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A Man Called Poe
Short stories in the vein of Edgar Allan Poe.
224 pages, Paperback
Published June 22, 1972
9 people want to read
About the author
Sam Moskowitz
130 books14 followersSam Moskowitz (June 30, 1920-April 15, 1997) was an early fan and organizer of interest in science fiction and, later, a writer, critic, and historian of the field. As a child, Moskowitz greatly enjoyed reading science fiction pulp magazines. As a teenager, he organized a branch of the Science Fiction League. Meanwhile, Donald A. Wollheim helped organize the Futurians, a rival club with Marxist sympathies. While still in his teens, Moskowitz became chairman of the first World Science Fiction Convention held in New York City in 1939. He barred several Futurians from the convention because they threatened to disrupt it. This event is referred to by historians of fandom as the "Great Exclusion Act."
Moskowitz later worked professionally in the science fiction field. He edited Science-Fiction Plus, a short-lived genre magazine owned by Hugo Gernsback, in 1953. He compiled about two dozen anthologies, and a few single-author collections, most published in the 1960s and early 1970s. Moskowitz also wrote a handful of short stories (three published in 1941, one in 1953, three in 1956). His most enduring work is likely to be his writing on the history of science fiction, in particular two collections of short author biographies, Explorers of the Infinite and Seekers of Tomorrow, as well as the highly regarded Under the Moons of Mars: A History and Anthology of “The Scientific Romance” in the Munsey Magazines, 1912-1920. Moskowitz has been criticized for eccentrically assigning priorities and tracing influences regarding particular themes and ideas based principally on publication dates, as well as for some supposed inaccuracies. His exhaustive cataloguing of early sf magazine stories by important genre authors remains the best resource for nonspecialists.
Moskowitz's most popular work may be The Immortal Storm, a historical review of internecine strife within fandom. Moskowitz wrote it in a bombastic style that made the events he described seem so important that, as fan historian Harry Warner, Jr. quipped, "If read directly after a history of World War II, it does not seem like an anticlimax."
Moskowitz was also renowned as a science fiction book collector, with a tremendous number of important early works and rarities. His book collection was auctioned off after his death.
As "Sam Martin", he was also editor of the trade publications Quick Frozen Foods and Quick Frozen Foods International for many years.
First Fandom, an organization of science fiction fans active before 1940, gives an award in Moskowitz' memory each year at the World Science Fiction Convention.
Moskowitz smoked cigarettes frequently throughout his adult life. A few years before his death, throat cancer required the surgical removal of his larynx. He continued to speak at science fiction conventions, using an electronic voice-box held against his throat. Throughout his later years, although his controversial opinions were often disputed by others, he was indisputably recognized as the leading authority on the history of science fiction.
Moskowitz later worked professionally in the science fiction field. He edited Science-Fiction Plus, a short-lived genre magazine owned by Hugo Gernsback, in 1953. He compiled about two dozen anthologies, and a few single-author collections, most published in the 1960s and early 1970s. Moskowitz also wrote a handful of short stories (three published in 1941, one in 1953, three in 1956). His most enduring work is likely to be his writing on the history of science fiction, in particular two collections of short author biographies, Explorers of the Infinite and Seekers of Tomorrow, as well as the highly regarded Under the Moons of Mars: A History and Anthology of “The Scientific Romance” in the Munsey Magazines, 1912-1920. Moskowitz has been criticized for eccentrically assigning priorities and tracing influences regarding particular themes and ideas based principally on publication dates, as well as for some supposed inaccuracies. His exhaustive cataloguing of early sf magazine stories by important genre authors remains the best resource for nonspecialists.
Moskowitz's most popular work may be The Immortal Storm, a historical review of internecine strife within fandom. Moskowitz wrote it in a bombastic style that made the events he described seem so important that, as fan historian Harry Warner, Jr. quipped, "If read directly after a history of World War II, it does not seem like an anticlimax."
Moskowitz was also renowned as a science fiction book collector, with a tremendous number of important early works and rarities. His book collection was auctioned off after his death.
As "Sam Martin", he was also editor of the trade publications Quick Frozen Foods and Quick Frozen Foods International for many years.
