Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

Book excerpt: This collection of Poe's finest stories comprises all the terrifying and bewildering tales that typify his work. All of Poe's Auguste Dupin stories appear alongside the Gothic horror The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Premature Burial, and what is perhaps his most enduring work The Fall of the House of Usher. Never was there an illustrator whose work was more perfectly suited to the work of Poe - Rackham's ethereal blend of the gruesome with the sublime seem destined to cloth Poe's chilling tales. Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children. About the Author: Edgar Alan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet, writer and literary critic who belonged to the Romantic Movement. He contributed greatly to the genres of horror and science fiction and his psychologically thrilling tales earned him considerable fame during his lifetime and after his death. Perhaps his most enduring works are his tales of mystery and the macabre. Whilst his first work, Tamerlane and Other Poems was published in 1827 in relative obscurity, it was the publication of The Raven and Other Poems in 1845 that brought him instant success. About the Illustrator: Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was one of the premier illustrators of the early 20th Century. He illustrated many books, the first of which was published in 1893. His humour, romance and soul made him the leading illustrator of the early twentieth century and his work is to be found in versions of almost every classic from Hansel and Gretel to The Tempest, from The Pied Piper to Peer Gynt. Characteristic of his work are gloomy forests of sinuous trees, nubile fairy maidens, and unsightly ogres and trolls. Throughout his career, he developed a very individual style that was to influence a whole generation of children, artists and other illustrators. His haunting humour and dreamlike romance add to the enchantment and fantasy of children's literature.