Should have read classics discussion

I started this thread so that Poe's stories could be discussed over a certain time period if people wanted to. I have seen the ads for The Raven, which looks intriguing so I hope that a good discussion gets going!

Yay! I'm starting with The Murders at Rue Morgue, if everyone wants to start there!

Brooke wrote: "Yay! I'm starting with The Murders at Rue Morgue, if everyone wants to start there!"

I'll start with that one this week.

Well, I'm reading The Dupin Tales: The Murders in the Rue Morgue and this is the first Dupin story out of three. There is also The Mystery of Marie Roget, another inspirational story for the Raven movie, and Purloined Letter.

We have a clueless police force, a genius detective with analytical mind, his friend and flatmate who is by no means stupid but nowhere as brilliant and who is the narrator of the stories. Sounds familiar? Well, I knew that Sherlock Holmes was based on Dupin, I was just surprised that A.C. Doyle re-used the whole format of Poe's stories (and this is not a critique just observation) .

How is everyone liking this one?

I was delighted and amazed at the fact that Poe wrote Sherlock Holmes before there was Sherlock Holmes. I loved the story. I am not a fan of horror, so this is my favorite Poe story. I do love detective stories.
Poe is a funny case. In many ways, he does not seem to be one of the truly greatest writers. His plots are pretty simple -- he pretty much creates an atmosphere or explores an idea rather than telling a long story with an intricate plot. But his material created so many ideas for other writers to draw on in their own work that you have to recognize his significance.

A sequential list describing which 'gaslight' detective novels emerged when, can be browsed here:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
(halfway down page)

I wouldn't necessarily assume that Doyle simply 'lifted Poe's format from him'. Somewhat of a superficial similarity, I feel. There were plenty of other influences for Doyle to pluck from as the list (in the link) shows.

BTW, 'Marie Roget' was based on Poe's interest in an actual unsolved murder of the era--a cause celebre' which had everyone's tongue wagging. Interesting episode in his life (Doyle used to do this kind of thing as well).

Wow, quite the exhaustive list of early detective stories. Thanks!
I am reading The Purloined Letter today. I have a guess at Dupin's solution, but have yet to get to the part of the story that will confirm or refute my idea -- as I was interrupted earlier today in the middle of the story.

I plan to look for Marie Roget, to complete the Dupin trilogy.