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A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe
A biography of Edgar Allan Poe that examines the renowned author’s life through the prism of his mysterious death and its many possible causes.
It is a moment shrouded in horror and mystery. Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7, 1849, at just forty, in a painful, utterly bizarre manner that would not have been out of place in one of his own tales of terror. What was the cause of his untimely death, and what happened to him during the three missing days before he was found, delirious and “in great distress” on the streets of Baltimore, wearing ill-fitting clothes that were not his own?
Mystery and horror. Poe, who remains one of the most iconic of American writers, died under haunting circumstances that reflect the two literary genres he took to new heights. Over the years, there has been a staggering amount of speculation about the cause of death, from rabies and syphilis to suicide, alcoholism, and even murder. But many of these theories are formed on the basis of the caricature we have come to associate with the gloomy-eyed grandfather of Goth, hunched over a writing desk with a raven perched on one shoulder, drunkenly scribbling his chilling masterpieces. By debunking the myths of how he lived, we come closer to understanding the real Poe―and uncovering the truth behind his mysterious death, as a new theory emerges that could prove the cause of Poe’s death was haunting him all his life.
In a compelling dual-timeline narrative alternating between Poe’s increasingly desperate last months and his brief but impactful life, Mark Dawidziak sheds new light on the enigmatic master of macabre.
It is a moment shrouded in horror and mystery. Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7, 1849, at just forty, in a painful, utterly bizarre manner that would not have been out of place in one of his own tales of terror. What was the cause of his untimely death, and what happened to him during the three missing days before he was found, delirious and “in great distress” on the streets of Baltimore, wearing ill-fitting clothes that were not his own?
Mystery and horror. Poe, who remains one of the most iconic of American writers, died under haunting circumstances that reflect the two literary genres he took to new heights. Over the years, there has been a staggering amount of speculation about the cause of death, from rabies and syphilis to suicide, alcoholism, and even murder. But many of these theories are formed on the basis of the caricature we have come to associate with the gloomy-eyed grandfather of Goth, hunched over a writing desk with a raven perched on one shoulder, drunkenly scribbling his chilling masterpieces. By debunking the myths of how he lived, we come closer to understanding the real Poe―and uncovering the truth behind his mysterious death, as a new theory emerges that could prove the cause of Poe’s death was haunting him all his life.
In a compelling dual-timeline narrative alternating between Poe’s increasingly desperate last months and his brief but impactful life, Mark Dawidziak sheds new light on the enigmatic master of macabre.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published February 14, 2023
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April 25, 2024
The real Poe considered himself first and foremost a poet. The real Poe was best known in his lifetime as first a tremendously tough critic, second a poet, and third as the author of tales of mystery and horror. Our perception of Poe has reversed that order.--------------------------------------
“Poe was no saint, and he wasn’t always easy to be around,” novelist Matthew Pearl said. “He had difficulty with friendships. He could push people away who were genuinely fond of him and wanted to help him. He could be charming, courtly, witty, and gracious, but he also could be sensitive, petty, suspicious, jealous, and resentful. He wanted to be noticed and appreciated, but he had a difficult time with processing appreciation.”Edgar Allan Poe sure had plenty of challenges in his life. First came the death of both professional actor parents by the time he was three years old, then being raised in a home where the wife was eager to have him, but the husband resented his presence and overtly disliked him. His adult love life featured a string of romances that did not come to fruition, and others that left him mate-less after far too short a time. In addition, even the mother-figures in his life were short-lived. Is it any wonder that so much of his work centered on death, particularly the early demise of young women? But you probably knew that, or had an inkling. What you may not have known was that Poe was also a writer of comedies, of high-seas adventures, a balloon ride, pirates and treasure.
Mark Dawidziak - image from CityBeat
In A Mystery of Mysteries, Mark Dawidziak takes on the unenviable task of ferreting out how exactly Edgar Allan Poe died.
It is, in fact, a double-barreled mystery. What was the cause of Poe’s death, and what happened to him during those missing days before he was found “in great distress” on the streets of Baltimore, wearing ill-fitting clothes that were not his own? Why did he look so disheveled, his hair unkempt, his face unwashed, and his eyes “lusterless and vacant”? Pale and alternately described as both cold to the touch and burning up with fever, Poe in his delirium held conversations with what resident physician Moran said were “spectral and imaginary objects on the wall.” Sound like the description of a character in one of his stories? It also sounds like a mystery worthy of Poe’s master detective (and the model for so many super sleuths to follow), C. Auguste Dupin.How Poe came to die where and how he did is a long-standing mystery, well, the specifics of it, anyway. Theories abound, of course. There is little in the way of physical evidence. But the author works with what evidence there is and gives many of the extant theories a good going-over.
Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7th, 1849. The doctor labeled his cause of death as “phrenitis” (inflammation of the brain) which was commonly used when the true cause of death was unknown. Because of these mysterious circumstances, and the persona of Poe, there is much speculation about the true manner of his death. There are over 26 published theories on his demise, so far. - from The Poe MuseumIt is clear that he was in poor health in his final days, that he frequently drank to excess, that he suffered greatly from the loss of his beloved, and that his body was failing. He had struggled with alcohol since he was in school, and the behavior that is attributed to him in his final days fits well with a liver failing because of alcoholism or liver disease of another sort. But that is not the only suspect. He rarely had extended spells in which he was not struggling to get by, so add to his health-challenges the ongoing stress of poverty, with a not infrequent scarcity of sufficient food. He was also afflicted with his share of the widespread diseases of his time. The specifics of where he was on this day or that strikes me as uninteresting, in the absence of concrete evidence of murder most foul, or interference by aliens or time travelers, And even were there such a dark undertaking underway, a bit of patience would have seen to that task unaided.
Young Poe - image from the Poe Museum
I confess that while I have read a reasonable portion of the better-known Poe works, I have little exposure to his lesser-known works, (there are links to some of these in EXTRA STUFF) and little knowledge of his biography. I suspect that most folks reading this are either in a similar situation, or can empathize with those of us who are.
This is a book, rich as it is with details of the great writer’s life, that welcomes the phrase “you may not have known.” It does not delve into literary analysis of Poe’s oeuvre, beyond the obvious links between his lived experience and the subjects he included in his writing. It follows his struggles from when he was an unloved orphan, then a difficult, if brilliant student. You may not have known that he was a hale, athletic specimen in his youth, and even well into adulthood. Or that the moustache which we always see in images of him was an addition that did not take place until late in his all-too-brief life.
He is seen as the inventor of the modern mystery. You probably knew that. But you may not have known that even the Ur detective, Sherlock Holmes, was inspired by a character written by Poe, and is credited as such by Arthur Conan Doyle. You may not have known that Poe is seen as the inventor of criminal profiling by none other than the originator of the FBI’s profiling division. You may not have known that he made a national name for himself as a literary critic, a perceptive and harsh one, working for magazines.
