Edgar Allan Poe

No October reading would be complete without Edgar Allan Poe.  I went through a fierce Poe faze when I was in high school.  I read all of his stories and poems (my best friend even gave me the big blue bound 'complete works' that still sits on my bookcase).  So it's no surprise that we took advantage of an early school dismissal to visit the Brandywine River museum where they were hosting a special exhibition-  "Picturing Poe:  Illustrations for Edgar Allan Poe's Stories and Poems".  Some of the artwork is amazing (the detailed black ink drawings of Harry Clarke were my favorite).  The show is up until November and I definitely recommend seeing it if you're in the area.

(exhibition catalogue)

Along with a paperback collection of stories (with a particularly attractive cover), we also have this collection of poems with dark and beautiful illustrations (the original of this book was on display at the Brandywine).

The illustrated Poetry of Edgar Allan Poe

art by Edmund Dulac (reprint 2001)

Edgar Allen Poe:  An Illustrated Companion to His Tell-Tale Stories

Harry Lee Poe 2008

For biographical information (and Poe has a pretty sordid life history) this book has all sorts of pull out notes and pictures and tidbits. I love the over all design, artwork and layout of this book- I felt like it really kept to the spirit of Poe's era and works.