Reading List Completists discussion

The winner of last month's poll starts today - discuss it here!

I am thankful that this is a very short one - with my reading slump, that is what I need!

However, I noticed that many versions of this are grouped with some other Poe tales. Are any of you using this as an opportunity to try out a few of his other stories, too?

Yes, my copy comes with the Pit and the Pendulum and other tales. So yes, I'm planning on reading all of them. :)

Eileen wrote: "Yes, my copy comes with the Pit and the Pendulum and other tales. So yes, I'm planning on reading all of them. :)"

Awesome! I remember reading that one years ago - along with The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado. I feel like I have read The Fall of the House of Usher before, but I don't remember for sure.

I'm pretty sure I've read all three of those, but my memory of them is a bit hazy. I do remember what Tell-Tale Heart is about though!

Eileen wrote: "I'm pretty sure I've read all three of those, but my memory of them is a bit hazy. I do remember what Tell-Tale Heart is about though!"

One of the Pendergast books has many references to The Cask of Amontillado! I can't remember exactly which one - you may have read it already!

Yes on both. I am thankful that it isn't very long, I just read a tome, so this was great and I am delving into some of his other short works I hadn't read before. I really like Poe. He had such a gift for description, goth atmosphere and pure contort of mind and illusion. Love it. Glad I read this :)

Matthew wrote: "Eileen wrote: "I'm pretty sure I've read all three of those, but my memory of them is a bit hazy. I do remember what Tell-Tale Heart is about though!"

One of the Pendergast books has many referenc..."

I think it's the Diogenes book where Pendergast is entombed in the wall. Maybe?

Scarlett wrote: "Yes on both. I am thankful that it isn't very long, I just read a tome, so this was great and I am delving into some of his other short works I hadn't read before. I really like Poe. He had such a ..."

Great to hear that this was the perfect selection for you this month, Scarlett! 😁

Eileen wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Eileen wrote: "I'm pretty sure I've read all three of those, but my memory of them is a bit hazy. I do remember what Tell-Tale Heart is about though!"

One of the Pendergast books h..."

Yes - that's it - but off the top of my head, I couldn't tell you which one that was (title).

Matthew wrote: "Yes - that's it - but off the top of my head, I couldn't tell you which one that was (title)."

It was Dance of Death, I believe, which is the 2nd of the 3 Diogenese books.

Such creepy, gothic horror. I found this more intense than The Cask of Amontillado. Poe really had an obsession for (view spoiler)[people being entombed alive. (hide spoiler)]

I had never actually read any Poe until now. I even had a copy of Poe's complete works. So densely detailed I ended up giving it as much time and attention as some novellas. And the timing of this selection! It kept occurring to me that during a pandemic I was reading about isolated, stressed-out people, isolated from the rest of the world.

Listened to the entire thing on my lunchtime walk yesterday - Chick is so right about the timing of this one!

See my review here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I both listened to and read this book and I have to say that listening to it the second time made it even better. The narrator did a great job and even though I knew how the story ended, just hearing his voice describe the madness of Usher (and even the narrator) was excellent! I ended up reading and listening to 10 tales and in each case I thought the narrator added a lot to the tales. Matthew and Chuck are absolutely right--the timing was perfect. Also, The Masque of the Red Death fit right in as well.

My review is here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

And for those of you wanting to read more of his tales, I found this awesome website where you can read his short stories:

https://poestories.com/stories.php

Eileen wrote: "I both listened to and read this book and I have to say that listening to it the second time made it even better. The narrator did a great job and even though I knew how the story ended, just heari..."

Glad you enjoyed, Eileen! And, I am impressed you read it twice during a time I can barely get myself to read things once!

Matthew wrote: "Glad you enjoyed, Eileen! And, I am impressed you read it twice during a time I can barely get myself to read things once!"

I've been reading and listening in my downtime between students, but I also listen when I force myself to take a walk and also when I work on my puzzle. :) I'm currently reading and listening (simultaneously) to The Secret History and at first the author's voice totally annoyed me, but once I decided to just go with it and pretend I was in a room with her reading it out loud, it got better. And the writing is quite good.

I read this - The Fall of the House of Usher, The Masque of the Red Death, and The Cask of Amontillado. I have not read Poe since high school/college. I was very impressed by his writing - not cheesy horror that I remembered in high school (or that perennial English class fav The Raven "nevermore"). Its so interesting to reapproach literature that you read years ago in a fresh eye. I would like to read more and perhaps a biography - though I read the short bio in the collection. I can see why he was so influential in mystery, horror, literature and he only lived to 40! He has a distinct voice and world view that is unnerving. Recommended.

Brooklyn wrote: "I read this - The Fall of the House of Usher, The Masque of the Red Death, and The Cask of Amontillado. I have not read Poe since high school/college. I was very impressed by his writing - not chee..."

I cannot remember exactly which ones I read back in school, but I can say that I don't remember connecting to his writing as much as I did this time. Always worth trying and retrying something - you never know what you might find!

A month late... But still relevant as the covid situation hasn't changed (here in the Netherlands). I really enjoyed this one, it amazes me how Poe can set such a convincing scene in such a short story. I also recently read the Cask of Amontillado which I found much less haunting.

Here I keep wondering what is real. Is the sister real for one? How can your best friend not know you have a twin sister? And I wonder why no one leaves the place. They aren't kept there against their will.