Virginia - image from the Poe Museum
Poe was not just a superstar of a writer, but a legend in his own mind, which made him a particularly high-maintenance employee, leaving him constantly struggling to keep body and soul together, constantly pleading for work and assistance. He perceived himself as an outsider, which he was, denied the material comforts and the social access granted his peers.
Poe scholar Steve Medeiros puts it more vividly: “If you could look through the peephole and see who was knocking, and could see that it was Poe, you wouldn’t answer the door, because he would want something. As much of a genius as he is and as charming as he could be, he could also be a real pain in the ass.”Dawidziak does an outstanding job of detailing for us the trials and tribulations of Poe’s endless quest for for some sort of familial bliss, whether primarily familial or romantic. It seems clear that he spent his life trying to gain the support and affection of the family life that was denied him as a child. His loneliness was a lifelong condition, even though interrupted by periods of happiness.
Poe as you have probably not seen him - image from Poestories.com
Poe married Virginia Liza Clemm when she was thirteen. (He had first met her when she was six) He was twenty-seven. But he called her “Sissy” and it is not known if their relationship was conjugal or exclusively familial. He referred to Virginia’s mother as “Muddy” and related to her as if she were his mother, as well as Virginia’s. Denied the comfort of an actual, warm, supportive domestic upbringing as a child, constructing one may have been his primary motivation for the marriage.
You may not have known that Poe was hardly a dour figure. In fact he could be very charming, coming across as well bred, if not necessarily well-dressed. He displayed excellent licks at readings of his own materials, and had great appeal and success as a lecturer. Maybe having two actors for parents had something to do with that. Even athletic as a young man, despite his privations.
A more usual portrait – image from American Masters
He published only fifty poems or so. Of the forms he worked in, this was the one he loved most. You may not have known that he tried his hand at the novel as well, but was advised not to quit his day job after finally managing one. Try a shorter form, he was told, and he managed that transition quite nicely, writing some of the most famous short stories in literary history.
What killed Poe? Not gonna give anything away here, but really, what difference does it make? What is worth caring about here is the insight one can get into Poe’s work from Mark Dawidziak’s fascinating detailing of his life, his deep dive into a troubled, but ultimately artistically triumphant, life. If you were ever curious about Edgar Allan Poe, about what his life was like, about what drove him, you can check out A Mystery of Mysteries and redirect that gap in your knowledge into the bin marked Nevermore.
"Most people think of Poe as a gloomy pessimist, but, in reality, he was the eternal optimist. No matter what life threw at Poe, he always was kind of like Mr. Micawber in David Copperfield, sure that something was going to turn up. He always believed that. He never gives up.”
Review posted – March 10, 2023
Publication dates
----------Hardcover - February 14, 2023
----------Trade paperback - April 9, 2024
I received an ARE of A Mystery of Mysteries from St Martin’s Press in return for a fair review. Thanks, folks, and thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review is cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal and FB, pages
Profile - from Dawidziak’s siteHe is also a professor, and frequent lecturer, and an actor, known for his portrayals of Mark Twain. A Mystery of Mysteries is his 25th book.
Mark Dawidziak is the author or editor of 25 books, including three acclaimed studies of landmark television series: The Columbo Phile, The Night Stalker Companion and Everything I Need to Know I Learned in The Twilight Zone. He also is an internationally recognized Mark Twain scholar, and five of his books are about the iconic American writer…A journalism graduate of George Washington University, Dawidziak worked as a theater, film and television critic for many newspapers across the USA in his 43-year journalism career.
Interview
-----Publishers Weekly - How Did Poe Die?: PW Talks with Mark Dawidziak
Items of Interest
-----PBS – American Masters - Edgar Allan Poe: Buried Alive- there are many informative clips on this page.
-----The Poe Museum
——The Poetry Foundation - Poems by Poe
Item of Interest from the author
-----Crimereads.com - excerpt
Some lesser-read tales by Poe
-----Poe Museum - Metzengerstein - Poe’s first published short story, in The Saturday Courier
----------The Duc de L’Omelette - published by The Saturday Courier on March 3, 1832
----------Lionizing - a comedy
-----The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Bon Bon - a comedy
----------Hans Pfall - early sci-fi
----------How to Write a Blackwood Article - after the success of Ligea he returns to write a comedy
-----Poe Stories - Berenice
-----University of Virginia- A Tale of Jerusalem - a humorous piece about Roman soldiers attempting to play a joke on the Pharisee and Gizbarim of Jerusalem
April 4, 2023
”’Poe really anticipated the feel of our own time, even more than Twain did,’ he said. ‘Poe is alive to our culture today and to readers today in ways that he wasn’t alive to readers in his lifetime. Poe was so far ahead of his own time in terms of intuiting changes that were already happening in the culture. And a lot of that has to do with atrocities of the twentieth century: the Holocaust, the terrible wars, the inventions of mass destruction. We are now properly in a place where Poe resonates. A reader in the 2020s instantly understands “The Masque of the Red Death” and gets the sense of entrapment and fatality and the claustrophobic effect that Poe creates.’”----J. Gerald Kennedy
Edgar Allan Poe died October 7th, 1849, and Robert Louis Stevenson was born November 13th, 1850. Talk about two ships passing in the night, ghost ships with tattered sails, dangling anchor chains, and battered hulls. If one believes in mystical things, there was a passing of the torch when one was buried and the other born. I have a cosmic connection with both writers. I share a birthday with Poe, and my father shares a birthday with Stevenson. The book that made me a lifetime reader was Treasure Island, and reading Stevenson led me to Poe. I have lived with numerous misconceptions about both writers for most of my life, but over the decades, researchers have sifted through the legends of these men, and despite the mounds of fragmented and misleading “evidence,” scholars are beginning to unravel some of the truth from the misconceptions.
Poe was buried quickly, too quick for his closest friends and family to attend his funeral. Poe’s remains reside in Baltimore. Stevenson is buried on the island of Samoa. Both are entombed beneath monuments, and access to what is left of their corpses to discover more about their deaths is probably never going to happen. We have much more reliable data on Stevenson than we do Poe; some of that is because of Stevenson being a generation younger, and he was surrounded by more reliable witnesses when he died. Poe passed away in a hospital surrounded by people who didn’t even know him. A few of those attending him knew of him. Unfortunately, given his reputation for gothic prose and high drama, his final mutterings were muddied by the literary elaboration by those who witnessed his final days.
Poe was dead at 40. Stevenson was dead at 44. What wonders would have emerged from their pens if they had lived normal life spans?
Mark Dawidziak wrote a book about Poe, so why am I writing about Stevenson? Well, because I can’t think about Poe without thinking about Stevenson and vice versa, and if you are a fan of one, you will probably be a fan of the other. Regardless, I will set Stevenson aside and focus on Poe.
Poe sought comfort and stability his whole life, but because of bad luck, an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, the possession of a witty and barbed tongue which often made him enemies he could ill afford, and a propensity to be attracted to doomed women, he never achieved financial security. His fabulous poem, “The Raven” (1845), brought him fame, but he saw very little profit from it. He was so distinctive looking, even in his threadbare clothes, a disparate pairing that was often a shock for people who recognized him.
