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The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe Volume 2
Volume 2 Contents: The Purloined Letter--The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade--A Descent into the Maelstrom--Von Kempelen and his Discovery--Mesmeric Revelation--The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar--The Black Cat--The Fall of the House of Usher--Silence--a Fable--The Masque of the Red Death--The Cask of Amontillado--The Imp of the Perverse--The Island of the Fay--The Assignation--The Pit and the Pendulum--The Premature Burial--The Domain of Arnheim--Landor's Cottage--William Wilson--The Tell-Tale Heart--Berenice--Eleonora
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1903
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About the author
Edgar Allan Poe
9,907 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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April 20, 2019The Purloined Letter--I was surprised this was a Poe story. It reads much like Sherlock Holmes; two men sitting in a parlor thinking and smoking their pipes when along comes the chief of police needing assistance. Dupin does have to leave his parlor to retrieve the letter, but his deductive work is done mostly from his chair. Overall it was a mildly entertaining tale. I found the following to be rather amusing: "When I wish to find out how wise, or how stupid, or how good, or how wicked is any one, or what are his thoughts at the moment, I fashion the expression of my face, as accurately as possible, in accordance with the expression of his, and then wait to see what thoughts or sentiments arise in my my or heart, as if to match or correspond with the expression"; I'm not entirely convinced humanity is quite that simple.
The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade--This was terrible. It was a re-telling of a thousand and one nights with Sinbad travelling to many different islands upon the back of an odd sea faring beast. Some of the islands inhabitants were interestingly prophetic (machines that can do calculations in a few seconds that would take men many weeks), but otherwise it was just a list of absurdities.
A Descent into the Maelstrom--This also surprised me and felt rather non-Poe-esque. There was no fantastical element at all, just a story about an observant fisherman who figured out how to avoid dying in an oceanic whirlpool.
Von Kempelen and his Discovery--Ah, to be back in simple times when alchemy was thought possible. Von Kempelen discovers the trick to changing lead into gold and sub sequentially the price of gold falls and silver rises. Entertaining and rather accurate, but overall just a silly story.
Mesmeric Revelation--I found this one, while at least being more Poe-relevant (the hypnotized person might have died before he ceased speaking) extremely expository and boring. He delves into a conversation about God and matter and while it tries to come off as both meta-physical and physics accurate it reads as fairy-tale and verbose in modern times.
The Facts in the Case of M Valdemar--This takes the previous tale one step further. Instead of conversing much with the hypnotized man, in this story the man is hypnotized on his death bed and dies while under the spell. The moment of death is clear (changing color, temperature, and he ceases to breathe), but as long as he is still hypnotized, he is able to communicate with the living. I loved the gristle that appears when he is released from his spell and instead of waking the body dissolves (SEVEN MONTHS after death!).
The Black Cat--Again, nice and creepy. As an animal lover, I was slightly offended by the character's animosity towards the cats but was fairly satisfied by the explanation that it comes out of drinking too much. I was reminded of tell-tale heart in the way that the corpse is found and giggled that the cat wrecked vengeance upon the main character.
The Fall of the House of Usher--I read this previously and my review can be seen here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... I had remembered it as longer and was surprised at how quickly it moved, otherwise no real new thoughts other than I can see how it is a forerunner to modern horror stories.
Silence--a Fable--The devil tells a story of how to scare off a man/God and it is with silence rather than desolution. Some of the imagery was pretty and there were poetic repetitive moments, but really I did not see the point.
The Masque of the Red Death--Early horror; death is an actual figure and represents as the plague (from which many spoiled noblemen are escaping at the ultimate party). It was okay, again deliciously creepy descriptions.
The Cask of Amontillado--This was not unique or original to me (I am sure because so much has come after), but it did remind me of the creepy-ness of the Catacombs outside of Rome. Again, we live in a different time, but it is hard to believe that someone would kill another in such an agonizing way (essentially buried alive) just over an insult.
The Imp of the Perverse--I really don't like the philosophical rantings of Poe. The creepy stories are good (if less scary to the modern reader than they must have been in the past), but these rants about God/Humanity/Human Nature are just not for me. Although, again the theme of guilty confession reminded me of Tell Tale Heart.
The Island of the Fay--Dumb, dumb, dumb. This was on par with the 1002 story (Sinbad's island adventures). So, yes, Poe can write nature descriptions; and a beautiful island might house fairies. But, ultimately this wasn't a story as much as a setting for a story.
The Assignation--I didn't get this one; ultimately I think the young man with the cape was death and he gave back the baby in exchange for the mother the next morning. However, it escapes me why the narrator had met him before and would refer to him as a friend. Again, the imagery was good, but the "ah ha!" moment felt too forced.
