The Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writing (Edgar Allan Poe)

Edgar Allan Poe is a renowned American author, perhaps best known for The Raven poem and tales of the macabre (though he also did detective and other types of stories). The Tell-Tale Heart collects and presents a portion of his works:

- 16 short stories (including classics like The Fall of the House of Usher, The Cask of Amontillado, and The Murders in the Rue Morgue)

- 1 full-length novel (The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym)

- 15 poems (including, of course, The Raven)

I read half (everything but the full-length novel).

Poe is an excellent writer; his prose is beautiful. I had a hard time following his meaning in some works. His subject, at least in this selection, seemed repetitive: premature burial was often on his mind, as was mourning, illness, and death. He also wrote several works related to adventures on tumultuous seas (which I didn't realize) and a few detective stories. Overall, this is a nice collection and features tales/poems that should be known to most Americans. 

Rating: B