We could say he was cursed from the beginning. His mother, a well-regarded stage actress, died at twenty-four. His father, a less well-regarded actor, also died, effectively orphaning Poe and his two siblings, in a matter of days. Edgar was taken in by Richmond merchant John Allan. Given Dawidziak’s suppositions, this leads me to speculate, if his mother had lived a normal life span, with Edgar’s natural flair for the dramatic, would he have become John Wilkes Booth? Well, maybe not Booth, though they do both sport distinctive mustaches. If his mother had lived would we have lost Poe the writer to the stage? If John Allan had not been such a miser, would Poe have been too financially secure to scribble? If he’d married one of those rich widows he attempted to woo, would we have been graced with his tales of the macabre or would he have been a gentleman poet? It gives me a shudder.
Without the tragedies of Poe’s life, there is no Poe.
So as you read this book and Dawidziak unspools the trials and tribulations of Poe, think about how success would have changed the mindset of Poe. As you read this book think about how many things had to go wrong for this man, so that we have Edgar Allan Poe as a part of our literary horror landscape. If we remove his influence on the genre, what would the last one hundred and seventy-five years of horror literature look like? Would there be a Sherlock Holmes investigating The Hound of the Baskervilles? Would there be a Jekyll and Hyde? The listing of potential ramifications are endless. We are in the unenviable position as fans of Poe to wish ill upon him, even going so far as to wish him an early death. Poe scholar Steve Medeiros said it perfectly, “It’s almost as if a publicist stepped in and said, ‘Hey, you know, the best thing for you to do for your career is to die under mysterious circumstances at forty.’”
The mystery of mysteries is, Where was Poe the days prior to his death, September 27th- October 3rd? There were no witnesses, no sightings, no bloody trail to tell us what Poe was up to or even where he was? How did he end up in the gutter of a Baltimore polling station when he was supposed to be on his way to New York? Why was he found delirious, wearing another man’s clothes? If only Poe himself or his great detective C. Auguste Dupin was available in 1849 to investigate. Poe was too busy dying, and alas Dupin was only a figment of Poe’s imagination. The other unsolved mystery is, What did Poe die from? “The long list of candidates for what carried him off includes binge drinking, rabies, murder, a brain tumor, encephalitis brought on by exposure, syphilis, suicide, heart disease, carbon monoxide poisoning from illuminating coal gas, and dementia caused by normal pressure hydrocephalus.” Dawidziak takes on these theories, consults experts, and arrives at some thoughtful conclusions.
Of course, if you have a pet theory of your own, out of the twenty-two and counting conjectures regarding Poe’s death, there is always the possibility that fresh evidence will appear, but with what Dawidziak has discovered through his research coupled with his keen insights he presents a solid case for what exactly killed Poe.
Dawidziak uses a dual-timeline narrative that is so refreshing to read. I felt like I was following two mysteries at the same time that eventually dovetail together in the later chapters of the book. In the one timeline, he tells Poe’s backstory, while in the other timeline, he reveals the known and speculative events of the last few months of Poe’s life. Poe material I knew or thought I knew became new again. Whether you’re a rabid fan or a more casual admirer of Edgar Allan Poe, reading this book will enhance your pleasure of his work and give you a cold case to ponder as you toss and turn, twisting in your bed sheets, letting your nightmares weigh the evidence.
Highly Recommended!
Edgar Allan Poe died October 7th, 1849, and Robert Louis Stevenson was born November 13th, 1850. Talk about two ships passing in the night, ghost ships with tattered sails, dangling anchor chains, and battered hulls. If one believes in mystical things, there was a passing of the torch when one was buried and the other born. I have a cosmic connection with both writers. I share a birthday with Poe, and my father shares a birthday with Stevenson. The book that made me a lifetime reader was Treasure Island, and reading Stevenson led me to Poe. I have lived with numerous misconceptions about both writers for most of my life, but over the decades, researchers have sifted through the legends of these men, and despite the mounds of fragmented and misleading “evidence,” scholars are beginning to unravel some of the truth from the misconceptions.
Poe was buried quickly, too quick for his closest friends and family to attend his funeral. Poe’s remains reside in Baltimore. Stevenson is buried on the island of Samoa. Both are entombed beneath monuments, and access to what is left of their corpses to discover more about their deaths is probably never going to happen. We have much more reliable data on Stevenson than we do Poe; some of that is because of Stevenson being a generation younger, and he was surrounded by more reliable witnesses when he died. Poe passed away in a hospital surrounded by people who didn’t even know him. A few of those attending him knew of him. Unfortunately, given his reputation for gothic prose and high drama, his final mutterings were muddied by the literary elaboration by those who witnessed his final days.
Poe was dead at 40. Stevenson was dead at 44. What wonders would have emerged from their pens if they had lived normal life spans?
Mark Dawidziak wrote a book about Poe, so why am I writing about Stevenson? Well, because I can’t think about Poe without thinking about Stevenson and vice versa, and if you are a fan of one, you will probably be a fan of the other. Regardless, I will set Stevenson aside and focus on Poe.
Poe sought comfort and stability his whole life, but because of bad luck, an unhealthy relationship with alcohol, the possession of a witty and barbed tongue which often made him enemies he could ill afford, and a propensity to be attracted to doomed women, he never achieved financial security. His fabulous poem, “The Raven” (1845), brought him fame, but he saw very little profit from it. He was so distinctive looking, even in his threadbare clothes, a disparate pairing that was often a shock for people who recognized him.
We could say he was cursed from the beginning. His mother, a well-regarded stage actress, died at twenty-four. His father, a less well-regarded actor, also died, effectively orphaning Poe and his two siblings, in a matter of days. Edgar was taken in by Richmond merchant John Allan. Given Dawidziak’s suppositions, this leads me to speculate, if his mother had lived a normal life span, with Edgar’s natural flair for the dramatic, would he have become John Wilkes Booth? Well, maybe not Booth, though they do both sport distinctive mustaches. If his mother had lived would we have lost Poe the writer to the stage? If John Allan had not been such a miser, would Poe have been too financially secure to scribble? If he’d married one of those rich widows he attempted to woo, would we have been graced with his tales of the macabre or would he have been a gentleman poet? It gives me a shudder.
Without the tragedies of Poe’s life, there is no Poe.
So as you read this book and Dawidziak unspools the trials and tribulations of Poe, think about how success would have changed the mindset of Poe. As you read this book think about how many things had to go wrong for this man, so that we have Edgar Allan Poe as a part of our literary horror landscape. If we remove his influence on the genre, what would the last one hundred and seventy-five years of horror literature look like? Would there be a Sherlock Holmes investigating The Hound of the Baskervilles? Would there be a Jekyll and Hyde? The listing of potential ramifications are endless. We are in the unenviable position as fans of Poe to wish ill upon him, even going so far as to wish him an early death. Poe scholar Steve Medeiros said it perfectly, “It’s almost as if a publicist stepped in and said, ‘Hey, you know, the best thing for you to do for your career is to die under mysterious circumstances at forty.’”