The Pit and the Pendulum--I have heard of this, but had not read it before. I liked the suspense involved and the layers of understanding as we (the reader and the protagonist) realize the predicament. I was surprised at the idea of the collapsing metal box (reminded me of the garbage compactor scene in Star Wars), especially given the time of Poe's writing (again, he has some idea of future technologies), but then I was really annoyed both that it was supposed to have been set in the time of the Inquisition (they would NOT have had the technology to move metal walls quickly back then) AND with the last minute save. It would have been a much better story if it had been set in the future (for Poe) and the protagonist was pushed into the pit at the end.
The Premature Burial--This was again a more psychologically based horror than an actual horror. I liked the preface with all of the history of people who had been buried alive (and, of course, in modern times this is much less likely but certainly imaginable that in the past the medical profession was not as good as they are now of determining death). I was not convinced of the likelihood of the protagonist's "coma disease". After all, seven months without IVs would result in death by dehydration (just over a week would kill the coma person) and so it was absurd, but again this shows the lack of medical knowledge for the time. I did like the conclusion though: "I dismissed forever my charnel apprehensions, and with them vanished the cataleptic disorder, of which, perhaps, they had been less the consequences than the cause."
The Domain of Arnheim--This is another of the landscape stories. I don't know why I find it so odd that Poe was drawn to natural description, probably just because his reputation in modern times is horror/suspense. Clearly, though the theme of natural beauty is throughout his work. The idea of this one was rather far-fetched: richest person alive (practically) is obsessed with creating the most beautiful landscape and again there was not much plot or interest, it was just filled with natural description.
Landor's Cottage--An addendum to Arnheim and another natural description (this time, though of the cottage). I was less than enamored and bored of the lack of plot.
William Wilson--I liked this one. It felt like a fore-runner to Fight Club and certainly must be the first example of split personality in fiction. It was a bit unbelievable (because of the way others address the other Wilson) and also a bit too easy to figure out, but for its time must have been cutting edge.
The Tell Tale Heart--I first read this is in an anthology for children when I was about 9 years old. It has stuck with me all these years (the eye...the bloody EYE!) and has always been a great example in my mind of the compelling nature of guilt.
Berenice--Quite entertaining. This might be my favorite in the book, with the exception of Tell Tale Heart. I liked the quick development and the odd obsession with her teeth. Of course the face that the narrator himself suffers from mental lapses and memory loss just adds a layer of confusion
Eleonora--Once again the reader visits the valley of Arnheim to meet the lovely characters inside. I had mis-remembered this one. For some reason I thought Eleonora came back from the dead to kill the protagonist, but clearly she does not. It is the sole story with a "happy ending" in which the ghost gives up. I wasn't crazy about the story, but the twist was nice.
The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade--This was terrible. It was a re-telling of a thousand and one nights with Sinbad travelling to many different islands upon the back of an odd sea faring beast. Some of the islands inhabitants were interestingly prophetic (machines that can do calculations in a few seconds that would take men many weeks), but otherwise it was just a list of absurdities.
A Descent into the Maelstrom--This also surprised me and felt rather non-Poe-esque. There was no fantastical element at all, just a story about an observant fisherman who figured out how to avoid dying in an oceanic whirlpool.
Von Kempelen and his Discovery--Ah, to be back in simple times when alchemy was thought possible. Von Kempelen discovers the trick to changing lead into gold and sub sequentially the price of gold falls and silver rises. Entertaining and rather accurate, but overall just a silly story.
Mesmeric Revelation--I found this one, while at least being more Poe-relevant (the hypnotized person might have died before he ceased speaking) extremely expository and boring. He delves into a conversation about God and matter and while it tries to come off as both meta-physical and physics accurate it reads as fairy-tale and verbose in modern times.
The Facts in the Case of M Valdemar--This takes the previous tale one step further. Instead of conversing much with the hypnotized man, in this story the man is hypnotized on his death bed and dies while under the spell. The moment of death is clear (changing color, temperature, and he ceases to breathe), but as long as he is still hypnotized, he is able to communicate with the living. I loved the gristle that appears when he is released from his spell and instead of waking the body dissolves (SEVEN MONTHS after death!).
The Black Cat--Again, nice and creepy. As an animal lover, I was slightly offended by the character's animosity towards the cats but was fairly satisfied by the explanation that it comes out of drinking too much. I was reminded of tell-tale heart in the way that the corpse is found and giggled that the cat wrecked vengeance upon the main character.
The Fall of the House of Usher--I read this previously and my review can be seen here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show.... I had remembered it as longer and was surprised at how quickly it moved, otherwise no real new thoughts other than I can see how it is a forerunner to modern horror stories.
Silence--a Fable--The devil tells a story of how to scare off a man/God and it is with silence rather than desolution. Some of the imagery was pretty and there were poetic repetitive moments, but really I did not see the point.
The Masque of the Red Death--Early horror; death is an actual figure and represents as the plague (from which many spoiled noblemen are escaping at the ultimate party). It was okay, again deliciously creepy descriptions.
