The Portable Edgar Allan Poe (Penguin Classics) [Paperback]

Edgar Allan Poe (Author), J. Gerald Kennedy (Editor, Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 3, 2006 | Series: Penguin Classics

A fully revised collection of Poe's work

The first new edition of this landmark anthology since 1945 presents a more complicated, perverse, and culturally engaged Poe. Along with the author's familiar masterworks in poetry and fiction, this new Portable Poe includes satirical tales that reflect his critique of American culture.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was born in Boston, the son of impoverished actors. He reached the peak of his fame with the publication of "The Raven" in 1845.
J. Gerald Kennedy is William A. Read Professor of English at Louisiana State University.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 688 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Classics; Revised edition (October 3, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0143039911
• ISBN-13: 978-0143039914
• Product Dimensions: 5 x 1.3 x 7.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #49,862 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ahh Poe. . ., July 23, 2000

By 

Alex - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Portable Edgar Allan Poe (Portable Library) (Mass Market Paperback)

Of all the writers you were forced to read in High School, Poe may be the most contemporary. After all, where would today's Alternative Goth culture be without the influence of Poe.

In this volume, fans of the strange genius are given a rare treat. Editor Philip Van Doren Stern has collected not only the all-time greats (e.g. "The Tell-Tale Heart" "The Pit and the Pendulum" "The Raven" etc.), but also some eccentric choices like "The Man of the Crowd". In addition, the book gives several non-fiction articles and literary reviews written by Poe showing that he was not without a practical side.

But perhaps the most fascinating thing is a section of letters Poe wrote, to among other people, his stepfather, his wife, his mother-in-law, and various members of the literary community. These paint a colorful picture of his often desperate existence. After reading these letters, you may think Poe tragic, pathetic, pretentious or maybe even egotistical, but you wll never think of him in quite the same way you previously did.

Read this book for a fresh look at one of American literature's greatest geniuses.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All the Poe You'll Ever Need, September 19, 2001

By 

doomsdayer520 (Pennsylvania) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: The Portable Edgar Allan Poe (Portable Library) (Mass Market Paperback)

Unless you're a collector or completist, this volume compiles all the Poe you could possibly ask for. All the classic stories are here, and you can clearly see how Poe broke new ground and influenced all creative fiction that came after him. While most people are wary of "classics" that everybody talks about, but nobody seems to really like, Poe's classics will give you a true appreciation for his genius. You will truly be enthralled by such well-known tales like "The Pit and the Pendulum", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (in which Poe invents the detective story), and especially the immortal "The Raven".

The editor has included many of the surviving letters that Poe wrote to the various women he unsuccessfully tried to court, and especially to his cruel stepfather, which provide great insight into Poe's inner demons. If you ever wonder why most of Poe's stories are based on death and/or madness, these letters will show you why. The only problem with this particular book is that it is a little too exhaustive, and includes many items that are more of historical interest than they are readable. This is true of most of the entries in the Articles, Criticism, and Opinions sections of the book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great Work, Poorly Organized Kindle Book, March 21, 2011

By 

Senior Scholar (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Portable Edgar Allan Poe (Penguin Classics) (Kindle Edition)

This review is intended as a review of the book, not of the work of Edgar Allan Poe. As a Poe fan, I purchased this book just for the pure fun of reading Poe on my Kindle. However, the book is so poorly organized that finding a particular tale or poem is a real pain and takes a lot of the fun out of it. While there is a table of contents, the individual works are not list there; rather there are groupings of the works so you have to know (or guess) to which group the work you may be looking for belongs. Alas, there is also no index. This is an electronic book: I should be able to toggle down a table of contents to a particular work, select it, and be taken there, but it doesn't happen that way. Not recommended for Kindle readers!