Of all the American masters, Edgar Allan Poe staked out perhaps the most unique and vivid reputation, as a master of the macabre. Even today, in the age of horror movies and high-tech haunted houses, Poe is the first choice of entertainment for many who want a spine-chilling thrill.

Of all the preeminent 19th-century American writers, Edgar Allan Poe staked out the most vivid reputation as a master of the macabre. Poe remains the first choice of entertainment for many who want a spine-chilling thrill.

A prolific writer of poetry and criticism in addition to fiction, Poe was known not only for the eerie beauty of his prose but also for his formidable satire. He is revered as one of the foremost American gothic stylists.