Edgar Allan Poe: A Life

by Richard Kopley

A groundbreaking exploration of one of America’s most iconic and misunderstood authors

Edgar Allan A Life is the most comprehensive critical biography of Poe yet produced, exploring his fascinating life, his extraordinary work, and the vital relationship between the two. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre found in such works as “The Raven,” “Annabel Lee,” and “The Tell-Tale Heart,” this legendary American author continues to intrigue and enthrall his devoted readers. Written by one of the world’s leading Poe experts, this biography is a rich and rewarding study for the general reader as well as for the seasoned scholar. Richard Kopley combines a biographical narrative of Poe’s enduring challenges—including his difficult foster father, his personal losses, his great struggles with depression and alcoholism, and the poverty that dogged his existence—with close readings of his work that focus not only on plot, character, and theme but also on language, allusion, and structure in a way that enhances our understanding of both. While incorporating past Poe scholarship, this volume also relates unknown stories of Poe culled from privately held letters unavailable to previous biographers, presenting a range of groundbreaking archival discoveries that illuminate the man and his oeuvre in ways never before possible.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, History, Poetry, Writing

725 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 18, 2025

Reviews

[Amanda Waddicor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not read biographies, but when I saw this book at my library I had to grab it. I have loved E.A. Poe ever since middle school. This book was filled with incredible detail and was painstakingly researched. While it felt like it looked me longer than usual to read, it was engaging and enlightening. I walk away from it with an even deeper appreciation for who he was as a poet, author and person.

[Brooke Miller]

war is over

[The Inquisitive Biologist · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating and most informative, this detailed and deeply researched biography draws on previously unavailable correspondence to present a fuller picture of the life of Edgar Allan Poe. See my full review at https://inquisitivebiologist.com/2025...

[Vince · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good chronological order biography.

[Cathy Andrews · Rating 1 out of 5]

705 pages, 220 of which are footnotes. This book is a kill joy. It's an academic paper, not a story of one of the most intriguing men to have lived.

[Rob Roehm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Part biography, part literary criticism, this hefty volume uses all of the available sources to detail what is known of Poe's life.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had you ever thought that Poe was attending Univ. Of Virginia while Jefferson was still alive?
Had always admired Poe and rank his short stories as maybe the best in literature outranking the incredibly smooth writing John Cheever.
Disheartened after reading of Poe's actions toward his contemporary R. Pitts.