The Cask of Amontillado--This was not unique or original to me (I am sure because so much has come after), but it did remind me of the creepy-ness of the Catacombs outside of Rome. Again, we live in a different time, but it is hard to believe that someone would kill another in such an agonizing way (essentially buried alive) just over an insult.
The Imp of the Perverse--I really don't like the philosophical rantings of Poe. The creepy stories are good (if less scary to the modern reader than they must have been in the past), but these rants about God/Humanity/Human Nature are just not for me. Although, again the theme of guilty confession reminded me of Tell Tale Heart.
The Island of the Fay--Dumb, dumb, dumb. This was on par with the 1002 story (Sinbad's island adventures). So, yes, Poe can write nature descriptions; and a beautiful island might house fairies. But, ultimately this wasn't a story as much as a setting for a story.
The Assignation--I didn't get this one; ultimately I think the young man with the cape was death and he gave back the baby in exchange for the mother the next morning. However, it escapes me why the narrator had met him before and would refer to him as a friend. Again, the imagery was good, but the "ah ha!" moment felt too forced.
The Pit and the Pendulum--I have heard of this, but had not read it before. I liked the suspense involved and the layers of understanding as we (the reader and the protagonist) realize the predicament. I was surprised at the idea of the collapsing metal box (reminded me of the garbage compactor scene in Star Wars), especially given the time of Poe's writing (again, he has some idea of future technologies), but then I was really annoyed both that it was supposed to have been set in the time of the Inquisition (they would NOT have had the technology to move metal walls quickly back then) AND with the last minute save. It would have been a much better story if it had been set in the future (for Poe) and the protagonist was pushed into the pit at the end.
The Premature Burial--This was again a more psychologically based horror than an actual horror. I liked the preface with all of the history of people who had been buried alive (and, of course, in modern times this is much less likely but certainly imaginable that in the past the medical profession was not as good as they are now of determining death). I was not convinced of the likelihood of the protagonist's "coma disease". After all, seven months without IVs would result in death by dehydration (just over a week would kill the coma person) and so it was absurd, but again this shows the lack of medical knowledge for the time. I did like the conclusion though: "I dismissed forever my charnel apprehensions, and with them vanished the cataleptic disorder, of which, perhaps, they had been less the consequences than the cause."
The Domain of Arnheim--This is another of the landscape stories. I don't know why I find it so odd that Poe was drawn to natural description, probably just because his reputation in modern times is horror/suspense. Clearly, though the theme of natural beauty is throughout his work. The idea of this one was rather far-fetched: richest person alive (practically) is obsessed with creating the most beautiful landscape and again there was not much plot or interest, it was just filled with natural description.
Landor's Cottage--An addendum to Arnheim and another natural description (this time, though of the cottage). I was less than enamored and bored of the lack of plot.
William Wilson--I liked this one. It felt like a fore-runner to Fight Club and certainly must be the first example of split personality in fiction. It was a bit unbelievable (because of the way others address the other Wilson) and also a bit too easy to figure out, but for its time must have been cutting edge.
The Tell Tale Heart--I first read this is in an anthology for children when I was about 9 years old. It has stuck with me all these years (the eye...the bloody EYE!) and has always been a great example in my mind of the compelling nature of guilt.
Berenice--Quite entertaining. This might be my favorite in the book, with the exception of Tell Tale Heart. I liked the quick development and the odd obsession with her teeth. Of course the face that the narrator himself suffers from mental lapses and memory loss just adds a layer of confusion
Eleonora--Once again the reader visits the valley of Arnheim to meet the lovely characters inside. I had mis-remembered this one. For some reason I thought Eleonora came back from the dead to kill the protagonist, but clearly she does not. It is the sole story with a "happy ending" in which the ghost gives up. I wasn't crazy about the story, but the twist was nice.
May 5, 2017
A very mixed bag.
This anthology contains many of Poe's most well-known and well-regarded horror stories. Those were excellent, though not quite as good as I remembered them to be.
But it also contains quite a few that are dull enough that they were a chore to read, and at least one that was so impenetrable that I read the same page a dozen times and still barely comprehended what Poe was trying to say.
But I'm glad to have (finally) read "William Wilson", which I've been meaning to read for quite a while now.
This anthology contains many of Poe's most well-known and well-regarded horror stories. Those were excellent, though not quite as good as I remembered them to be.
But it also contains quite a few that are dull enough that they were a chore to read, and at least one that was so impenetrable that I read the same page a dozen times and still barely comprehended what Poe was trying to say.
But I'm glad to have (finally) read "William Wilson", which I've been meaning to read for quite a while now.
March 7, 2017
"The Purloined letter" is just one example of why so much of Poe's writing has stood the test of time.
He's 'sui generis'.
He's 'sui generis'.
