"One of the most original American writers, Edgar Allan Poe shaped the development of both the detective story and the science-fiction story. Some of his poems--"The Raven," "The Bells," "Annabel Lee"--Remain among the most popular in American literature. Poe's tales of the macabre still thrill readers of all ages. Here are familiar favorites like "The Purloined Letter. " "The Fall of the House of Usher," and "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," together with less well-known masterpieces like "The Imp of the Perverse," "The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym" and "Ligeia," which is now recognised as one of the first science-fiction stories, a total of seventy-three tales in all, plus fifty-three poems and a generous sampling of Poe's essays, criticism and journalistic writings. "--Back cover.