The mystery of mysteries is, Where was Poe the days prior to his death, September 27th- October 3rd? There were no witnesses, no sightings, no bloody trail to tell us what Poe was up to or even where he was? How did he end up in the gutter of a Baltimore polling station when he was supposed to be on his way to New York? Why was he found delirious, wearing another man’s clothes? If only Poe himself or his great detective C. Auguste Dupin was available in 1849 to investigate. Poe was too busy dying, and alas Dupin was only a figment of Poe’s imagination. The other unsolved mystery is, What did Poe die from? “The long list of candidates for what carried him off includes binge drinking, rabies, murder, a brain tumor, encephalitis brought on by exposure, syphilis, suicide, heart disease, carbon monoxide poisoning from illuminating coal gas, and dementia caused by normal pressure hydrocephalus.” Dawidziak takes on these theories, consults experts, and arrives at some thoughtful conclusions.
Of course, if you have a pet theory of your own, out of the twenty-two and counting conjectures regarding Poe’s death, there is always the possibility that fresh evidence will appear, but with what Dawidziak has discovered through his research coupled with his keen insights he presents a solid case for what exactly killed Poe.
Dawidziak uses a dual-timeline narrative that is so refreshing to read. I felt like I was following two mysteries at the same time that eventually dovetail together in the later chapters of the book. In the one timeline, he tells Poe’s backstory, while in the other timeline, he reveals the known and speculative events of the last few months of Poe’s life. Poe material I knew or thought I knew became new again. Whether you’re a rabid fan or a more casual admirer of Edgar Allan Poe, reading this book will enhance your pleasure of his work and give you a cold case to ponder as you toss and turn, twisting in your bed sheets, letting your nightmares weigh the evidence.
Highly Recommended!
January 6, 2023
A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe
By Mark Dawidziak
I know I am not the only one that has tried to figure out what could have happened to Poe based on the scant knowledge and rumors that is known. Being a nurse and working in a drug rehab unit I thought sure he died of DT's. That can kill a person and make them delirious enough to possibly have different clothes. But I also knew doctors probably thought of this already and they have. No, he didn't die of that.
This book not only tells the very intimate and emotional story of his life but also goes through each myth and tells the truth. So many lies we have been told and we are told by who and why! So sad he was treated like this.
We are told of his active happy times, and his sad times. His achievements and struggles. His works and when and why he wrote them. This itself is interesting.
Many experts in many fields had united to piece together the time, place, science from DNA, and history, diaries, and more to come up with an answer as to what happened to Edgar Allan Poe! It was nothing I would have thought of because I don't have knowledge in all those fields and it took all that knowledge to come to this conclusion! All steps are explained.
This is an amazing book! I loved it! I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this wonderfully researched book!
By Mark Dawidziak
I know I am not the only one that has tried to figure out what could have happened to Poe based on the scant knowledge and rumors that is known. Being a nurse and working in a drug rehab unit I thought sure he died of DT's. That can kill a person and make them delirious enough to possibly have different clothes. But I also knew doctors probably thought of this already and they have. No, he didn't die of that.
This book not only tells the very intimate and emotional story of his life but also goes through each myth and tells the truth. So many lies we have been told and we are told by who and why! So sad he was treated like this.
We are told of his active happy times, and his sad times. His achievements and struggles. His works and when and why he wrote them. This itself is interesting.
Many experts in many fields had united to piece together the time, place, science from DNA, and history, diaries, and more to come up with an answer as to what happened to Edgar Allan Poe! It was nothing I would have thought of because I don't have knowledge in all those fields and it took all that knowledge to come to this conclusion! All steps are explained.
This is an amazing book! I loved it! I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this wonderfully researched book!
December 27, 2022
As Mark Dawidziak points out, we all "know" what Edgar Allan Poe was like: gloomy, alcoholic, drug addict—also, gloomy. And gloomy. But as Dawidziak takes pains to explain in A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe, this view of Poe is based largely on the poorly documented last years of Poe's life and on not-necessarily-accurate posthumous stories about Poe. Dawidziak's Poe does suffer some hard downs, but that aspect of his character is balanced by a general optimism, belief in himself as a writer, willingness to take on new projects, and intense work ethic. He is energetic, takes regular, long walks, and can laugh at himself to set others at ease.
Mystery of Mysteries offers a combined biography of Poe and investigation of his death. The chapters alternate: one chunk of bio, one look at the final days, another chunk of bio, another look at the final days, and so on. The idea underlying this structure is interesting—alternately dealing out the the big picture and the smaller, more-focused view—but I found it to be a mixed success. The larger-scale biography feels rushed at times. The changes in timeline occasionally confuse. Readers don't get to explore Poe's death with a full sense of the trajectory of his life because his life story isn't completed until the book's end.
In addition to pushing for a more complex, less stereotypically glum picture of Poe, Dawidziak emphasizes how much we don't know—and probably never will. Over twenty-five years, the doctor treating Poe at the time of his death wrote three different and conflicting accounts of Poe's last days. Those who felt slighted by Poe's literary criticism—and he wrote many smart, but uncompromising reviews—used his death as an opportunity for revenge. For them, Poe is an habitual drunkard and madman. Others, who didn't face Poe's criticism—or did, but weren't as thinned skinned—emphasize his many years of sobriety and productivity. Poe knew alcohol had a hugely deleterious effect on his work and relationships and repeatedly managed to hold off from the drink in order to retain a job or to better care for those he loved.
The consistent features in accounts of Poe's demise were that he was fevered, anxious, and sometimes hallucinating. Unfortunately, these aren't diagnostically useful symptoms. Fever, anxiety, and hallucination can correlate with any number of medical conditions. None of the symptoms recorded at the time is unique enough to enable diagnosis. Dawidziak reviews a number of major theories about his cause of death, but each of these involves some guesswork and use of incomplete evidence.
If I were to read this book over again, I would move through it reading the large-scale biographical chapters first and reading the chapters on his death after. That reading would miss some interesting moments of juxtaposition, but would allow for a fuller grasp of all the material Dawidziak offers.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via EdelweissPlus; the opinions are my own.
Mystery of Mysteries offers a combined biography of Poe and investigation of his death. The chapters alternate: one chunk of bio, one look at the final days, another chunk of bio, another look at the final days, and so on. The idea underlying this structure is interesting—alternately dealing out the the big picture and the smaller, more-focused view—but I found it to be a mixed success. The larger-scale biography feels rushed at times. The changes in timeline occasionally confuse. Readers don't get to explore Poe's death with a full sense of the trajectory of his life because his life story isn't completed until the book's end.
In addition to pushing for a more complex, less stereotypically glum picture of Poe, Dawidziak emphasizes how much we don't know—and probably never will. Over twenty-five years, the doctor treating Poe at the time of his death wrote three different and conflicting accounts of Poe's last days. Those who felt slighted by Poe's literary criticism—and he wrote many smart, but uncompromising reviews—used his death as an opportunity for revenge. For them, Poe is an habitual drunkard and madman. Others, who didn't face Poe's criticism—or did, but weren't as thinned skinned—emphasize his many years of sobriety and productivity. Poe knew alcohol had a hugely deleterious effect on his work and relationships and repeatedly managed to hold off from the drink in order to retain a job or to better care for those he loved.