November 11, 2008
Ah, here are the "classics" of Poe—The Purloined Letter, The Cask of Amontillado, The Masque of the Red Death. But in between are more of those skipping tales of fancy, like The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherezade, wherein she is a smart-ass and it ends badly. And tucked in at the end are two pieces that I was wildly excited about, primarily
Landor's Cottage
(which The Domain of Arnheim is but a set-up for):
"One thing became more and more evident the longer I gazed: an artist, and one with a most scrupulous eye for form, had superintended all these arrangements. The greatest care had been taken to preserve a due medium between the neat and graceful on the one hand, and the picturesque, in the true sense of the Italian term, on the other. There were few straight, and no long uninterrupted lines. The same effect of curvature or of color appeared twice, usually, but not oftener, at any one point of view. Everywhere was variety in uniformity. It was a piece of "composition," in which the most fastidiously critical taste could scarcely have suggested an emendation."
Eee! Gothic Revival gardening—a vibrant rebuttal to the staid classic style's geometry and control of form—with influences in theatre dressing and nature at its wildest, here described so heart-rendingly and with perfect form. Why the crap do we only pay attention to the probable incest of Usher?
"One thing became more and more evident the longer I gazed: an artist, and one with a most scrupulous eye for form, had superintended all these arrangements. The greatest care had been taken to preserve a due medium between the neat and graceful on the one hand, and the picturesque, in the true sense of the Italian term, on the other. There were few straight, and no long uninterrupted lines. The same effect of curvature or of color appeared twice, usually, but not oftener, at any one point of view. Everywhere was variety in uniformity. It was a piece of "composition," in which the most fastidiously critical taste could scarcely have suggested an emendation."
Eee! Gothic Revival gardening—a vibrant rebuttal to the staid classic style's geometry and control of form—with influences in theatre dressing and nature at its wildest, here described so heart-rendingly and with perfect form. Why the crap do we only pay attention to the probable incest of Usher?
February 25, 2012
I enjoyed this a lot more than Volume I. The tales were a little darker and more fantastic. It included the Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum. Someone had made the comment here earlier that it was best to 'stick to the better-known pieces - everything else is mediocre' (Forgive the inexact paraphrase). I found this to be partially true. There were some where I felt Poe was stretching and I felt no resonance or terror at all. There were other stories that I had not heard of before (Arnheim, William Wilson) that I thought were quite well done. I definitely plan on continuing my voyage through the succeeding volumes.
December 11, 2014
I think I've now read Poe's most famous stories, which is interesting since I've got vol.s 1, 3 and 4 to go. A few of the stories were really similar to each other - for example The Tell-Tale Heart and the one earlier in the collection where the character does almost exactly the same thing at the end. I do like how he has this long lead up to what's going on because in the good stories, this adds to the suspense. In the ones I liked less though it was really tedious.
Let's blame the baby for the fact that this was meant to be read in October, as my plan was to read a volume each year. Didn't expect it to take until December! Oops.
Let's blame the baby for the fact that this was meant to be read in October, as my plan was to read a volume each year. Didn't expect it to take until December! Oops.
January 17, 2016
Probably should have read it at night. Also, only contained four short stories, only one really creepy. Can't really complain though, it was free.
Despite saying that and with this rating, Edgar Allan Poe was a true master and an inspiration to the genre. But they could have brought better stories into this.
It's possible it could have been the editing/translation of my version, but again, wasn't exactly a joyful read, except for one really good story. Also felt the ones chosen were a bit repetitive by the "culprit" going insane with guild and revealing everything anyway by some dumb move.
Despite saying that and with this rating, Edgar Allan Poe was a true master and an inspiration to the genre. But they could have brought better stories into this.
It's possible it could have been the editing/translation of my version, but again, wasn't exactly a joyful read, except for one really good story. Also felt the ones chosen were a bit repetitive by the "culprit" going insane with guild and revealing everything anyway by some dumb move.
February 2, 2022
Continuing my deep dive into Poe's work, Vol 2 completed today. Overall very good, with a few of my faves (The Masque of the Red Death tops everything in this volume, just sayin'), but I was perplexed by The Domain of Arnheim and Landor's Cottage. While they were explorations into nature and architecture, I was left wondering what was the point, other than the aforementioned nature and architecture. Of course, if that was what they were meant to convey, rather than be a tale unto themselves, sure, I get it. The latter definitely sounded like a place I could live, provided it was in a warm climate (personal bias, just go with it) and the description was full enough that I could literally see the house in my mind's eye. Of the tales included, over half were ones I had not read before, so it was well worth my time for that alone!
January 24, 2021
Enjoyable collection of stories by Edgar Allen Poe.