First Fandom, an organization of science fiction fans active before 1940, gives an award in Moskowitz' memory each year at the World Science Fiction Convention.
Moskowitz smoked cigarettes frequently throughout his adult life. A few years before his death, throat cancer required the surgical removal of his larynx. He continued to speak at science fiction conventions, using an electronic voice-box held against his throat. Throughout his later years, although his controversial opinions were often disputed by others, he was indisputably recognized as the leading authority on the history of science fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 2, 2025
It's a writers compilation of their brain debris of Poe in unreal situations. However one excellent story is: The Dark Brotherhood. It's a fragment from H.P.Lovecraft finished by August Derleth. What makes this a genuine find, thanks to the editors acumen, written in 1966 when Lovecraft's concept, no spoiler was not considered. That makes it exceptional in its execution. And that is part of the horrifying definite end as well. Many are disinclined to see Lovecraft's mixture of science fiction, based on the known science of the day to include that, albeit with anthropomorphic hallucinations invading our sanity which in itself he was so exceptional at. Plus a poem by Poe's wife near her sad end. S. Moskowitz also found three poems de Castro, Barlow and Lovecraft wrote on evening in the graveyard Poe wondered and wandered are included dating back to 1936
March 18, 2011
Probably needless to say, but this is a book for Poe fans only. Being one myself, I found it worthy and entertaining but I don't think it has any great merit on its own. Editor Moskowitz (who I'm also a long-time fan of) assembles writings that feature Poe as a character. My favorite was Douglass Sherley's "The Valley of Unrest" that was originally published as book in 1884. Other stories are written by Julian Hawthorne, Vincent Starrett, Manly Wade Wellman, Robert Bloch, Michael Avallone, Charles Norman, August Derleth and Edmund Hamilton.
There's also "The Lighthouse", the fragment Poe started and here Robert Bloch completes. "The Atlantis", a novel by Peter Prospero has been thought by some to be ghost-written by Poe and the first chapters are included here. I found it slow going, and I think most would agree it's not Poe.
Finally there's the trio of poems written by three friends in a Providence, Rhode Island graveyard that Poe had visited and reportedly spent some time in. The friends were H.P. Lovecraft, R.H. Barlow, and Adolphe de Castro. Three more Poe-related poems by Derleth, Robert A.W. Lowndes and Poe's wife Virginia (an untitled Valentine poem to Edgar) close out the book.
All but a few pieces are reprinted from other sources.
Moskotwitz introduces each piece, which always makes an anthology more useful to me and it's nice to have all this stuff together for easy access even if I have some of it elsewhere.
There's also "The Lighthouse", the fragment Poe started and here Robert Bloch completes. "The Atlantis", a novel by Peter Prospero has been thought by some to be ghost-written by Poe and the first chapters are included here. I found it slow going, and I think most would agree it's not Poe.
Finally there's the trio of poems written by three friends in a Providence, Rhode Island graveyard that Poe had visited and reportedly spent some time in. The friends were H.P. Lovecraft, R.H. Barlow, and Adolphe de Castro. Three more Poe-related poems by Derleth, Robert A.W. Lowndes and Poe's wife Virginia (an untitled Valentine poem to Edgar) close out the book.
All but a few pieces are reprinted from other sources.
Moskotwitz introduces each piece, which always makes an anthology more useful to me and it's nice to have all this stuff together for easy access even if I have some of it elsewhere.
May 7, 2020
I loved this book as a child and I believe that is about the reading level of it (Young Adult perhaps?). I think I read this in the 6th grade and as such I believe is should be rated within that context. Obviously this is a book for Poe fans, but also for young readers who love a good mystery and anyone who loves historical biography fiction. I thought it was a nice bridge as well for those young angsts teenagers who love sad poetry and feel generally misunderstood by their happy-go-lucky peers. If you liked books like Coraline or have a thing for Tim Burton movies, this is a good one. I think I also ended up at this book after reading things like “The Face on the Milk Carton”. I really loved all the twists and turns and I remember this book greatly increased my appreciation for the mystery genre in general (a gateway drug to Sherlock Holmes and other classics). Maybe it was never going to be a literary masterpiece but it’s definitely a good and fast read. Bonus points for including a lot on one of my favorite authors obviously.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews