This is a marvelous encyclopedia to all things Poe, whether you're looking for information about Poe stories, both well-known and obscure, or you're looking for the real-world people who had influences on Poe's life and writings. This over-sized paperback volume features extensive biographic and bibliographic entries, as well as numerous black and white illustrations. Appendixes at the back of this book include a Poe Timeline, a complete chronology of Poe's writings, and a very detailed bibliography of additional works about Poe. This isn't a work to just sit down and read for pleasure, but it's a very handy reference guide, with well-written (though sometimes brief) articles about Poe, his world and and his works.

Originally reviewed for my local library's website: http://www.lincolnlibraries.org/depts/bookguide/srec/staffrec10-11.htm ( )

This book serves as a great reference tool to be used as a starting point. It is not, however, the place to stop. Much of Sova's information is, frankly, incorrect. In one spot, she gives the incorrect date for Poe's birth and, in another, an incorrect date for his wife's birth date. My recommendation is to use the book to find minor information about people in Poe's life and when specific works were published. Beyond that, the information in this book is not entirely trustworthy. ( )