Customer Reviews

Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy

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Edgar Allan Poe: His Life and Legacy is a biography that focuses both on Poe's personal life and his literary legacy. While it doesn't go into great detail about the writing process of Poe's tales and poems, the book does discuss in detail the impact that his work had on other authors of the time and in the future, such as Baudelaire and Arthur Conan Doyle. The book also discusses Poe's contribution to modern writing styles, such as the detective story and the adventure tale. When dealing with Poe's personal life, the author wrote about the negative as well as the positive in what seemed to be an attempt to present the facts about Poe's life and temperament in a sympathetic fashion - though the author does have a few obvious "What the hell was Poe thinking?!" moments when writing about Poe's self-destructive behavioral tendencies. Overall, I found the account to be a fascinating and enlightening read, and I highly recommend it for Poe fans who are curious about the man behind the tales.

besides being a thorough biography on Poe this book describes his influence on American and European literature.I hadn't realized before how many writers were influenced by Poe's writings and consciously or subconsciouly tried to imitate him.The way that Poe liked to accuse authors of plagiarism he would have a field day on the authors both major and minor who "borrowed" his ideas and style.Some of these authors after criticizing Poe's work either are shown by the author this book as "copycats" or insignificants.The better authors however have given Poe his do and acknowledge that he broke the ground for a new style of literature more the "art for arts sake" type works.Also for his exploration into the deeper(and sometimes sinister) levels of the human psyche.This is a great book,from the descriptions of the cynical sneers from Poe's asymmetrical face to the strategic, boyish,vulnerable,charm he displayed at times.You'll be glad a person like Poe came along and glad that someone was able to tell his story the way this author has.In a side note it is comforting to know that from Poe's honorable military service that had he lived today he would qualify for assistance from the VA,and perhaps this would have alleviated alot of his suffering in regard to his family.

First of all, this biograpy does not critique or even mention when he wrote or published the stories of "William Wilson" and "The Pit and the Pendalum." This biography isn't as concerned for the work of Poe as what people of that time said and thought of him.

First half is an overkill of facts, quotes, rumors, and articles about Poe. Author seems to give no true opinion and is completely uncreative for as to how to make these facts and rumors about his character seems interesting to the reader.

It's not until well into the second half that the author seems to realize he's lead his audience to a bricked up wall. But behind the wall, we are willfully burried and sleeping in the hopes that he will not wake our slumber. Realizing this, he tries to revive us through a seance of medeocre creativity.

He does seem to put to rest the rumors circulating about the death of Mr. Poe.

But overall, this book is unimaginative, soulless, and a dozing to constantly waking history lesson of what it was to be an early American author.

I know a lot more about the life of Edgar Allan Poe after having read this book, and for that reason Im glad I read it.

Its not, however, the most flattering of biographies. It would be an exaggeration to call Jeffrey Meyers biography a hatchet job, but not much of one. You get the sense that the author wanted to take Poes reputation down a peg or two. He portrays the troubled writer as not much more than a hypocritical, back-stabbing, often insincere hack who had the good fortune of stumbling upon a few brilliant turns of phrase. I dont doubt any of the factual information that Meyers provides about Poes life. I just question the authors intent in piling high so many unflattering details. After a while, you get to wondering why Meyers even bothered writing a three hundred page book about the man.

I recommend this book to fans and scholars alike for the facts it provides about Poes life, but with a warning regarding the biographers unsympathetic and often harsh tone.

This book was purchased because my 13-year old chose it for a book report. She learned about Edgar Allan Poe's early life, his parents, his wife, things he wrote, influences on his writings and lots of other things. She found it to be a little slow and tiresome at times but after all she is only 13. She should be writing this review instead of her mom.

This book was great it shows all sides of Poe. I learned a lot about Edgar Allan Poe by reading this book. Anyone who wants to know anything about Poe should reasd thsi book. A great choice.