The Poe
I have long been a fan of H.P. Lovecraft, though the intensity of my obsession has varied over the years. Unlike S.T. Yoshi of Dark Regions Press, I am definitely not aa scholar of things Lovecraftian. However, when I encountered, purely by the random vicissitudes of fate, a copy of Edgar Allen Poe's “Selected Works”, I immediately bought it.
As is well know, Lovecraft was deeply influenced by Poe, to the degree that the former mentions the latter in some of his own stories. I have read some opinions that claim Lovecraft should not have done so, being a master author of the weird in his own right. I, on the other hand, see something respectful and decent in such acknowledgements. Also, it was these very acknowledgements that led me to the opening page of Poe himself.
Selected Works of Edgar Allen Poe contains a number of his more well-known short stories, “The Fall of the House of Usher” among them, as well as numerous poems from his pen. The errors that were in Poe's original publications, that is typos and the like, have all been retained to maintain the spirit of the author's original works. I agree with this editorial decision, as such errors do not intrude on the reading pleasure at all.
Poe writes in often very long sentences packed with information, and this makes rushing the reading difficult, at least for me. These are stories that one needs to savour like a fine wine. Poe is not cheap, cask wine to be quaffed by the gallon. Each word seems to have its place and some of the phrases are unusual enough to modern eyes that one needs to think about it more than one would in a modern work. The overall feel of Poe's writing is one steeped in the time to which the man was born. Remembering that is important in such tales as “A Tale of Unparalelled Adventure of One Hans Pfaall”, where modern readers will instantly find issue with Poe's speculations of the mysterious (at the time) moon.
Right from the beginning, Poe's influence on Lovercraft can be discerned. The style of narrative, such as a letter or document left to explain the character's side of the story (“William Wilson”), stands as an example of this. There is also the influence of themes that Lovecraft picked up in his stories, such as individual transformation, as what occurs in “Ligeia” to the beloved of the narrator. For fans of Lovecraft, this makes reading Poe almost essential to appreciate the continuity maintained by the latter.
For enjoyment in reading, Selected Works of Edgar Allen Poe makes a fine introduction to Poe's body of work. It is not overwhelming but gives one a taste that may inspire future and deeper dives into Poe's work and world. Definitely a recommended read.