The consistent features in accounts of Poe's demise were that he was fevered, anxious, and sometimes hallucinating. Unfortunately, these aren't diagnostically useful symptoms. Fever, anxiety, and hallucination can correlate with any number of medical conditions. None of the symptoms recorded at the time is unique enough to enable diagnosis. Dawidziak reviews a number of major theories about his cause of death, but each of these involves some guesswork and use of incomplete evidence.
If I were to read this book over again, I would move through it reading the large-scale biographical chapters first and reading the chapters on his death after. That reading would miss some interesting moments of juxtaposition, but would allow for a fuller grasp of all the material Dawidziak offers.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via EdelweissPlus; the opinions are my own.
November 11, 2023
I loved this book! Simply because it gave Poe a chance to tell his story. Poor guy it’s apparent how he was his own worst enemy. And the drinking! Good lord! He was destined to die young poor and ill. If anyone knew him well enough 1. They should be ashamed of themselves for not helping and supporting him, or did they not do that sort of thing for friends back in the day? And 2. Tippling never fixes anything and I cannot imagine what works we would have now had he not that genetic malady. I think that’s the more unfortunate fact because just about everything he wrote is now unquestionably a masterpiece.
This book did a great job of staying unbiased. Yet we still witness the self-destruction beginning to ending.
This book did a great job of staying unbiased. Yet we still witness the self-destruction beginning to ending.
January 22, 2023
I wanted so badly to love A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Mark Dawidziak. It started out strong. I learned that the image of Poe that we're presented with these days is a thin caricature of the robust person that Edgar Allen Poe really was. For most of his life, Poe was funny and athletic; not the morose, sickly looking image we have come to know. Another fact I wasn't aware of: during the height of his career, he was actually best known as an excellent book critic, penning scathing reviews for magazines of his time.
The facts presented in the book were well researched. I learned a lot about Poe's life and they mystery surrounding his death. The book is structured so the chapters alternate between the last days of Poe's life and a biography of his life. While the book is very informative, I also found it to be very dry reading. And many of the statements about Poe's life and temperance were repeated - often - throughout the book.
I'd say this book is good for diehard Edgar Allen Poe fans who want to learn more about his life - and death. The information is all great. But don't expect to be drawn into the book. I understand not all books are meant to entertain everyone. Your personal mileage may vary. I am giving this book a mysterious 3 out of 5 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The facts presented in the book were well researched. I learned a lot about Poe's life and they mystery surrounding his death. The book is structured so the chapters alternate between the last days of Poe's life and a biography of his life. While the book is very informative, I also found it to be very dry reading. And many of the statements about Poe's life and temperance were repeated - often - throughout the book.
I'd say this book is good for diehard Edgar Allen Poe fans who want to learn more about his life - and death. The information is all great. But don't expect to be drawn into the book. I understand not all books are meant to entertain everyone. Your personal mileage may vary. I am giving this book a mysterious 3 out of 5 stars.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 20, 2023
So what is the "mystery of mysteries"? What killed Edgar Allan Poe and what was he doing the last weeks of his life? Along with shedding light on that matter, Dawidziak also wants to correct the image of Poe as a drug- and alcohol-addled, morose loner. Given the macabre nature of so much of his writing, that seems a given.
Except that it's not an accurate picture. Dawidziak argues that the brilliance of Poe's poetry and short stories reflects intense, concentrated labor that would not have been possible for someone perpetually under the influence, particularly when you add in the time he spent writing literary criticism and editing journals. After reviewing primary sources and consulting with many Poe specialists, including academics, museum curators and others, Dawidziak also concludes that Poe was by and large a cheerful, seemingly healthy person, if a bit prone to picking ill-advised battles with people who might otherwise have been friendly or helpful to him.
As to the circumstances of Poe's death, Dawidziak debunks many of the proposed explanations for why the writer was found deliriously wandering the streets of Baltimore in someone else's clothes, only to die a few days later in a hospital. Again consulting with experts, this time primarily in forensics, medicine, and 19th century Baltimore history, he presents an explanation he considers the most likely, but acknowledges that there will never be any way of knowing for sure. Since his conclusion ties in something I'd been thinking about throughout the book, I guess I'm inclined to agree with his conclusion.
Although the text could have been tightened up a bit in places, overall this was well written, and the audio was excellent. And since Poe lived so much of his life in the Richmond, VA area, I had the added pleasure that comes from familiarity with places mentioned in the book. Those who know NYC, Baltimore or Philadelphia well, and enjoy letting their imaginations roll back to the 19th century, might have the same experience. (Has anyone else stood in Washington Square and readily imagined Henry James' characters?)
Except that it's not an accurate picture. Dawidziak argues that the brilliance of Poe's poetry and short stories reflects intense, concentrated labor that would not have been possible for someone perpetually under the influence, particularly when you add in the time he spent writing literary criticism and editing journals. After reviewing primary sources and consulting with many Poe specialists, including academics, museum curators and others, Dawidziak also concludes that Poe was by and large a cheerful, seemingly healthy person, if a bit prone to picking ill-advised battles with people who might otherwise have been friendly or helpful to him.
As to the circumstances of Poe's death, Dawidziak debunks many of the proposed explanations for why the writer was found deliriously wandering the streets of Baltimore in someone else's clothes, only to die a few days later in a hospital. Again consulting with experts, this time primarily in forensics, medicine, and 19th century Baltimore history, he presents an explanation he considers the most likely, but acknowledges that there will never be any way of knowing for sure. Since his conclusion ties in something I'd been thinking about throughout the book, I guess I'm inclined to agree with his conclusion.
Although the text could have been tightened up a bit in places, overall this was well written, and the audio was excellent. And since Poe lived so much of his life in the Richmond, VA area, I had the added pleasure that comes from familiarity with places mentioned in the book. Those who know NYC, Baltimore or Philadelphia well, and enjoy letting their imaginations roll back to the 19th century, might have the same experience. (Has anyone else stood in Washington Square and readily imagined Henry James' characters?)
March 9, 2023
If you are hoping to find that the author has been able to solve the mystery surrounding the death of Edgar Allan Poe you will be disappointed. Having said that I freely admit I skipped quite a bit.
This is a regurgitation of the several probabilities and possibilities put forth throughout the years. There is nothing definitive in this book simply because there is nothing definitive to be found. Poe’s death will remain the mystery it has always been.
Because the author has begun his book with Poe’s death working backwards through his life I admit I learned some things about his early life I didn’t know before, but except for that and in spite of the seemingly extensive research by the author I found nothing of interest.
Actually, it might do as an introduction to Poe by new readers.
