Yaddith Times

Baltimore ward
a last mystery
evermore


-- Ann K. Schwader

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_Allan_Poe

(never too late to remember . . . . )

evening mirror
a deathless reflection
takes flight


                                     -- Ann K. Schwader


  1845 – American poet Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" appeared in the New York Evening Mirror, its first publication attributed to Poe.

Poe fans -- and Hawthorne fans as well -- might want to check out  this article  on Smithsonian.com. 

Entitled "A Murder In Salem" -- though the same article in Smithsonian this month has the catchier title of "the Tell-Tale Murder" -- it discusses  the brutal killing of one Capt. Joseph White of Salem in 1830, and the inspiration thus provided for works by both Edgar Allen Poe ( "The Tell-Tale Heart") and Nathaniel Hawthorne (The Scarlet Letter and The House of Seven Gables) .   Plenty of details here for those interested in the history of forensic science, too!

So many fears, so little time . . . but there's new content up on the SFPA's Halloween Reading Page.  Three new poets have been added: Shelly Bryant, Stephen M. Wilson, and Liz Bennefeld.  You'll find their readings at the bottom of the list -- for now.  Treat yourself to some creepy ear candy!

Over at the Innsmouth Free Press site (newly revamped, but so far the fangs aren't showing), they're celebrating Poe Week. This means seven days of articles, reviews, and interviews -- beginning with an excellent article on "Edgar Allen Poe, the Myth"  by Pamela K. Kinney.  I plan on checking back each day, and other devotees of classic darkness might want to do likewise.

Lovecraftians with extra reading time this season should definitely devote some of it to Tor.com's  December Belongs to Cthulhu -- especially since penguinkeggard , author of the excellent "Living Poe Girl" series in October, is back!

This time, her "Lovecraft Fresh" series (two articles so far) examines the varied influences on Lovecraft's early stories.  Her first devotes itself to Poe's Gothic touch in "The Alchemist" and "The Outsider."   Her second, which I found particularly fascinating, puts her art history degree to good use by revealing Decadence/Symbolist influences in "The Hound."
 
Both these articles, though academically rigorous, are extremely readable and brief enough for a quick lunch hour.   For those not already familiar with them, she includes links to the tales online.
 
No matter how versed you are in HPL, though, you're likely to find new tidbits of geeky Mythos goodness here.   Her next article will discuss "The Color Out of Space" -- and I can't wait to see what she finds in that one. 

Well, poo.  Despite my best intentions, I missed the Part 2 posting of S.J. Chambers' remarkable Living Poe Girl series over on Tor.com.   Now I find Part 3 is up!  What's a Poe girl to do?

Catch up during lunch, that's what.    Yum.

Part 2, "An Alchemical Marriage," applies some basic concepts of alchemy to death and resurrection in "Ligeia."   Part 3, "Metaphysical Motherhood,"  discusses change and personal identity in "Morella." 

In both cases, these articles convey an impressive amount of information (I particularly liked Part 2's alchemical briefing) in a concise, well-organized manner.  With endnotes!   Lovers of Poe, or weird/Gothic fiction in general, shouldn't miss them.

In honor of October and the bicentennial of Edgar Allan Poe, S. J. Chambers has posted the first of a really remarkable 4 part series on Tor.com. 

Entitled Living Poe Girl,  this series examines the role of Poe's women in his writing.  Part I,  "Objects of Desire," opens the discussion with "Berenice"  (1835), "Morella" (1835), "Ligeia"  (1838),  “Eleonora” (1841) and "The Oval Portrait"  (1842).   The writing is both concise and detailed, with useful footnotes for those so inclined.

Anyone interested in a thought-provoking, rather feminist look at Poe should check out this series ASAP.  I certainly intend to keep up with it!