About 25 years ago, I got a copy of '
The Complete Tales And Poems Of Edgar Allen Poe'
Over the years, I have picked it up and put it down, but last week I decided to actually read the thing! So far I have done:
'
The Unparalleled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall' (Adventure/Science Fiction, first published Southern Literary Messenger, June 1835) - Told mainly as a journal, the story tells of a journey to the moon by use of a hot air balloon. It's an enjoyable tale which must have been an influence on Jules Verne when he wrote 'From the Earth to the Moon' (18650. [Note: Apparently Poe considered this to be the first part of an ongoing serial. However, a few months late in August 1835, the New York Sun published a story called 'The Great Moon Hoax' which Poe claimed was a plaguarisation of his story]
'The Gold Bug' (Adventure, first published Dollar Newspaper, June 1843) - The plot follows William Legrand who was bitten by a gold-colored bug. His servant Jupiter fears that Legrand is going insane and goes to Legrand's friend, an unnamed narrator, who agrees to visit his old friend. Legrand pulls the other two into an adventure after deciphering a secret message that will lead to a buried treasure. Another entertaining story which sadly is a product of it's time. Jupiter is depicted as a comical negro, who regularly refers to himself as a 'nigger', and speaks in a stereotypical way: "
And dis all cum ob de goole-bug! what I bossed in dat sabage kind od style! Ain't you shamed ob yourself, nigger? - answer me dat". [Note: I could very easily see the basic plot of this being made as an Indiana Jones-esque film]
'The Balloon Hoax' (Newspaper hoax, first published in the New York Sun, April 1844) - Originally presented as a true story, the short tale tells of a gas balloon trip from Wales to France, which is blown off course and ends up crossing the Atlantic Ocean in three days
'Von Kempelen and His Discovery' (Hoax, first published in The Flag of Our Union, April 1849) - Reportedly a man discovers the secret of Alchemistry, and the ability to turn lead into gold
'Mesmeric Revelation' (Science fiction, first published The Columbian Magazine, August 1844) - A philosophical dialogue between a hypnotist and his consumptive patient who, in the mesmerized state, answers questions about immortality, life after death, ether, and the nature of God
'The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar' (Horror, first published The American Review, December 1845) - Another take on the concept used in 'Mesmeric Revelation' features a hypnotist who mesmerizes a patient at the moment of death, and keeps him 'alive'. The first out-and-out horror story in the collection is gripping throughout. [Note: The first film version of this story was made in 1960 in Argentina. Corman used it as the last story in 'Tales Of Terror' (1962) and Romero adapted it for 'Two Evil Eyes' (1990)]
'The Thousand-and-Second Tale of Scheherazade' (Comedy, First published in Godey's Lady Book, February 1845) - Purportedly a continuation of 'The Thousand And One Nights', this features the story of a journey undertaken by Sinbad the sailor. Sadly, what starts as a entertaining tale evolves into a list of creatures and wonders of nature and endless footnotes