Full confession, I came to the Poe Party late. My first exposure to the works of Edgar Allan Poe was in middle school where I had the read "The Black Cat" as part of a reading assignment. I was horrified. My English teacher also failed to put the work of Poe in context or to actual discuss anything about the author. Like most public school students, I absolutely hated most of the assigned readings I had to read in English class. It wasn't until college and my interest in gothic literature that I started to reassess Poe's work that I discovered my love for his prose and my fascination with his life story. Now that I live in Virginia, I had the chance to visit the Poe Museum in Richmond and attended the Poe Festival in Baltimore which has enhanced my love for Poe's work.
A couple of week's ago I was thrilled to see an ad from author Troy Taylor that he was releasing a new book on Poe. I quickly ordered my copy when it became available and on Friday I received my copy of Nevermore: The Haunted Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe (American Hauntings Ink). I was not disappointed.
Edgar Allan Poe is an enigmatic character. The story of his life reads like a gothic novel. He was brilliant but often difficult to work with, Poe was his own worst enemy. Poe had an amazing ability to alienate those who could have helped his career. He suffered from a host of mental and physical ailments which likely led to his mysterious death in Baltimore in 1849.
Taylor's biography is a gripping read as he charts Poe's life, the theories behind his death and Poe's haunting afterlife. The standout feature of the book is the chapter which discusses Poe's reburial in Baltimore's Old Westminster Burial Grounds and the mysterious Poe Toaster who left an offering at Poe's grave every year from 1949 to 2009. The book also covers the ghost stories at the sites connected to Poe.
Nevermore belongs on the shelf of all fans of Edgar Allan Poe and Troy Taylor.
You can purchase an autographed copy of Nevermore and view Taylor's other books at American Hauntings
Rating: 5 Orbs
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