Poe: A Life Cut Short

Gothic,mysterious,theatrical,fatallyflawed,anddazzling,thelifeofEdgarAllanPoe,oneofAmerica’sgreatestandmostversatilewriters,istheidealsubjectforPeterAckroyd.Poewrotelyricalpoetryandmacabrepsychologicalmelodramas;inventedthefirstfictionaldetective;andproducedpioneeringworksofsciencefictionandfantasy.Hisinnovativestyle,images,andthemeshadatremendousimpactonEuropeanromanticism,symbolism,andsurrealism,andcontinuetoinfluencewriterstoday.Inthisessentialadditiontohiscanonofacclaimedbiographies,PeterAckroydexploresPoe’sliteraryaccomplishmentsandlegacyagainstthebackgroundofhiserratic,dramatic,andsometimessordidlife.AckroydchroniclesPoe’sdifficultchildhood,hisbumpyacademicandmilitarycareers,andhiscomplexrelationshipswithwomen,includinghismarriagetohisthirteen-year-oldcousin.HedescribesPoe’smuch-written-aboutproblemswithgamblingandalcoholwithsympathyandinsight,showingtheirconnectionstoPoe’schildhoodandthetrials,aswellasthetriumphs,ofhisadultlife.Ackroyd’sthoughtful,perceptiveexaminationsofsomeofPoe’smostfamousworksshednewlightontheseclassicsandonthetroubledandbrilliantgeniuswhocreatedthem.,