinations with an odd, not quite believable “One Step Beyond” twist at the end. For those not old enough to remember, “One Step Beyond” was a fifties television series about allegedly true stories in the paranormal.
As was true of “A Tale of the Ragged Mountains”, this was my first reading of Poe’s “A Descent into the Maelstrom.” The description of the whirlpool, alone, is worth the reading.
The denouements to “Thou Art the Man” is a little contrived but then are not the conclusions to all murder mysteries more or less contrived. What makes this story much more readable than Murders in the Rue Morgue is that it is written with a lighter touch, with humor. This, also, was a first reading.
The last story in the collection, “Metzengerstein,” would have made a perfect half-hour episode on “The Twilight Zone.” It has the same ironic tone in its ending.
One thing I usually find an affectation is the too frequent use of foreign language quotes. This is especially annoying when you’re reading in bed. I think every story in this collection has, at least, one foreign quote. You either have to skip them, try to work them out in your head, or get up and find a dictionary. I assure you that I don’t get out of bed.
I think I appreciated Poe more as young teenager than I do as an adult. The macabre seems more suited to that strange in-between existence that being a young teen-ager was/is. This is not to say that I don’t appreciate him, today, but it is with the winter memory of a summer romance.
First, let me admit I haven’t the chops to offer more than my general reactions. If you are looking for something on the line of a scholars review, look elsewhere.
That said; let me begin with Murders in the Rue Morgue. Poe is credited with being the first American writer of a detective story. I suppose it is bad form to suggest that American and English detective stories only got better. I find Rue Morgue boring and C. Auguste Dupin irritating in his ‘superiority’. His supposed literary clones, Sherlock Holmes and my beloved Hercule Poirot are balanced with a kind of humor to them that Mr. Dupin does not possess. For its time, though, I suppose Rue Morgue was trail blazing. It certainly has found its place in literary history.
A less annoying Dupin mystery is The Purloined Letter. A cleverly hidden letter is a more believable plot mover than an escaped ape in a busy city neighborhood.
The Tell-Tale Heart still stands up well and proves be still one of my favorite Poe tales. The Black Cat, which is just a rehash of The Tell-Tale Heart reads well, but if you’ve read the ‘Heart‘, you know how the ‘Cat’ is going to end.
“The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar” is an odd little story of hypnotism combined with the process of dying. I found it an ultimately unsatisfying story. I will not say why because my comments will be a spoiler.
The Pit and The Pendulum is classic Poe terror and is another of my favorites.
A Tale of the Ragged Mountains I consider just a study of morphine-induced hallucinations with an odd, not quite believable “One Step Beyond” twist at the end. For those not old enough to remember, “One Step Beyond” was a fifties television series about allegedly true stories in the paranormal.
As was true of “A Tale of the Ragged Mountains”, this was my first reading of Poe’s “A Descent into the Maelstrom.” The description of the whirlpool, alone, is worth the reading.
The denouements to “Thou Art the Man” is a little contrived but then are not the conclusions to all murder mysteries more or less contrived. What makes this story much more readable than Murders in the Rue Morgue is that it is written with a lighter touch, with humor. This, also, was a first reading.
The last story in the collection, “Metzengerstein,” would have made a perfect half-hour episode on “The Twilight Zone.” It has the same ironic tone in its ending.
One thing I usually find an affectation is the too frequent use of foreign language quotes. This is especially annoying when you’re reading in bed. I think every story in this collection has, at least, one foreign quote. You either have to skip them, try to work them out in your head, or get up and find a dictionary. I assure you that I don’t get out of bed.
February 16, 2009
Like with most anthologies I found that some of the stories were very good and some I didn't really care for.
The title of the book itself was misleading. Some of the stories were mysteries but not all of them. For example, one of the stories in the book is the Telltale Heart. In the story the main character of the story tells exactly how he committed murder down to the small details. It's a good short story, but it's not a mystery at all.
The title of the book itself was misleading. Some of the stories were mysteries but not all of them. For example, one of the stories in the book is the Telltale Heart. In the story the main character of the story tells exactly how he committed murder down to the small details. It's a good short story, but it's not a mystery at all.
