Tales of Edgar Allan PoeTales of Edgar Allan Poe
Score Classic
What it's about
The best of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories: a narrator haunted by the beating of a heart beneath the floor, a prisoner facing a swinging blade in the dark, a crumbling family mansion, a masked plague at a prince's ball, a man walled up in a wine cellar, and the brilliant detective Dupin solving the murders in the Rue Morgue.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books. Poe more or less invented the detective story and shaped horror and science fiction, and these tales are still eerie and gripping.
You'll love it if you liked
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Frankenstein
The Murder of Roger AckroydGood to know
The language is 19th-century and ornate. Stories vary by edition; The Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher and The Cask of Amontillado are the place to start.
By the numbers
- Readers77 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #106 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #239 of the 762 classics we rank
- #755 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Adventurous, Thought-provoking
More by Edgar Allan Poe
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Quick answers
Is Tales of Edgar Allan Poe worth reading?
Yes. It's on the Bokklubben list of the 100 greatest books. It ranks #755 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 75.5 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Tales of Edgar Allan Poe about?
The best of Edgar Allan Poe's short stories: a narrator haunted by the beating of a heart beneath the floor, a prisoner facing a swinging blade in the dark, a crumbling family mansion, a masked plague at a prince's ball, a man walled up in a wine cellar, and the brilliant detective Dupin solving the murders in the Rue Morgue.
How long does it take to read Tales of Edgar Allan Poe?
About 8 hours (304 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Tales of Edgar Allan Poe?
If you liked it, try The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley or The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie.