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The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe

Adults

Author Mark Dawidziak delves into the mystery of Poe’s death and the myths and misconceptions about him.

It is a moment shrouded in horror and mystery. Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7, 1849, at just 40, in a painful, utterly bizarre manner that would not have been out of place in one of his own tales of terror. What was the cause of his premature death? What happened to him during the three missing days before he was found, delirious and “in great distress” on the streets of Baltimore, wearing ill-fitting clothes that were not his own? Mystery and horror. Poe, who remains one of the most iconic of American writers, died under haunting circumstances that reflect the two literary genres he took to new heights. In this talk based on his new biography published by St. Martin's Press, author Mark Dawidziak delves into not only the enduring mystery of his death but also the many myths and misconceptions about him.

A book signing will follow.

Dawidziak is the author or editor of 25 books, including five about Mark Twain and three studies of landmark television series: The Columbo Phile, The Night Stalker Companion, and Everything I Need to Know I Learned in The Twilight Zone.