November 1, 2021
Happy to say I finished this in one sitting, sad to say that I now dont have a pocket-sized book to carry around comfortably.
I mean I'm pretty sure everyone can agree that Poe has a kind of charm to him, he makes you want to like this genre, unfortunately I somehow dont (dont bring King into this ). Love his writing, and I feel a bit relieved that I have this book off my chest, I've done my duty when it comes to Poe. It just seems that with so many of his short stories he reveals the plot-twist around three quarters in the story, which just makes me hopeful and then disappointed during the last 10 pages. This is obvious in all his C. Augustine Dupin tales, I've never been into mysteries at all, especially if the detective is this genius superhuman that can solve the case using his unrealistic intellect, just ruins the entire fun of the game. How am I supposed to enjoy it if in each of "The Purloined Letter" and "The Murders In The Rue Morgue" the guilty is explicitly told to us and then we have to sit through 10 or so pages of the incredible Dupin lecturing us with his ingenuity, I cant find the appeal in that.
I read both "The Pit and The Pendulum" and "The Tell-Tale Heart" with an audiobook in the background, definitely heightened the experience for me. Not much to say about these two, that hasnt already been said, great sections.
Ive heard from several people that "The Tale of Ragged Mountains" is the first science fiction story, time travelling and all. Im pretty sure they dont mean it with that accuracy because although the science fiction genre has always been torn as to what is and isnt part of its reality of contributors, I think "Gulliver's Travels" was one of the first ones, and if not so then I'm sure no one can argue with Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"
My favourite story in this book has always been "The Black Cat", so very direct in its series of events yet distorted with its alcoholic narrator. It's very similar to a previously mentioned Poe story, but I would want anyone who hasnt read it to read it first then decide which. When it really comes to it, its just plain fun and full of surprises, I love the humour inserted during the last couple of pages, the kind of humour that can only be found funny by the people that know whats going on, the faux-confidence and sly mannerisms always get me when we find out what actually happened.
I mean I'm pretty sure everyone can agree that Poe has a kind of charm to him, he makes you want to like this genre, unfortunately I somehow dont (dont bring King into this ). Love his writing, and I feel a bit relieved that I have this book off my chest, I've done my duty when it comes to Poe. It just seems that with so many of his short stories he reveals the plot-twist around three quarters in the story, which just makes me hopeful and then disappointed during the last 10 pages. This is obvious in all his C. Augustine Dupin tales, I've never been into mysteries at all, especially if the detective is this genius superhuman that can solve the case using his unrealistic intellect, just ruins the entire fun of the game. How am I supposed to enjoy it if in each of "The Purloined Letter" and "The Murders In The Rue Morgue" the guilty is explicitly told to us and then we have to sit through 10 or so pages of the incredible Dupin lecturing us with his ingenuity, I cant find the appeal in that.
I read both "The Pit and The Pendulum" and "The Tell-Tale Heart" with an audiobook in the background, definitely heightened the experience for me. Not much to say about these two, that hasnt already been said, great sections.
Ive heard from several people that "The Tale of Ragged Mountains" is the first science fiction story, time travelling and all. Im pretty sure they dont mean it with that accuracy because although the science fiction genre has always been torn as to what is and isnt part of its reality of contributors, I think "Gulliver's Travels" was one of the first ones, and if not so then I'm sure no one can argue with Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein"
My favourite story in this book has always been "The Black Cat", so very direct in its series of events yet distorted with its alcoholic narrator. It's very similar to a previously mentioned Poe story, but I would want anyone who hasnt read it to read it first then decide which. When it really comes to it, its just plain fun and full of surprises, I love the humour inserted during the last couple of pages, the kind of humour that can only be found funny by the people that know whats going on, the faux-confidence and sly mannerisms always get me when we find out what actually happened.
