Edgar Allan Poe

About the Author

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic who was best known for his tales of mystery and macabre poetry and short stories. Poe was one of the first writers in America to make a living and career from his writing, and his works are important to many literary genres and movements. He was one of the earliest writers using the short story format and he is considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre! Edgar Allan Poe was such an important and influential writer that, in 1954, the Mystery Writers of America decided to name an award after him and it is given to honor the best writers and creators in the mystery genre. More than a century and a half after his death, Poe’s works still send a frightening chill down his reader’s spines.