When we think of bestselling authors in literature let’s not forget a giant who made his mark in a number of genres, particularly horror. That author is none other than Edgar Allen Poe. Poe recently set a record at an auction for one of his works. The Baltimore Sun for Dec. 5 reports:
Move over Dan Brown and Stephenie Meyer — Edgar Allan Poe sets auction records
At a time when best seller lists are dominated by Dan Brown and Stephenie Meyer, it’s nice to see an old master — someone who helped define their genres — get some respect. Edgar Allan Poe is widely credited with creating the detective story, and as everyone knows, was also a master of the supernatural. Yesterday, his genius was recognized at a Christie’s auction in New York, when a rare 1827 edition of poetry sold for $662,500, a record for a 19th century book of poetry. Even more surprising, two-pages of hand-scrawled verses from 1849 netted $830,500, breaking the 19th century literary manuscript record. (It was the first eight stanzas of “For Annie,” written for a passing love, Nancy L. Richmond.) Neither buyer was identified.
In honor of Poe, one of the influential sources in my warped youth, I’ll point to a couple of items that allow us to enjoy this great and haunted writer. First, for their Halloween edition, Rue Morgue magazine featured Poe on the cover as they celebrated the bicentennial of his birth. Coverage included an interview “with experts including filmmaker Roger Corman, author Clive Barker, academic Scott Peeples and Poe House curator Jeff Jerome.”
The second item is the first installment in a brilliant performance by Vincent Price of Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart.”
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