September 4, 2022
Update 2018
Since this was a re-read for me, I don't have too much to add on top of my original review. I will say that this little collection of stories has become one of my favorites, and it does contain a good handful of my favorite Poe stories. While it pains me that it seems like a lot of people are quick to dismiss Poe's verbose writing, I will say that his writing does get heavy after a while. I do think this collection is the perfect size to get a feel for Poe and appreciate his words without getting bogged down. With the gloomy, chilly, rain-filled fall we've been having here, this was just the right time to re-read this one. If you're looking for a good introduction to Edgar Allan Poe's prose, this collection would be a good place to start. Plus, look at this creepy vintage cover--I just love it!Â
Original review 2010
I can be an atmospheric reader. Certain books should be read in a certain setting. Thoreau should be read on a stump in the middle of the woods. Jane Austen should be read curled up in bed with a cup of tea in the middle of winter. Twain should be read lazing under a tree in the grass in the middle of the summer. And Poe should be read in late fall, somewhere around Halloween.
Well, as I just found out, he makes for excellent campfire reading, as well.
For me, Poe is the ultimate of suspense. As a reader, it is evident just how haunted of a man Edgar Allan Poe really was. This makes his writing quite effective and allows the reader to become pleasantly creeped out. I love his writing and adore immersing myself in his words. An absolutely classic author, I dare say.
What's unique about this edition is that it goes to show that Poe writes more than just horror--namely suspense and science fiction (and don't forget poetry and romance, even though they don't appear here). I also enjoyed this little edition because even though it includes Poe classics like "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Pit and the Pendulum," it also includes less well-known stories.
Overall, not a must-have for Poe enthusiasts (as this is just a little snippet of his total works), but recommended for those who would like to become better read in Edgar Allan Poe or who would like to see what he is capable of.
Since this was a re-read for me, I don't have too much to add on top of my original review. I will say that this little collection of stories has become one of my favorites, and it does contain a good handful of my favorite Poe stories. While it pains me that it seems like a lot of people are quick to dismiss Poe's verbose writing, I will say that his writing does get heavy after a while. I do think this collection is the perfect size to get a feel for Poe and appreciate his words without getting bogged down. With the gloomy, chilly, rain-filled fall we've been having here, this was just the right time to re-read this one. If you're looking for a good introduction to Edgar Allan Poe's prose, this collection would be a good place to start. Plus, look at this creepy vintage cover--I just love it!Â
Original review 2010
I can be an atmospheric reader. Certain books should be read in a certain setting. Thoreau should be read on a stump in the middle of the woods. Jane Austen should be read curled up in bed with a cup of tea in the middle of winter. Twain should be read lazing under a tree in the grass in the middle of the summer. And Poe should be read in late fall, somewhere around Halloween.
Well, as I just found out, he makes for excellent campfire reading, as well.
For me, Poe is the ultimate of suspense. As a reader, it is evident just how haunted of a man Edgar Allan Poe really was. This makes his writing quite effective and allows the reader to become pleasantly creeped out. I love his writing and adore immersing myself in his words. An absolutely classic author, I dare say.
What's unique about this edition is that it goes to show that Poe writes more than just horror--namely suspense and science fiction (and don't forget poetry and romance, even though they don't appear here). I also enjoyed this little edition because even though it includes Poe classics like "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Pit and the Pendulum," it also includes less well-known stories.
Overall, not a must-have for Poe enthusiasts (as this is just a little snippet of his total works), but recommended for those who would like to become better read in Edgar Allan Poe or who would like to see what he is capable of.
March 28, 2020
This light paperback has been in the bottom of my purse for a long time as the "emergency book", something that's always there just in case I finish a book while I'm out or leave in a hurry without bringing a book with me (the absolute horror!). Now that the world has shut down and I won't be leaving the house for awhile, I decided to bring it out of the reserves and actually read it.
If I read short stories by different authors I will usually separate and talk about them individually but when it's multiple stories by the same author I usually don't. My overall feeling about this book and the selection of stories is that I like Poe's shorter works but the longer the story gets the denser and wordier it gets and the longer it feels.
I only recognized 3 out of the 10 stories. Of those 3, "The Black Cat" was my favorite, "The Tell-Tale Heart" still holds up and "The Pit and the Pendulum" was hard for me to evaluate as a story because all I could picture as I was reading was the movie version with Vincent Price. Of the remaining 7, I would say his lesser-known works are lesser-known for a reason but if I had to pick a favorite among them it would be "A Descent into the Maelstrom."
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
If I read short stories by different authors I will usually separate and talk about them individually but when it's multiple stories by the same author I usually don't. My overall feeling about this book and the selection of stories is that I like Poe's shorter works but the longer the story gets the denser and wordier it gets and the longer it feels.
I only recognized 3 out of the 10 stories. Of those 3, "The Black Cat" was my favorite, "The Tell-Tale Heart" still holds up and "The Pit and the Pendulum" was hard for me to evaluate as a story because all I could picture as I was reading was the movie version with Vincent Price. Of the remaining 7, I would say his lesser-known works are lesser-known for a reason but if I had to pick a favorite among them it would be "A Descent into the Maelstrom."
Find all my reviews at: https://readingatrandom.blogspot.com
October 27, 2025
When I was in the 6th grade, I checked out a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s works from my middle school’s library. That compendium featured just about everything the man ever wrote. I tore through his poetry, short stories, and assorted other writings in a way that I had never done before. He was my first favorite author. I was totally horrified and fascinated by his obsession with the macabre. Looking back, I think that it is undoubtedly true that reading his horror stories sparked my love for horror as a genre in both literature and film. All these years later, I still find his darker narratives to be some of the finest stories one can read. While those stories in this paperback collection do shine, there are other stories of the non-horror variety in here that just aren’t some of Poe’s best. Nevertheless, they are at least interesting from the perspective that they’re Poe operating in a different mode than what he’s best known for.
October 1, 2025
Edgar Allan Poe’s 10 Great Mysteries is a mix of creepy short stories, a blend of mystery and horror. Each of the 10 stories is different, but all give off the dark vibe that keeps you reading. Instead of one long story, the book is 10 chapters, every chapter is a different story.
I really enjoyed this book because it's not just one long story that I can sometimes get bored of. It's 10 short but really good stories that kept me entertained without getting bored. I really liked the paranoia in The Tell-Tale Heart and the writing that made it feel like I could hear the heart myself. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I really liked the stories, but sometimes the old writing style can be hard for me to understand.
I really enjoyed this book because it's not just one long story that I can sometimes get bored of. It's 10 short but really good stories that kept me entertained without getting bored. I really liked the paranoia in The Tell-Tale Heart and the writing that made it feel like I could hear the heart myself. I would give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I really liked the stories, but sometimes the old writing style can be hard for me to understand.
September 26, 2018
I remember reading The Raven back in high school and not being impressed. I wonder if I would appreciate it more now that I've read some of his stories?
I am not a fan of poetry. I respect it, and the people that can create it, but it holds little value for me, personally. Before reading this book, I had never read any of Poe's work outside of his poetry. Curiously, I am very much attracted to his overdramatic, senses-focused style when it's told in a more traditional story format... The very things I disliked the most about his poetry.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised, and spent quite a few lunch hours diving deeply into his brilliant yet deeply distressed mind.
I am not a fan of poetry. I respect it, and the people that can create it, but it holds little value for me, personally. Before reading this book, I had never read any of Poe's work outside of his poetry. Curiously, I am very much attracted to his overdramatic, senses-focused style when it's told in a more traditional story format... The very things I disliked the most about his poetry.
Overall I was pleasantly surprised, and spent quite a few lunch hours diving deeply into his brilliant yet deeply distressed mind.
March 22, 2018
The book, Ten Great Mysteries, by Edgar Allan Poe, includes multiple dark and mysterious stories that are beautifully written. Stories range from violent to mysterious, but all are suspenseful to the very end. One example is a story called “The Black Cat” which takes place in the very wealthy narrator’s home. This story shows how even the highest in society can be driven to madness in the very safety of their home. I liked this book. Some stories were more interesting than others, but overall, it was full of very suspenseful and creepy stories. Madness becomes a common occurrence for most of the characters in the story. The challenges presented to the characters are so dark and terrible, that it becomes even more crazy when the protagonist isn’t driven to madness. One example of sanity being sustained in a character is in “The Pit and the Pendulum”. Even though the protagonist of this story is put into a dungeon with multiple traps and annoyingly large rats everywhere, his intelligence keeps him sane. I would recommend this book to others because it’s very intense and is full of suspenseful stories. Also, I would definitely propose reading this book if you’re into the darker and creepier genres. Lastly, I really liked the fact that there was a deeper meaning in each story inside of the book, and would definitely recommend it to anybody who likes to think a little deeper.
