EDGAR ALLAN POE: Genius in Torment

There is nothing as objectionable or silly here as Charles Haines' Edgar Allan Poe (KR, 1974), but on the other hand both Haines and Philip Van Doren Stern (KR, 1973) provide more commentary and criticism than Jacobs. A few of the poems are excerpted here and the tales skimmed over (summed up as ""tales of morbid horror replete with sadism""); otherwise Jacobs is content to chronicle the ups and downs of Poe's fortunes and career and the ins and outs of his love life. On this superficial level he is conscientious, avoiding romantic excess and sensationalism, making a good (but unobtrusive) case of correlating Poe's drinking bouts with his life crises, and summarizing in footnotes points of controversy where evidence is lacking or scholars disagree. Additional.