The Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe. Wordsworth Library Collection

Edgar Poe, born on January 19th, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts, was the son of itinerant actors. After his father abandoned the family and his mother's subsequent death, he was taken in by John Allan, a tobacco farmer in Virginia, marking a new chapter in his life as Edgar Allan Poe. Though he excelled academically at the University of Virginia, he equally developed a notorious reputation for accumulating debts through gambling, which strained his relationship with his stepfather, eventually leading him to leave home in pursuit of independence.In 1836, Poe married his cousin, Virginia. Despite being a prolific writer involved in various literary pursuits such as journalism, poetry, and criticism, as well as pioneering new genres like the detective novel with "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" (1841), his talents went largely unrecognized until the successful publication of "The Raven" in 1845. The poem propelled him into the spotlight, gaining considerable acclaim, yet his private life was marred by hardship, including poverty, illness, and Virginia's death in 1847, leading to his eventual downfall.Edgar Allan Poe's life came to a tragic end in 1849 when he was found in a deteriorated state in a Baltimore tavern. Despite being taken to a hospital, he passed away on October 7th at the age of 40. His profound influence on literature was not fully acknowledged during his lifetime. However, thanks to the translations by Baudelaire, his work found a broader audience in Europe, heavily impacting modern French literature and inspiring renowned authors like Dostoevsky, Conan Doyle, and Jules Verne.The Library Collection hardback series is set for a relaunch in November 2024, showcasing a fresh design. The books feature a luxurious finish with black soft-touch linen, cloth binding, and metallic gold with matte foil accents. They are complemented by co-ordinated head and tail bands, a silk ribbon marker, and colored spray edges. Additionally, the books boast sewn pages and endpapers in two colors with exclusive designs by Holly Dunn.