This is a regurgitation of the several probabilities and possibilities put forth throughout the years. There is nothing definitive in this book simply because there is nothing definitive to be found. Poe’s death will remain the mystery it has always been.
Because the author has begun his book with Poe’s death working backwards through his life I admit I learned some things about his early life I didn’t know before, but except for that and in spite of the seemingly extensive research by the author I found nothing of interest.
Actually, it might do as an introduction to Poe by new readers.
March 20, 2023
DNF at 30%. As many have noted, this book is well researched, the point it bogged me down in too much detail and the dry listening gave me a sense of standing still. The narrator was not the best for this kind of nonfiction, either, his tones bland and nasal. I found myself spacing out while he droned on.
I'm very interested in Poe, but ultimately found this including a lot of specific detail that would be interesting in another medium, like a biopic - and difficult to consume as a book, even on audio. It also cannot offer more into Poe's death - his symptoms the days before could have been indicative of so many things of the era.
I'm very interested in Poe, but ultimately found this including a lot of specific detail that would be interesting in another medium, like a biopic - and difficult to consume as a book, even on audio. It also cannot offer more into Poe's death - his symptoms the days before could have been indicative of so many things of the era.
December 19, 2022
The mystery of Poe’s life and death still baffles scholars and scientists. Poe was reported to be a self-possessed gentleman and a wild, illogical drunk. He married his beloved Sissy, his thirteen-year-old cousin whose mother embraced Eddy as a son. But what the true nature of their relationship was, we don’t really know.
We do know his life was haunted by tragedy. His parents were actors, and his father abandoned his family after his birth. His mother died of tuberculosis at age twenty-four. His brother died of alcohol related disease at age twenty-four. His beloved Virginia suffered from tuberculosis, dying at age twenty-four. Poe fell in love and was spurned before his marriage and after his wife’s death. He became famous and infamous but lived in poverty, always looking for the next big chance to make his mark. And he disappeared for days before found out of his mind, in some one else’s clothing, feverish and ill. He was buried even before his family was notified.
Early biographies and reports of his death can’t be trusted. We know he didn’t tolerate alcohol, but what medical conditions did he have that could have led to his death? Hair analysis doesn’t present an answer.
A Mystery of Mysteries gathers together a multitude of sources, trying to cobble together the truth. It’s entertaining and wide ranging. It will change your perception of Poe. Including learning that he had brown hair and light eyes, was slender and handsome and strong as a young cadet, and his wife wrote a poem for him.
I received a free egalley from the publisher though NegtGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
We do know his life was haunted by tragedy. His parents were actors, and his father abandoned his family after his birth. His mother died of tuberculosis at age twenty-four. His brother died of alcohol related disease at age twenty-four. His beloved Virginia suffered from tuberculosis, dying at age twenty-four. Poe fell in love and was spurned before his marriage and after his wife’s death. He became famous and infamous but lived in poverty, always looking for the next big chance to make his mark. And he disappeared for days before found out of his mind, in some one else’s clothing, feverish and ill. He was buried even before his family was notified.
Early biographies and reports of his death can’t be trusted. We know he didn’t tolerate alcohol, but what medical conditions did he have that could have led to his death? Hair analysis doesn’t present an answer.
A Mystery of Mysteries gathers together a multitude of sources, trying to cobble together the truth. It’s entertaining and wide ranging. It will change your perception of Poe. Including learning that he had brown hair and light eyes, was slender and handsome and strong as a young cadet, and his wife wrote a poem for him.
I received a free egalley from the publisher though NegtGalley. My review is fair and unbiased.
April 18, 2023
Dawidziak interviews Poe scholars, writers, biographers, and even doctors focusing on both the life and death of Edgar Allan Poe tracing his birth in Boston as the second son to parents who were actors and losing his mother early only to be taken in by a well to do family in Richmond, Virginia. Dawidziak makes account of Poe's great health growing up as a swimmer, boxer, and hiker. It is in his later years that he starts to unravel in both mind and health.
The actual stories and poems are at times mentioned and quoted, but the book is less about the gift to literature that Poe presented and more with his wife, Virginia Clemm, who was not only 13, but his cousin. He loses her 11 years later to TB, but throughout has a staunch supporter in him and in his life in Virginia's mother Maria "Muddy" Clemm.
It is stated throughout the book how Poe not only at times becomes his own worst enemy, but ends up dealing with numerous people who become his heated rivals mainly through written criticism by Poe himself. Poe ends up pining for many women throughout the bio both married and unmarried and the last few chapters detail the downward spiral he goes through until his demise at age 40.
The actual stories and poems are at times mentioned and quoted, but the book is less about the gift to literature that Poe presented and more with his wife, Virginia Clemm, who was not only 13, but his cousin. He loses her 11 years later to TB, but throughout has a staunch supporter in him and in his life in Virginia's mother Maria "Muddy" Clemm.
It is stated throughout the book how Poe not only at times becomes his own worst enemy, but ends up dealing with numerous people who become his heated rivals mainly through written criticism by Poe himself. Poe ends up pining for many women throughout the bio both married and unmarried and the last few chapters detail the downward spiral he goes through until his demise at age 40.
February 23, 2023
One of my most anticipated books of 2023! I pre-ordered this bad boy as a Valentine’s Day (release date) to myself months in advance!
December 17, 2022
I almost didn't take this when I saw it on NetGalley, but I am glad to have read it. Lots of facts and research about Poe's life but also his death and last days. I have been a fan of Poe most of my life. He has been definitely misunderstood by many. The writer sheds some light on this cold case of Poe's death and I was fascinated.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy to read for review. I highly recommend it if you are a Poe lover.
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy to read for review. I highly recommend it if you are a Poe lover.
January 6, 2023
Well researched and there were some interesting points. However, I found nothing ground breaking. Additionally, there was so much detail I found my interest was sometimes lost in the minutiae.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this arc.
Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this arc.
April 1, 2023
2023 - 12 Months of Biographies
March (received an actual hardback edition for Valentine’s Day)
“The danger is past,
And the lingering illness
Is over at last—
And the fever called “Living”
Is conquered at last.”
Perfect summation: “Or as Harry Lee Poe put it, “His biggest mistake was dying before his enemies.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
March (received an actual hardback edition for Valentine’s Day)
“The danger is past,
And the lingering illness
Is over at last—
And the fever called “Living”
Is conquered at last.”
Perfect summation: “Or as Harry Lee Poe put it, “His biggest mistake was dying before his enemies.”
⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
June 20, 2023
What. A. SNOOZE! Here I was thinking I was getting a biography about one of my favorite authors, how he came to write some of the most iconic pieces of literature out there, and his mysterious death. What I got was a drab and boring account of basically every person he ever met or wrote a damn letter to and just barely scraped a chapter about his death. If you’re looking for a nonfiction book full of interesting tid bits about Edgar Allan Poe, look elsewhere. This was Dull with a capital D.