1. The Purloined Letter
2. The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade
3. A Descent into the Maelstrom
4. Von Kempelen and his Discovery
5. Mesmeric Revelation
6. The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
7. The Black Cat
8. The Fall of the House of Usher
9. Silence - A Fable
10. The Masque of the Red Death
11. The Cask of Amontillado
12. The Imp of the Perverse
13. The Island of the Fay
14. The Assignation
15. The Pit and the Pendulum
16. The Premature Burial
17. The Domain of Arnheim
18. Landor's Cottage
19. William Wilson
20. The Tell-tale Heart
21. Berenice
22. Eleonora
1. The Purloined Letter
2. The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade
3. A Descent into the Maelstrom
4. Von Kempelen and his Discovery
5. Mesmeric Revelation
6. The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
7. The Black Cat
8. The Fall of the House of Usher
9. Silence - A Fable
10. The Masque of the Red Death
11. The Cask of Amontillado
12. The Imp of the Perverse
13. The Island of the Fay
14. The Assignation
15. The Pit and the Pendulum
16. The Premature Burial
17. The Domain of Arnheim
18. Landor's Cottage
19. William Wilson
20. The Tell-tale Heart
21. Berenice
22. Eleonora
April 9, 2021
As the author writes in Eleonora... "Men have called me mad; but the question is not yet settled, whether madness is or is not the loftiest intelligence - whether much that is glorious - whether all that is profound - does not spring from disease of thought - from moods of mind exalted at the expense of the general intellect."
Lots of creepy and sometimes disturbing tales, with an occasional enjoyable one.
Lots of creepy and sometimes disturbing tales, with an occasional enjoyable one.
May 31, 2022
The Fall of the House of Usher is fantastic. Every word is perfectly placed and flows so beautifully. Others such as the Tell Tale Heart and The Black Cat are also pretty great.
Unfortunately there are other stories that are half baked, including a couple that are just long descriptions with no actual storytelling. Still, I'm glad I was able to read the full collection. Makes me want to re-watch all those old Vincent Price adaptations I saw when I was a kid.
Unfortunately there are other stories that are half baked, including a couple that are just long descriptions with no actual storytelling. Still, I'm glad I was able to read the full collection. Makes me want to re-watch all those old Vincent Price adaptations I saw when I was a kid.
February 6, 2023
Definitely better than the first volume, but I have to be honest that I can't go any further in the series. Poe and I are finished for now. The famous stories are famous for a reason and I love them. The rest of this is just strange. It's like Edgar sat down and said "hey! what if I just write out my intrusive thoughts in stream of consciousness? No need for an actual plot. Just weird stuff. People will love it".
November 18, 2020
Completed a personal goal in reading both Sweetwater Press volumes of Poe's shorts in 2020. I learned from the experience that reading Poe's stories whose titles are familiar would have sufficed. The lesser-known works are that for good reason. About 80 pages of the 324-page Volume II are worthy--that's better than Volume I.
November 16, 2021
2.5 Some classics here, but many of the lesser works are tedious or wandering. I will probably continue with the complete works after a break, but I get why his work is often sold in a best of anthology.
April 20, 2021
Masterly
Read
February 12, 2022Red dead, short, 3 sundays.
Too short to rate
Too short to rate
December 7, 2022
And Edgar Allan Poe held sway over all gothic horror
January 4, 2024
Many of the best located here; in fact, all of the fiction I'd previously read. What could possibly be in the other three volumes? I'm excited to find out!
October 25, 2025
i enjoyed most of these stories very much. only a couple were difficult to follow and get through.
May 7, 2018
The Purloined Letter 3* - the third of Poe's detective stories following The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Mystery of Marie Rogêt. The detective stories are not my favorites of his works.
The Thousand-and-second Tale of Scheherazade 2* - this was suppose to be a sequel of One Thousand and One Nights that was suppose to add contemporary events as mysteries in the form of tales told by Scheherazade to the king.
A Descent into the Maelström 3* - This was the age of adventure/science fiction and Poe also contributed to the genre. This is a story of a man survived a shipwreck and whirlpool off the Norwegian coast.
Von Kempelen and his Discovery 3* - Poe was also really into literary hoaxes and wrote this story about alchemy around the time the California Gold Rush was hitting the news. I like this one more for the historic context.
Mesmeric Revelation 2* - Poe really loved the fads of his day. Hypnotism seemed to be in rage during this era. In this tale, a dying man who was put under has a philosophical discussion on God.
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar 4* - original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Black Cat 5* - One of the ultimate Poe stories everyone studies in school at some point involving a man walling up his wife and her pet cat.
The Fall of the House of Usher 4* - I think this is the most atmospheric of the tales. A man is called to an old mansion owned by a pair of twins - a man and a woman - who suffer from some disease. At one point, the woman is believe to be dead and is entombed. They soon believe the house is haunted.
Silence - A Fable 4* - I think this is one of the few stories Poe wrote that could still be relatable today. A demon is wandering in a worn-torn town somewhere in the Middle East and stops to watch a man, who is terrified and taking a rest. He tries to create chaos around to drive the man mad, but it is when the demon is angry and silence happens that both are taken back.
