The Raven and Other Poems

The undisputed pioneer of the horror, detective and science-fiction genres, Edgar Allan Poe was just as influential as a poet as he is now a celebrated writer of short stories. The present edition contains a large selection of his works in verse, from those he published during his lifetime – such as his famous ballads 'The Raven' and 'Lenore' – to those that were collected immediately after his premature death in 1849, including the ones he wrote in his youth.

Also included in this volume is a selection of Poe's essays on poetical composition and prosody, revealing that poetry was at the core of the American master's vision of literature – something also demonstrated by the accomplished productions and enduring legacy he has left behind in this field.

About the Author

Edgar Allan Poe was an American poet, short-story writer, editor and literary critic. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. Born Edgar Poe in Boston, Massachusetts in 1809; he was informally adopted by the Allans of Richmond after his parents' death. He attended the University of Virginia and briefly attempted a military career, before embarking on a literary career.

After publishing an anonymous collection of poems in 1827, Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals. He married his cousin, Virginia Clemm, in 1835, who died in 1842 not long after publishing his famous poem ‘The Raven'. He began planning to produce his own journal, The Penn (later renamed The Stylus), but died in 1849 before being able to see it produced.