I have a power point presentation and poe report due on June 1st and I need interesting facts concerning his life, both good and bad. I would highly appreciate any info not available online as I have not been able to find anything new since I have visited 20 sites or so.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

Answers

Let's try for the unexpected: Poe's physical prowess: An excellent swinner. Rescued a companion from drowning- and good thing since he got him into the mess in the first place. Loved nature walks. Bragged about his long jumping abilities and showing off to his friends he broke his only pair of shoes. None of his friends could help him buy another. Loved the ocean crossing to England and considered Byron something of a wimp in this regard. loved to keep that military posture he learned at West Point. Liked cats, birds, gardening. Witty and fairly good at humor when not too grotesque or broad, but couldn't take a joke if it touched upon his work. Loved science and speculation, both the fads(phrenology)and the real(South Seas Antartic Expedition)and like Conan Doyle tried his hand at solving crime(Mary Rogers). Thought war was outdated and unthinkable. One reason he abandonned his military career. His own legend of sea voyages(to Russia)probably refer to his dead brother Henry's sea career. dates, names, anagrams of his family's life history repeat themselves over and over again in his works.(mother's, brother's death, birthday).

I think most sites, though well intentioned, cannot supply the sheer amount that can found in a lengthy paper book. Simply avoid those odd biographers who detest Poe and further the dark legend created by his enemy Rufus Griswold.

-- Anonymous, May 09, 2001

I am not sure but if you can go to the library on edgar allen poe through yahoo or excite.com they have a lot of information. The only thing I can tell you is that he was a very angry man and his stories were about his life and what he might have done or did.

-- Anonymous, May 11, 2001

Read all, except Marie-Bonaparte...

-- Anonymous, May 13, 2001