The Masque of the Red Death 5* - Another favorite. A proud prince wants to escape a deadly plague, so he shuts himself away with other members of the nobility and throws a party. However, death, in the form of the plague shows up to the party.
The Cask of Amontillado 5* - Original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Imp of the Perverse 3* - The inner psychological thoughts of a murderer.
The Island of the Fay 3* - One of the few non-dark stories, this is a rather ethereal, descriptive tale centering around a land of fairies.
The Assignation 3* - beautiful descriptions of Venice. A tale of a man who meets a woman whose child fell into a canal. The child was saved by another person. The man offers the savior a ride in his gondola, but has to listen to his for the rest of the night. Before both leave, the woman offers an omen of meeting again.
The Pit and the Pendulum 5* - Another one of the more well-known classics; a man recounts his torture and fear during the Spanish Inquisition. However, there is a bit of licence taken with the history.
The Premature Burial 5* - Poe had a very big fear of being buried alive. Several of his stories, in one way or another, revolve around the premise. However, this seems to be the one that showcases his fear the most, instead of it being inflicted on another character.
The Domain of Arnheim 3* - This is another tale that is quite different: a young man inherits the fortune of an ancestor and goes about setting up a magnificent garden.
Landor's Cottage 3* - This one is rather meh, but beautifully written. It is kind of a follow up from the previous story of a man who is getting high off the scenery of the countryside when he comes across a cottage, goes in, meets the owner, and has a lovely afternoon.
William Wilson 5* - This one might tie as a favorite with Berenice for me. William Wilson when he gets to Eton and Oxford is pursued by a doppelgänger. As he tries to get away from his double, he roams the world delving into all types of vice. In Venice, during Carnivale, he confronts his double.
The Tell-tale Heart 5* - Original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Berenice 5* - Original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Eleonora 4* - This is a tale more along the lines of Poe's poetry. A beautiful young woman lives in a place that is enchanting, but she dies. The narrator leaves after it seems the place is less enchanting and finds love again.
The Thousand-and-second Tale of Scheherazade 2* - this was suppose to be a sequel of One Thousand and One Nights that was suppose to add contemporary events as mysteries in the form of tales told by Scheherazade to the king.
A Descent into the Maelström 3* - This was the age of adventure/science fiction and Poe also contributed to the genre. This is a story of a man survived a shipwreck and whirlpool off the Norwegian coast.
Von Kempelen and his Discovery 3* - Poe was also really into literary hoaxes and wrote this story about alchemy around the time the California Gold Rush was hitting the news. I like this one more for the historic context.
Mesmeric Revelation 2* - Poe really loved the fads of his day. Hypnotism seemed to be in rage during this era. In this tale, a dying man who was put under has a philosophical discussion on God.
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar 4* - original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Black Cat 5* - One of the ultimate Poe stories everyone studies in school at some point involving a man walling up his wife and her pet cat.
The Fall of the House of Usher 4* - I think this is the most atmospheric of the tales. A man is called to an old mansion owned by a pair of twins - a man and a woman - who suffer from some disease. At one point, the woman is believe to be dead and is entombed. They soon believe the house is haunted.
Silence - A Fable 4* - I think this is one of the few stories Poe wrote that could still be relatable today. A demon is wandering in a worn-torn town somewhere in the Middle East and stops to watch a man, who is terrified and taking a rest. He tries to create chaos around to drive the man mad, but it is when the demon is angry and silence happens that both are taken back.
The Masque of the Red Death 5* - Another favorite. A proud prince wants to escape a deadly plague, so he shuts himself away with other members of the nobility and throws a party. However, death, in the form of the plague shows up to the party.
The Cask of Amontillado 5* - Original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The Imp of the Perverse 3* - The inner psychological thoughts of a murderer.
The Island of the Fay 3* - One of the few non-dark stories, this is a rather ethereal, descriptive tale centering around a land of fairies.
The Assignation 3* - beautiful descriptions of Venice. A tale of a man who meets a woman whose child fell into a canal. The child was saved by another person. The man offers the savior a ride in his gondola, but has to listen to his for the rest of the night. Before both leave, the woman offers an omen of meeting again.
The Pit and the Pendulum 5* - Another one of the more well-known classics; a man recounts his torture and fear during the Spanish Inquisition. However, there is a bit of licence taken with the history.
The Premature Burial 5* - Poe had a very big fear of being buried alive. Several of his stories, in one way or another, revolve around the premise. However, this seems to be the one that showcases his fear the most, instead of it being inflicted on another character.
The Domain of Arnheim 3* - This is another tale that is quite different: a young man inherits the fortune of an ancestor and goes about setting up a magnificent garden.
Landor's Cottage 3* - This one is rather meh, but beautifully written. It is kind of a follow up from the previous story of a man who is getting high off the scenery of the countryside when he comes across a cottage, goes in, meets the owner, and has a lovely afternoon.
