The Portable Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe Read Free Book Online

Arthur Gordon Pym . With wife and mother-in-law, Poe moves to New York, completes novel, and secures contract with Harper & Brothers. Panic of 1837 postpones publication of Pym; Poe remains unemployed and impoverished.
    1838 Relocates to Philadelphia; unsuccessfully seeks employment. Harper & Brothers publish Pym; novel receives mixed reviews. Poe publishes “Ligeia” in Baltimore American Museum . Allows Thomas Wyatt to use his name as author of textbook on seashells.
    1839 Obtains position at Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine; meets Philadelphia literati; publishes “William Wilson” in The Gift and “The Fall of the House of Usher” in Burton’s . Lea & Blanchard publish Poe’s Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque in December. Poe issues challenge in Alexander’s Weekly Messenger to solve any cryptogram submitted by readers.
    1840 Begins serialization of “The Journal of Julius Rodman” in Burton’s; solves cryptograms in Alexander’s; accuses Longfellow of plagiarism. Burton dismisses Poe for issuing Penn Magazine prospectus; project elicits encouragement from many quarters. Poe meets Frederick W. Thomas; contributes “The Man of the Crowd” to newly created Graham’s Magazine; suffers prolonged illness that delays Penn .
    1841 Financial crisis further postpones Penn . Poe takes job on Graham’s staff; publishes “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “A Descent into the Maelström.” Meets Rufus Griswold; plans to edit new monthly magazine in collaboration with George Graham and solicits work from noted American authors, but privately seeks government appointment through Thomas. Graham’s publishes Poe’s features on “Secret Writing” and “Autography.”
    1842 Virginia Poe suffers pulmonary hemorrhage that signals consumption; Poe drinks to relieve sorrow. Interviews Charles Dickens; resigns position at Graham’s . Renews efforts to obtain patronage job through Tyler administration; makes abortive visit to New York seeking editorial work. Fails to receive government appointment; publishes “The Mystery of Marie Rogêt,” based on death of Mary Rogers in New York.
    1843 James Russell Lowell’s Pioneer publishes “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Poe enlists publisher Thomas C. Clarke as partner in projected magazine now called The Stylus . Drinks heavily during disastrous visit to Washington in quest of patronage appointment; offends Thomas Dunn English there; loses support of Clarke, who commissions English to write temperance novel. Wins one hundred dollars in Dollar Newspaper contest with “The Gold-Bug”; fails to obtain government position; delivers lecture, “American Poetry,” in several cities. English’s serialized novel, The Doom of the Drinker, caricatures Poe.
    1844 Enters most productive year as writer; moves to New York; creates sensation with New York Sun hoax on transatlantic balloon flight. Explores new strategies to launch Stylus; writes “Doings of Gotham” dispatches for Columbia (Pennsylvania) Spy; publishes “The Purloined Letter” and joins editorial staff of Evening Mirror .
    1845 Develops connections with Young America group and Evert Duyckinck; publishes “The Raven” and becomes literary celebrity; joins staff of Broadway Journal, acquiring part ownership, and there renews attacks on Longfellow as plagiarist. Graham’s publishes biographical sketch of Poe by Lowell. Attends literary salons and meets New York literati; becomes enamored of poet Frances S. Osgood; creates scandal by reading “Al Aaraaf” at Boston Lyceum. Duyckinck publishes two volumes of Poe’s work in “Library of American Books.” Acquires full ownership of Broadway Journal through loans; struggles to keep newspaper afloat; suspends publication at year’s end.
    1846 Becomes embroiled in controversy over indiscreet letters to Mrs. Osgood; brawls with English; serializes “The Literati of New York City” in Godey’s, satirizing English and others. Moves to Fordham cottage as Virginia’s