The Gold-Bug and Other Tales

Recognized today as the undisputed master of the American Gothic horror story, Edgar Allan Poe revealed his genius in tales of death, terror, evil and perversity. Highly skilled in achieving a calculated psychological effect, Poe created chilling fictional nightmares permeated by mysterious forces, gortesque creatures and improbably hallucinations. The Great American writer tapped his own compulsive anxieties-aggravated by illness, family sorrows and alcoholism-as source material for his famous tales of suspense, horror and loathing. Nine of the very finest are collected here, including tow, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Gold-Bug,” that display his immensely influential in their genres. In particular, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is a decisive landmark in the development of the murder mystery, with its mastermind detective working in competition with the police force, and with its dependence on the minute examination of material clues. The dates following the names of the stories int he table of contents are those of first publicaiton; the order is chronological. Content: Ligeria (1838), The Fall of the House of Usher (1839), The Murders in the Rue Morgue (1841), The Masque of the Red Death (1842), The Tell-Tale Heart (1843), The Gold-Bug (1843), The Black Cat (1843), The Cask of Amontillado (1846)