March 15, 2020
You can not argue the immense talent and inventiveness possessed by Edgar Allen Poe. I gave this a 3 star only in reference to my own personal tastes. Many of the stories were rather gory and disturbing, which happens to not be my preferred literary genre. My favorite of the stories included were The Purloined Letter, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Descent into the Maelstrom, and “Thou Art The Man”. Overall I am glad I took the time to read through some of Poe’s most riveting stories, and I can see why he is regarded so highly in the literary world.
January 23, 2025
I see in other reviews plenty of criticism for the edition itself. I disagree with other reviews stating that there is a lack of thematic unity in these stories. It's called TEN GREAT MYSTERIES. There are ten stories, most of which are great, and all of which are indeed mysteries, if not all typical of the genre. What more of a theme do you need really, especially for a cheap school library edition? I for my part enjoyed the illustrations and brief preambles. One star lost for the lack of footnotes for translations of Poe's very common uses of French and Latin.
July 7, 2019
Poe's creativity and variety are in full force. His imagination stretches from cleverness to morbidity, and is sometimes relatably funny. While some stories captivated me, for the others it's clear why they aren't especially well known. Unfortunately, the final one is my least favorite, so I recommend reading out of order. Overall, he's an impressive writer and it's revealing to see more of his work. Oh, but don't be fooled: only a few of the stories are mysteries. The title is senseless.
August 8, 2020
The Black Cat and the one about hypnosis were the creepiest. I also enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes type stories and it was interesting to see how Doyle was inspired by them. Some of the others were either really ridiculous or anticlimactic. This is another 19th century book that assumes everyone knows both French and Latin, so there were a few things that went over my head because I don’t speak either one.
April 2, 2020
4.5/5.0
Hidden Gems:
Books, indeed, were his sole luxuries, and in Paris these are easily obtained.
But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife. Goaded by the interference into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain.
Hidden Gems:
Books, indeed, were his sole luxuries, and in Paris these are easily obtained.
But this blow was arrested by the hand of my wife. Goaded by the interference into a rage more than demoniacal, I withdrew my arm from her grasp and buried the axe in her brain.
May 31, 2021
Any anthology would see a few favourites and a few that cut no ice with the reader. But such a collection can only be rated highly if the majority leave a mark.
The murders in Rue Morgue, the Black Cat and the Tell tale heart were vintage Poe. The purloined letter was almost Conan Doyle but the kind of horror that ‘a descent into the Maelstrom’ invoked was a class apart. I must Poe more!
The murders in Rue Morgue, the Black Cat and the Tell tale heart were vintage Poe. The purloined letter was almost Conan Doyle but the kind of horror that ‘a descent into the Maelstrom’ invoked was a class apart. I must Poe more!
October 22, 2016
Only a handful of these are "mysteries" in the whodunnit genre sense. Go into this with the understanding of mysteries as eerie events "difficult or impossible to understand or explain" and you won't be disappointed. I enjoyed this as a cozy autumnal reminder of Poe's dark short story powers.
October 20, 2017
I thought this was an okay book. I don't love Poe's writing style, as it overwhelmingly tells rather than shows the reader. But some of the chosen mysteries were good.
October 31, 2017
I love his writing! But again, I learn something about myself. The gothic, dark, horror genre is not my cup of tea. But I would read again for the writing. My favorite was, ‘The tell tale heart”.
October 19, 2018
Several of the stories I really enjoyed, but I probably won't be reading this again.
March 3, 2020
The black cat captivated my darkness.
August 21, 2021
I really enjoyed some of the mysteries in the book; however, others were very dull and failed to hold my interest. Next time I read this; I will likely skip some of the weaker moments of the book.
November 1, 2022
I wanted this to be his more scary stories, but realised too late it's mostly the mysteries, which aren't my speed exactly
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