July 15, 2023
This entertaining biography is neatly structured, alternating between the story of his life and the numerous mysteries surrounding his death. I guess you could say I’m “ravin” about it! 😉
June 20, 2023
Mark Dawidziak has a problem. You see, he knows everyone pictures Edgar Allan Poe as the drunk, dark, and troubled man from his most famous portrait right before he died. Dawidziak knows you think of his macabre writings and how he was the master of horror. Well, dang it, Dawidziak also wants you to remember just how funny he was.
A Mystery of Mysteries tells the story of Poe’s final (and confusing as hell) days with flashbacks to the rest of his life. I know many people prefer a perfectly linear timeline in their history, but I loved what Dawidziak did with this book. The jumbling of Poe’s experiences made Poe’s many contradictions seem starker and, in many cases, surprising. Yes, Poe was funny, and no one remembers that. Many also don’t know that his literary criticism was the stuff of legend. Sure, Dawidziak doesn’t solve the mystery of who/what killed Poe, but he does bring the full character of Poe back to life.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by St. Martin’s Press.)
A Mystery of Mysteries tells the story of Poe’s final (and confusing as hell) days with flashbacks to the rest of his life. I know many people prefer a perfectly linear timeline in their history, but I loved what Dawidziak did with this book. The jumbling of Poe’s experiences made Poe’s many contradictions seem starker and, in many cases, surprising. Yes, Poe was funny, and no one remembers that. Many also don’t know that his literary criticism was the stuff of legend. Sure, Dawidziak doesn’t solve the mystery of who/what killed Poe, but he does bring the full character of Poe back to life.
(This book was provided as an advance copy by St. Martin’s Press.)
December 16, 2023
2.5 rounded down *
okay here’s the thing.. I don’t know what it was, but this read like a high school english essay. it was so damn hard to get through. and it shouldn’t have been, Poe is such a fascinating subject. but there’s something about the writing style that made it such a chore to read, that by the end i was just skimming the pages trying to get to the end as fast as possible. even though it presents a lot of interesting theories about his death, sadly i do not recommend this at all.
okay here’s the thing.. I don’t know what it was, but this read like a high school english essay. it was so damn hard to get through. and it shouldn’t have been, Poe is such a fascinating subject. but there’s something about the writing style that made it such a chore to read, that by the end i was just skimming the pages trying to get to the end as fast as possible. even though it presents a lot of interesting theories about his death, sadly i do not recommend this at all.
March 18, 2023
I'm not a big believer of reading biographies of authors - if you like a writer don't read about him or her, read their books. But mystery surrounding the death of Edgar Allan Poe? Talk to me. "A Mystery of Mysteries" revolves around the seven day trip Poe made from Richmond to Baltimore during the last week of his life in 1849. Poe's life until then had been one of many struggles. His actor parents died young leaving him with an uncle with whom he didn't get along. He washed out as a student at the University of Virginia and at West Point and kept falling back on his uncle to lend him money which he never paid back. Finally the uncle disowned him, eventually cutting him out of his will and a sizable estate. From then on Poe lived a life of borderline poverty. But as the author points out that, like Van Gogh, poverty was the best thing that ever happened to his creativity, his reputation, and his readers. Poe married a 13-year old girl who died of tuberculosis at the age of 19. He then spent the rest of his life looking to remarry, mostly as a gigolo trying to attach himself to wealthy women, usually widows. Despite his struggles as a writer, his ongoing need for money, and his many infirmities mostly resulting from drink, Poe was achieving a favorable literary reputation.. His poem "The Raven", written in 1845, had become his blockbuster, a bestseller like a new album by Bruce Springsteen. He was constantly asked to recite the poem. His last trip at the age of 40 brought him to Richmond as he was finally achieving notoriety as a critic, essayist, poet, and short story writer. His trip had been mostly successful lecturing, and attempting to raise money for a literary magazine startup. When he left Richmond he was in buoyant spirits. When he arrived in Baltimore seven days later he was a physical and emotional wreck. He died shortly after arriving In Baltimore.
This book was a wake up call for me. I realized to my horror (pun intended) that the only works I've ever actually read of Poe's were "The Raven" and the short story "The Cask of Amontillado". Needless to say I will remedy this oversight in the near future. "A Mystery of Mysteries" was an enjoyable read. It was a good synopsis of his life, analysis of his writings, and the theories of what happened to Poe over the last seven days of his life and how he died. And it is clear from the book that Poe died as a result of
This book was a wake up call for me. I realized to my horror (pun intended) that the only works I've ever actually read of Poe's were "The Raven" and the short story "The Cask of Amontillado". Needless to say I will remedy this oversight in the near future. "A Mystery of Mysteries" was an enjoyable read. It was a good synopsis of his life, analysis of his writings, and the theories of what happened to Poe over the last seven days of his life and how he died. And it is clear from the book that Poe died as a result of
January 4, 2023
The mystique surrounding Edgar Allan Poe, the man and the myth, fascinates me.
A Mystery of Mysteries swipes away the mythos and speculation to paint an image of who Poe truly was. At the heart of this story is an attempt to unravel the circumstances of Poe’s death and the three missing days before he was found, incoherent and dying of an unknown cause.
The information is interesting, and I learned a lot. But the way content is formatted made this a jumbled, disconnected read that wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it could have been.
Chapters alternate between the forty years of Poe’s life and the short period before his death. This would have been fine, since the author wanted particular focus on those final days. But the chapters of his life were all out of order, as if spans of time were decided upon and written, then shuffled and presented in random order. Consequently, the information was so disjointed that it was nearly impossible to keep the timeline straight in my head.
I can’t think of any logical reason for this kind of disordered timeline in a biography. It just didn’t work for me at all. If you want to read this book, my suggestion is to check each chapter’s heading for the time period, number them in their natural order, then read the book that way.
*I received an eARC from St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley.*
A Mystery of Mysteries swipes away the mythos and speculation to paint an image of who Poe truly was. At the heart of this story is an attempt to unravel the circumstances of Poe’s death and the three missing days before he was found, incoherent and dying of an unknown cause.
The information is interesting, and I learned a lot. But the way content is formatted made this a jumbled, disconnected read that wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it could have been.
Chapters alternate between the forty years of Poe’s life and the short period before his death. This would have been fine, since the author wanted particular focus on those final days. But the chapters of his life were all out of order, as if spans of time were decided upon and written, then shuffled and presented in random order. Consequently, the information was so disjointed that it was nearly impossible to keep the timeline straight in my head.
I can’t think of any logical reason for this kind of disordered timeline in a biography. It just didn’t work for me at all. If you want to read this book, my suggestion is to check each chapter’s heading for the time period, number them in their natural order, then read the book that way.
*I received an eARC from St. Martin’s Press, via NetGalley.*
January 5, 2023
It was incredibly difficult for me to read this piece of non-fiction, which purports on the surface to be an investigative look into the mysterious cause of Poe’s death and promises a sort of closed case on the matter, without viewing it through the lense of an educator grading a research paper. Having read Silverman’s biography already and all of Poe’s fiction, this book did not offer me much in the way of new information, though if anyone were to take up a new interest in reading about Poe, this biography, as short as it is, can provide a sort of introduction to basic facts about the writer. I found the writing style and presentation of material in this edition left much to be desired.
My thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the eARC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.
See my full review on my blog!
Blog / Instagram / Literal / BookBub
My thanks to St. Martin's Press via NetGalley for the eARC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.
See my full review on my blog!
Blog / Instagram / Literal / BookBub
December 8, 2022
It's the tintinnabulation of the bells.
No getting away from the fact that Poe was a genius and that he had a genetical physical problem with alcohol. But the life and times of the man is often lost amid the myths. This author takes his whole life as a cold case and does meticulous due diligence complete with an exhaustive bibliography. It also points to the many writers, screenwriters, and actors who revere him as the Father Of their particular genre. Great read!
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you so much!
No getting away from the fact that Poe was a genius and that he had a genetical physical problem with alcohol. But the life and times of the man is often lost amid the myths. This author takes his whole life as a cold case and does meticulous due diligence complete with an exhaustive bibliography. It also points to the many writers, screenwriters, and actors who revere him as the Father Of their particular genre. Great read!
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. Thank you so much!
November 27, 2022
Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy of this fact filled biography. I learned much about the life and times of the talented, often misunderstood author. With a fabulous bibliography of sources the author provides an opportunity to use the tantalizing details to attempt to piece together Poe’s last days as well as the life that lead him to the catalog of poems and stories that delight us today.
February 21, 2023
"When the legend becomes fact, print the legend."
I'm very conflicted with this book. It seems very well researched and gives a full picture on Edgar Allan Poe's life. However I really struggled with the way this was written.
I'm very conflicted with this book. It seems very well researched and gives a full picture on Edgar Allan Poe's life. However I really struggled with the way this was written.
February 19, 2023
A MYSTERY OF MYSTERIES, The Death and Life of Edgar Allen Poe by Mark Dawidziak is a new biography of an American Treasure.
Biographies are not my usual choice for fun reads, but I when I saw this title, I thought it would be a good time to learn more about the famed Edgar Allan Poe. Come to find out, I am among the masses that loved the works he wrote, but didn't give enough credit to the man behind the caricature. In a dual timeline fashion, Dawidziak takes the reader from the mysterious moments right before Poe's death, back in time to follow his steps into fame and misfortune.
I enjoyed the format of this biography, as it gave a bit of the mystery of his death the feel of suspense as I traveled along his life's path. I learned quite a bit about him and his complicated personality. I wonder how he would be perceived today! I can definitely understand why he had social troubles after reading this and it makes his story even more fascinating to me. The final chapter does seem to offer some ideas on the final mystery of E.A. Poe, but also acknowledges the joy, or even need, to keep it a true mystery.
Many thanks to @NetGalley and @stmartinspress for this digital ARC. This book is available now and anyone with a curiosity of Poe should absolutely pick up this easy to read biography!
Biographies are not my usual choice for fun reads, but I when I saw this title, I thought it would be a good time to learn more about the famed Edgar Allan Poe. Come to find out, I am among the masses that loved the works he wrote, but didn't give enough credit to the man behind the caricature. In a dual timeline fashion, Dawidziak takes the reader from the mysterious moments right before Poe's death, back in time to follow his steps into fame and misfortune.
I enjoyed the format of this biography, as it gave a bit of the mystery of his death the feel of suspense as I traveled along his life's path. I learned quite a bit about him and his complicated personality. I wonder how he would be perceived today! I can definitely understand why he had social troubles after reading this and it makes his story even more fascinating to me. The final chapter does seem to offer some ideas on the final mystery of E.A. Poe, but also acknowledges the joy, or even need, to keep it a true mystery.
Many thanks to @NetGalley and @stmartinspress for this digital ARC. This book is available now and anyone with a curiosity of Poe should absolutely pick up this easy to read biography!
March 5, 2023
Poe is a mysterious person, who’s legend has only obscured the reality of the real person all the further, which is a lot of what this book is about trying to sort out.
The person revealed in these pages is a much more complex person than the brooding gothic caricature that the pictures of him shortly before his demise suggests. He had a very productive career as a literary critic, which was what he was best known for most of his life. His personal life is strange, but then again he was a person who was neither quite of the North or of the South in the years just prior to the American Civil War. Strange might just be what the times needed.
The structure of this book is quite unusual in how it bounces back and forth between his life and the period leading up to his very odd death. It works though, as it helps to explore a very different context to his famous tragedy, in which perhaps he was unknowingly cursed to die how he did from his very birth.
The book puts forth TB as the most likely cause of his death. It happens that in a prior career TB was literally my whole world, and what is put forth makes a lot of sense to me. It’s uncommon how he might have manifested it, but not unheard of, and it fits up with his health throughout his life.
The person revealed in these pages is a much more complex person than the brooding gothic caricature that the pictures of him shortly before his demise suggests. He had a very productive career as a literary critic, which was what he was best known for most of his life. His personal life is strange, but then again he was a person who was neither quite of the North or of the South in the years just prior to the American Civil War. Strange might just be what the times needed.
The structure of this book is quite unusual in how it bounces back and forth between his life and the period leading up to his very odd death. It works though, as it helps to explore a very different context to his famous tragedy, in which perhaps he was unknowingly cursed to die how he did from his very birth.
The book puts forth TB as the most likely cause of his death. It happens that in a prior career TB was literally my whole world, and what is put forth makes a lot of sense to me. It’s uncommon how he might have manifested it, but not unheard of, and it fits up with his health throughout his life.
May 20, 2024
Hmm this wasn't quite the great book I was expecting it to be.
I love anything Poe, and I was intrigued to read about the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death. In truth, this book only lightly touches that subject. We get a verrrrry detailed look at Poe's life, authors that have been inspired by him, possible personality traits, likely behaviour and circumstance. There is a lot of conjecture at play here which the author admits to at the start.
There felt like a lot of repetition and unnecessary filling. Don't get me wrong there were some interesting parts but they weren't enough to make me want to a) read this again or b) keep on my bookshelf.
3 stars, average fare.
I love anything Poe, and I was intrigued to read about the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death. In truth, this book only lightly touches that subject. We get a verrrrry detailed look at Poe's life, authors that have been inspired by him, possible personality traits, likely behaviour and circumstance. There is a lot of conjecture at play here which the author admits to at the start.
There felt like a lot of repetition and unnecessary filling. Don't get me wrong there were some interesting parts but they weren't enough to make me want to a) read this again or b) keep on my bookshelf.
3 stars, average fare.
March 10, 2023
Biography of Poe, focusing mostly on his death and possible causes.
While this was good, I feel like some of the flow was disrupted by the writing style of alternating Poe's life with events surrounding his death. It made following the timeline a little difficult for me. I did learn more about Poe such as he was regarded in his time mostly as a poet and literary critic.
While this was good, I feel like some of the flow was disrupted by the writing style of alternating Poe's life with events surrounding his death. It made following the timeline a little difficult for me. I did learn more about Poe such as he was regarded in his time mostly as a poet and literary critic.
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