Despite his short and turbulent life, Edgar Allan Poe left an indelible mark on world literature. Poe is often credited with the invention of the modern genres of the detective story and horror fiction, and he also figured prominently in the romantic literary movement. Reviled in his time, Poe is today one of America’s best-loved authors. Critical Companion to Edgar Allan Poe covers all of the prolific writer’s major and most of his minor works, including the famous stories The Tell-Tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Murders in the Rue Morgue, and The Fall of the House of Usher, as well as his haunting, melodic poems, such as The Raven, Annabel Lee, and many more. Poe also wrote numerous critical articles, reviews, and essays, many of which are examined in this volume. This updated, expanded, and reorganized edition of Edgar Allan Poe A to Z, winner of the 2002 Edgar Award for Best Critical/Biographical Work, contains extensive new material, including all-new commentary sections on Poe’s major stories, poems, and essays. Coverage includes: A concise but thorough biography of Poe, Synopses and critical assessments of Poe’s works, including poems, stories, and critical essays, Descriptions of Poe’s fictional characters, from C. Auguste Dupin to Montresor, Entries on people, places, publications, and concepts important to the understanding of Poe’s work, including discussions of Poe’s influence on Baudelaire and other French poets, Appendixes, including a chronology, bibliography, and list of major Poe research collections. Critical Companion to Edgar Allan Poe is an authoritative reference to this unique American genius. **Aboutthe Author:** Dawn B. Sova is an adjunct professor of English at Montclair State University