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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply one of the best books you will ever encounter!,
By
This review is from: Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories (Hardcover)
I used to work at the Poe Musuem in Richmond, Virginia. One day a well dressed gentleman came in and introduced himself as Mr. Poe (sure, I thought, and I am George Washingon) - I later found out that he WAS Mr. Poe - a distant relative of Edgar Allan Poe. And I was overjoyed when I ran across this book - it is without a doubt one of the best books I have ever read about Poe - and I do a great deal of research for my show "Celebrate Poe: A Visit from the Ghost of Edgar Allan Poe." - I use this book as a "prop" in the show because of all the excellent copies of documents from Poe's life - this is DEFINITELY a book to you should not miss.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must-have collector's item for fans of Edgar Allan Poe!,
This review is from: Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories (Hardcover)
I could not believe it when I came across this book in the bargain section of a local bookstore and quickly snapped up a copy. What a treasure indeed for a Poe fan! This book has been well-compiled by accomplished author Harry Lee Poe, a cousin of Edgar Allan Poe, and a past president of the Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia.
In "Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories", Poe's biography is told in a series of chapters: The Landscape Garden [1809-1827], Tamerlane [1827-1831], Berenice [1831-1837], The Fall of The House of Usher [1837-1842], The Tell-Tale Heart [1842-1844], The Raven [1844-1847], Eureka [1847-1849] and Poe's Mortem. Throughout the book, there are interesting memorabilia [removable] such as reproductions of the marriage bond between Elizabeth Arnold Hopkins and David Poe Jr, a letter from Edgar to John Allan, Edgar's army enlistment document, selected pages from John Allan's account books reflecting the payments he'd made on Edgar's behalf, the cover of the Baltimore Sunday Visiter which contains Edagr's "Manuscript found in a Bottle", the marriage bond between Edgar and his cousin Virginia, selected pages from the first printing of The Raven, Poe's obituary as it appeared in the New York Daily Tribune and many others. There are also lots of archival photographs throughout the book, as well as family portraits, pictures of the original covers of some of Poe's works, film posters of movies adapted from Poe's works [Spirits of the Dead, 1968 directed by Roger Vadim], original illustrations found in Poe's works etc. Also included are bits of Poe-related trivia. Whilst far from being a comprehensive biography of Edgar Allan Poe, this serves as a collector's item for Poe fans with lots of archival documents/ photographs/trivia etc to keep fans happy.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is where to start your Poe studies,
By Dark Romantic (Near Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Edgar Allan Poe: An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories (Hardcover)
I didn't think a book like this was possible. Harry Lee Poe has done his distant ancestor an incredible service by presenting an homage that is fair, accurate, balanced, and fun to read. This unconventional biography is supplemented with pull-outs which include reproductions of manuscripts, letters, etc. As great as these little add-ons are, they do not make the book (and, truth be told, some are interesting, others are unnecessary); it is the text that causes me to give this a rare 5-star review. The book is well-written, easy to follow, and engaging - though it certainly helps that this is a gorgeous book, illustrated lusciously and supplemented with many useful sidebar articles.
In all frankness, this book tells Poe's true story in a way that no other Poe biographer has done before. It presents the facts cleanly removed from the myth and legend (but still makes sure to explain that stuff too). It doesn't overdo it on literary analysis (a problem in A. H. Quinn's book for those beginning their Poe pursuits) but still discusses the most important (like "The Raven") and some of the lesser-known as well. It puts Poe in his own historical context as a struggling writer but also fast-forwards to discuss his unquestionable importance and popularity today. When acquaintances asked me for a good book recommendation to start their Poe studies, I had to give a long, convoluted answer to define which bios to avoid, which to read with a grain of salt, and which to read only in part. My answer got easier. If you are looking for a place to start your Poe studies, THIS is the book, hands down.
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