Edgar Allan Poe: A Mystery

by Madelyn Klein Anderson

Chronicles the troubled life of the nineteenth-century author, focusing on the haunting nature of his work

158 pages, Library Binding

First published February 1, 1993

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Poe's writings, but I do not care for the writer himself.

[Travis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Light, fast-paced biography reads like a History Channel Edu-tainment program.

[Lia Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

In which Poe is presented as utterly normal in his appetites, the hapless victim of envious men and jealous women, who really didn’t drink much at all

[Ramanqu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lucid biography of someone who suffered in every moment of his life, not least from himself.

[hamptonenglish10 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edgar Allan Poe: A Mystery is a biography about the life of American author, poet, editor, and literary critic Edgar Allen Poe. Before and during his youth, Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins Poe, mother, was an actress. This is how Edgar got his ideas for the stories he had written. Eliza Poe dies at age 24, leaving Edgar an orphan. He was adopted, informally, by John Allan and Frances Keeling Allan, which is where he got the name Allan (Adopted name).

The biography, though factual, is not too strong, but things can be learned from reading. The title almost immediately gives away contents of the biography. Edgar Allan Poe is as mysterious as his stories, and as the back of the book states, "The mysteries of Poe's life ---and death---are as riveting as one of his own tales of mystery and imagination." The unknown death of Edgar was possibly a result of alcohol, brain congestion, cholera, drugs, heart disease, rabies, suicide, tuberculosis, and other agents.

I would recommend this to readers 14-94. Though lacking in some areas, it has enough facts to give us an idea of who Edgar was and how his life was. Although he was hated in some areas, he was a great author and an inspiration for up and coming poets and mystery writers. There really isn't much of a lesson to be learned from this biography, but it shows if you put your mind on something, drop out after less than a year of college, and start writing, you will get somewhere in life. The reason I gave it 4 stars is because of the lack of facts, but it was informative.

[Jamisyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very factual, to the point and an easy read. The writing was a tad dull in some parts and she seemed to really want to push that he was not a heavy drinker more than anything. Overall an interesting read, questioning events and the timeline of his life.

[Peggy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This books enlights one to the life of this brilliant poet.

[Hayden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book, a true mystery of identity and events. Makes you wonder who the real Poe was!