Edgar Alan Poe

As I mentioned in my last post, I'm a big fan of Edgar Alan Poe, and as today is his birthday, some more Poe related Content...

Books I own:

When eight-year-old Virginia "Sissy" Clemm meets her handsome cousin, Eddy, she sees the perfect husband she's conjured up in childhood games. Thirteen years her elder, he's soft-spoken, brooding, and handsome. Eddy fails his way through West Point and the army yet each time he returns to Baltimore, their friendship grows. As Sissy trains for a musical career, her childhood crush turns to love. When she's thirteen, Eddy proposes. But as their happy life darkens, Sissy endures Poe's abrupt disappearances, self-destructive moods, and alcoholic binges. When she falls ill, his greatest fear– that he'll lose the woman he loves– drives him both madness, and to his greatest literary achievement.
Part ghost story, part love story, this provocative novel explores the mysterious, shocking relationship between Edgar Allan Poe and young Sissy Clemm, his cousin, muse and great love. Lenore Hart, author of Becky, imagines the beating heart of the woman who inspired American literature's most demonized literary figure– and who ultimately destroyed him.-Amazon.com

1845: New York City is a sprawling warren of gaslit streets and crowded avenues, bustling with new immigrants and old money, optimism and opportunity, poverty and crime. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” is all the rage—the success of which a struggling poet like Frances Osgood can only dream. As a mother trying to support two young children after her husband’s cruel betrayal, Frances jumps at the chance to meet the illustrious Mr. Poe at a small literary gathering, if only to help her fledgling career. Although not a great fan of Poe’s writing, she is nonetheless overwhelmed by his magnetic presence—and the surprising revelation that he admires her work.
What follows is a flirtation, then a seduction, then an illicit affair…and with each clandestine encounter, Frances finds herself falling slowly and inexorably under the spell of her mysterious, complicated lover. But when Edgar’s frail wife, Virginia, insists on befriending Frances as well, the relationship becomes as dark and twisted as one of Poe’s tales. And like those gothic heroines whose fates are forever sealed, Frances begins to fear that deceiving Mrs. Poe may be as impossible as cheating death itself…-Amazon.com

This playlist is for the 1997 spoken word album Closed On Account Of Rabies, featuring multiple well known artists reading selected Poe works.

While this playlist is for the Nox Arcana album Shadow Of the Raven inspired by Poe.

And lastly, my Poe inspired outfit:

The Pale Blue Eye

I saw this last night, and as I expected, Christian Bale and Poe is a well made match...if you've seen it as well, feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!

Film Review: The Raven

A whodunit with the legendary Edgar Allen Poe? Count me in! Starring John Cusack as Poe, we begin with the famously morose poet/author sitting on a park bench looking up at the sky, snow beginning to fall. It then goes back a few months, and after hearing a scream in the night from a tenement house, the police arrive to find two women (one of them brutally) murdered. This is only the beginning...as more bodies are found, one thing becomes clear: someone is using Poe's works as the inspirations, and the police have no choice but to enlist his help in order to help find the killer. Things go up a notch when Poe's lady love is kidnapped by the madman and Edgar quickly finds his life going from fiction to reality in a most horrible way. I found the film quite entertaining, and enjoyed the premise. There are some pretty gruesome scenes, so bear that in mind if you have a sensitivity to that sort of thing. I also found the ending to be quite fulfilling. Overall, a good pick for those that love Poe and/or suspense. Did I mention I love how close John Cusack looks to EAP? Lol. I give The Raven 4 out 5 stars.