William Wilson 5* - This one might tie as a favorite with Berenice for me. William Wilson when he gets to Eton and Oxford is pursued by a doppelgänger. As he tries to get away from his double, he roams the world delving into all types of vice. In Venice, during Carnivale, he confronts his double.
The Tell-tale Heart 5* - Original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Berenice 5* - Original review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Eleonora 4* - This is a tale more along the lines of Poe's poetry. A beautiful young woman lives in a place that is enchanting, but she dies. The narrator leaves after it seems the place is less enchanting and finds love again.
December 28, 2014
Several of the stories are brilliant, several are terribly boring. The rest is good.
1/ The Purloined Letter
the third of Auguste Dupin Tales, not as good as The Murders in the Rue Morgue
2/The Thousand and Second Tale of Scheherazade
the one tale that cost Sheherezade's life
3/A Descent into the Maelstrom
a classic, a sailor recounts how he survived a shipwreck and a great whirlpool
4/ Von Kempelen and his Discovery
a literary hoax in a form of news article, intended to make readers believe that the philosopher's stone was discovered
5/ Mesmeric Revelation
6/ The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar
both stories are about mesmerists who put a man in a suspended hypnotic state at the moment of death, another literary hoax
7/ The Black Cat
another classic, a narrative of a murderer
8/ The Fall of the House of Usher
another classic tale with a horror feel
9/ Silence - a fable
what devil has to say about men
10/ The Masque of the Red Death
chilling allegory
11/ The Cask of Amontillado
a study in revenge
12/ The Imp of the Perverse
what's it with Poe and his fascination with murderers
13/The Island of the Fay
14/ The Assignation
tragic romance in Venice
15/ The Pit and the Pendulum
horrors of Spanish inquisition
16/ The Premature Burial
classical horror
17/ The Domain of Arnheim
18/Landor's Cottage
pointless and boring descriptions of scenery
19/ William Wilson
doppelganger story
20/ Berenice
monomaniac's obsession with teeth? Sounds silly, but it makes for a chilling story.
21/Eleonora
eternal love vow and what comes of breaking it
1/ The Purloined Letter
the third of Auguste Dupin Tales, not as good as The Murders in the Rue Morgue
2/The Thousand and Second Tale of Scheherazade
the one tale that cost Sheherezade's life
3/A Descent into the Maelstrom
a classic, a sailor recounts how he survived a shipwreck and a great whirlpool
4/ Von Kempelen and his Discovery
a literary hoax in a form of news article, intended to make readers believe that the philosopher's stone was discovered
5/ Mesmeric Revelation
6/ The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar
both stories are about mesmerists who put a man in a suspended hypnotic state at the moment of death, another literary hoax
7/ The Black Cat
another classic, a narrative of a murderer
8/ The Fall of the House of Usher
another classic tale with a horror feel
9/ Silence - a fable
what devil has to say about men
10/ The Masque of the Red Death
chilling allegory
11/ The Cask of Amontillado
a study in revenge
12/ The Imp of the Perverse
what's it with Poe and his fascination with murderers
13/The Island of the Fay
14/ The Assignation
tragic romance in Venice
15/ The Pit and the Pendulum
horrors of Spanish inquisition
16/ The Premature Burial
classical horror
17/ The Domain of Arnheim
18/Landor's Cottage
pointless and boring descriptions of scenery
19/ William Wilson
doppelganger story
20/ Berenice
monomaniac's obsession with teeth? Sounds silly, but it makes for a chilling story.
21/Eleonora
eternal love vow and what comes of breaking it
January 24, 2015
In this second volume of short stories, the author takes us though a journey of first person narratives, sometimes he is the ear and at other times he is the voice and always the thoughts of each character as they relate the tale. I was not surprised at the macabre in his works, I was well familiar with them. What I was not expecting in a few was the romantic side of Poe which came out in several of the stories. As my journey continues in discovering Poe I find he was very well educated and broached all areas of the physical and spiritual aspects of the human nature and sciences. He has undoubtedly been versed in several languages as well as subject matter and it comes into his writing. In this volume a few more notable works appear especially "A Descent Into The Maelstrom", "The Black Cat", "The Fall Of The House Of Usher", "The Masque Of The Red Death", "The Pit And The Pendulum" and "The Premature Burial", just to name a few. The movie industry has taken advantage of Poe in using his stories as the basis for visual productions but one should not forget that being "based" on does not mean the movie will be identical to the original story. Very worthwhile and enjoyable read.
December 28, 2014
Tardé casi cuatro meses en leer este libro. Poe fue un genio, de eso no hay duda; tenía una creatividad literalmente endemoniada, un pensamiento original y retorcido. Sin embargo, fue todo un desafío leerlo en inglés, probablemente sea todo un desafío incluso para un angloparlante nativo. Su lenguaje llega a ser tan complicado como el de Shakespeare mismo, sus descripciones kilométricas hacen que uno conozca a la perfección el escenario, mientras en segundo plano se desarrolla la historia, casi inadvertida. Muchas de las narraciones en este volumen han pasado a la historia, pero hay también algunas que son insufribles. Landor's Cottage fue un martirio, me causó el mismo sufrimiento que leer a Dickens.
