'Tamerlane & Other Poems' represents Poe's first foray into the literary world. From my point of view, it's clear that he was hesitant about how his work would be received, and was further hesitant about being the individual associated with having produced it. This is something that, as a writer, I understand completely. Were I a writer of Poe's caliber, however, I would most assuredly worry a great deal less. This volume is a faithful reproduction of the original text of the seminal work, first published in a run of fifty volumes in 1897, of which only twelve are known to have survived to the modern day. I have chosen to exclude any and all of his future works so that the original compilation may be absorbed as a singular whole, with nothing more to cloud perceptions about the author's original desires to be heard and enjoyed.
Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) reigned unrivaled in his mastery of mystery. Born in Boston, he was orphaned at age three, expelled from West Point for gambling and became an alcoholic. In 1836 he secretly wed his thirteen-year-old cousin. "The Raven", published in 1845, made Poe famous. He died in 1849 under what remain suspicious circumstances.