Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was a pioneering American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic, best known for his mastery of macabre and Gothic fiction. A central figure in American Romanticism, Poe is credited with inventing the modern detective story with The Murders in the Rue Morgue, and significantly contributing to the emerging genres of horror and science fiction. His most famous works include The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher, and The Pit and the Pendulum.

A Few Fun Facts:

▪ Poe's pet cat, Catterina, often kept him company while he wrote, a possible inspiration for his feline-centered horror tales.
▪ Poe’s mysterious death remains unsolved—he was found delirious on the streets of Baltimore and died days later.
▪ He had a notoriously antagonistic relationship with fellow writer Rufus Wilmot Griswold, who published a defamatory obituary and forged biography after Poe’s death.