Por otra parte, los relatos de Berenice y Eleonora pueden arrancarle lágrimas a una roca: es en el sufrimiento cuando un artista crea obras inmortales, es en estos cuentos en los que Poe lamenta su maldición, la de ver morir a toda mujer que ha amado.
Si se tiene mucho tiempo y algo de valentía, vale la pena leer esta compilación.
"Either the memory of past bliss is the anguish of to-day, or the agonies which are, have their origin in the ecstasies which might have been."
Por otra parte, los relatos de Berenice y Eleonora pueden arrancarle lágrimas a una roca: es en el sufrimiento cuando un artista crea obras inmortales, es en estos cuentos en los que Poe lamenta su maldición, la de ver morir a toda mujer que ha amado.
Si se tiene mucho tiempo y algo de valentía, vale la pena leer esta compilación.
"Either the memory of past bliss is the anguish of to-day, or the agonies which are, have their origin in the ecstasies which might have been."
August 16, 2019
Read several of the short stories. An innovative author that shaped the then-unprecedented genre of detective mystery. His short stories manage to convey a lot of his own internal struggles that strangely only improve the narratives, giving every story an unsettling, eerie and sinister feel to them. One specifically stood out to me, the short story titled" The Black Cat " in which "we", the reader, are narrated through a set of events by our unreliable, mentally unstable and drunk protagonist. What made this story so memorable was the author's ability to not only convey the protagonist's emotions but to do it in such a way that the reader embodies them in a somewhat form of emotional contagion.
Reading through the stories you can really see how he has shaped a lot of modern work, I kept on thinking about Roald Dahl's TV series the "Tales of the Unexpected", The Twilight Zone and even Black Mirror, as they all manage to communicate a similar overwhelming ill-omened and ominous feeling.
That I weirdly enjoy.
Reading through the stories you can really see how he has shaped a lot of modern work, I kept on thinking about Roald Dahl's TV series the "Tales of the Unexpected", The Twilight Zone and even Black Mirror, as they all manage to communicate a similar overwhelming ill-omened and ominous feeling.
That I weirdly enjoy.
August 8, 2017
Many of these stories have been reviewed separately on my shelves. This volume contains:
The Purloined Letter
The Thousand-and-second Tale of Scheherazade
A Descent into the Maelstrom
Von Kempelen and his Discovery
Mesmeric Revelation
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Black Cat
The Fall of the House of Usher
Silence - A Fable
The Masque of the Red Death
The Cask of Amontillado
The Imp of the Perverse
The Island of the Fay
The Assignation
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Premature Burial
The Domain of Arnheim
Landor's Cottage
William Wilson
The Tell-tale Heart
Berenice
Eleonora
The Purloined Letter
The Thousand-and-second Tale of Scheherazade
A Descent into the Maelstrom
Von Kempelen and his Discovery
Mesmeric Revelation
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
The Black Cat
The Fall of the House of Usher
Silence - A Fable
The Masque of the Red Death
The Cask of Amontillado
The Imp of the Perverse
The Island of the Fay
The Assignation
The Pit and the Pendulum
The Premature Burial
The Domain of Arnheim
Landor's Cottage
William Wilson
The Tell-tale Heart
Berenice
Eleonora
October 13, 2013
This volume contains a lot of Poe's best known stories including The Black Cat, The Cask of Amontillado and The Fall of the House of Usher as well as many others. However, there are also some less well known works that are quite dull like the two "sketches" The Domain of Arnheim and Landor's Cottage.
Since this book is in the public domain and therefore available for free, I recommend downloading it and just picking out the most famous stories to read and skipping the others.
Since this book is in the public domain and therefore available for free, I recommend downloading it and just picking out the most famous stories to read and skipping the others.
October 26, 2015
I give it a 3.5. Some stories were brilliant and others just tedious. Details were warranted in some stories and others it just dragged on and on. But, I am of a different time period so I should probably adjust my feelings about that in relation to the quality of writing which is high. Most enjoyed ´The Pit and the Pendulum', 'The Black Cat', 'William Wilson' and ´The Cask of Amontillado'.
December 31, 2011
There is some great stories in this volume including Tell Tell Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, the Black Cat, and The Fall of the House of Usher. All 4 of these stories made the volume 2 collection for me. Give this one a whirl if you have time.
November 11, 2012
Mixed bag - the best are brilliant (The Purloined Letter, The Pit & the Pendulum, The Cask of Amontillado, the Black Cat, Tell-tale Heart), a few are dreadfully dull (Mesmeric Revelations, The Domain of Arnheim) and some were good but not excellent.
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