Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American writer, poet and literary critic. He was praised for the minuteness of detail, analytical subtlety and refined language. The power he had over the reader was so astonishing that, despite accusations of immorality and abundance of gore, Poe's short stories were widely acclaimed and warmly accepted by both critics and readers. The present collection features such famous short stories as The Gold-Bug, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, The Fall of the House of Usher, and William Wilson.