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Life IS history in the making. Every word we say, everything we do becomes history the moment it is said or done. Life void of memories leaves nothing but emptiness. For those who might consider history boring, think again: It is who we are, what we do and why we are here. We are certainly individuals in our thoughts and deeds but we all germinated from seeds planted long, long ago.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Poe's Place in History

This Day in History: January 19, 1809

Do you recognize this photograph?

Source: en.wikipedia.org

How about this illustration?

Source: en.wikipedia.org

Are you familiar with this bird?

en.wikipedia.org

Have you read this poem?

 
In case you did not notice the name in the title of this post, the very last illustration is a dead giveaway. The person in the beginning photograph is none other than Edgar Allan Poe. I must admit had someone shown me just the photograph I would not have recognized the man. However, upon revealing one of his great writings, the name behind the photograph would surely no longer remain a mystery.

Edgar Allan Poe (born Edgar Poe; January 19, 1809 – October 7, 1849) was an American author, poet, editor, and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story, and is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction.[1] He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.[2] Source: en.wikipedia.org
Poe had a profound impact on American, as well as international, literature. In fact, as a writer of fiction, he became one of the first 19th century American authors to become more popular in Europe than the United States. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who is most noted for his fictional stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, said of Poe, "Each [of Poe's detective stories] is a root from which a whole literature has developed.... Where was the detective story until Poe breathed the breath of life into it?"[110] [Sherlock Holmes and other fictional detectives were based on the characters that Poe created.]

Some of Poe's great masterpieces include...

 



 



Author, Poet, Editor, and Literary Critic to be long remembered and revered

Poe pictured on a 3¢ US postage stamp in the
Famous Americans/Poets series, issued 7 October 1949
Poe's picture included on the record sleeve of
The Beatles' "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band"
Read about the Poe Toaster who raised a glass of cognac
and left three red roses on Poe's grave
every January 19th for almost 80 years.
The NFL franchise Baltimore Ravens are named so because of Poe's famous poem, "The Raven".
Poe was born in Boston, MASS but lived in several different places, including Baltimore, MD.
He died in Baltimore.


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