Contents of “The Best of Edgar Allan Poe” audiobook edition, narrated by Edward Blake (Listening Library, Random House Audio):

The Tell-Tale Heart
The Cask of Amontillado
The Masque of the Red Death
The Raven
Annabel Lee
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar
To -- -- --. Ulalume: A Ballad
The Black Cat
The Bells
The Pit and the Pendulum (with a very brief introduction!)
The Fall of the House of Usher
The Purloined Letter
The Golden Bug

I had forgotten how much I like Poe's poetry - I'm glad that this collection included some, especially my favorite "The Bells". I had read all these stories before with the single exception of "The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar"; all but the final two were perfect spooky stories for Halloween reading. This is not to imply that I didn't like the last 2 - I did - but "The Purloined Letter" is a detective story and "The Golden Bug", which starts out spooky enough, is actually more of a detective story as well.

Blake did a decent narration but was slightly too slow in his pace for my tastes. ( )

Given that there are dozens of anthologies of Poe’s work, I am reviewing the specific one I listened to, an audiobook read by Edward Blake.

A baker’s dozen of stories and poems written by Edgar Allan Poe, this collection has all the best-known tales, and more. Including tales of murder, madness, mesmerism, and the maniacal, this audiobook held me rapt as I listened to the reader evoke all the frenzy, despair, and intrigue of Poe’s works. Blake’s reading of The Bells made me think I could actually hear the bells as described.

The narrator in The Tell-Tale Heart assures the reader that he is not crazy while describing how he killed him for having an evil eye (it was just a cataract) and started yelling loudly in front of the police in order to mask the sound of the dead man’s heartbeat that only he could hear. Not crazy, hmmm?

I’d read many of the tales years ago, and this audiobook provided a wonderful refresher, perfect for October. I had not recalled just how violent the Black Cat got or how funny The Purloined Letter is. The weakest story is the final one: The Gold Bug, which includes an incredibly problematic depiction of a freedman named Jupiter, who remains servant to his “massah” even after having been freed. Certainly cringe-worthy. Also, the end of tale where LaGrande is explaining everything needed to be edited down considerably. Otherwise, the audiobook is full of winners, and you should look this up or any other selection of Edgar Allan Poe stories, particularly during this spooky season. ( )

I enjoyed re-reading these stories and poems that I had not read for many, many years. His language and vocabulary are beautiful, some have wonderful mysteries, and some of the stories are pretty gruesome! I certainly see his influence on a lot of writers that came after him! ( )

AH. Edgar Allen Poe, you creep me out. In a good way, that is. Your atmospheric prose is poetic and perfect, and you share your strange view of the world effortlessly with your readers. I read several of your stories and poems in high school, and am now rediscovering your genius. You didn't have a "diseased intellect," as your early critics claimed. You just had an eye for the darker side of things, and developed it so others could see that side too. You do it well.

Fascinating how you return to the themes of madness and murder, how the murderers who narrate their stories are so confident in their skill in hiding the body but in the end, it's their conscience that betrays them. The premeditated murders are chilling; the tortures of the Inquisition, horrifying; the rhythms of your poems, haunting. Some of your mysteries are more puzzles than anything else; I love the one about the stolen document hidden in plain sight, and the astonishing pirates' treasure concealed along the Carolina coast. They say you helped pioneer the modern detective story; for that alone, we owe you.

This five-disc audiobook is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to your literary output, I know. I felt rather cheated that it was so short. Edward Blake does a good job reading the stories and poems, and you'd probably enjoy his performance. I look forward to reading more of the work you dared the ire of the critics to write. ( )