Collections of Poe's Tales
There are many, many collections of Poe's tales. The following books
reprint some of Poe's tales. Many of the more obscure items are available
only in the collection by Dr. Thomas O. Mabbott, the definitive edition,
which also contains extensive notes.
- Harrison, James A[lbert]., ed, The Complete Works of Edgar Allan
Poe, 17 vols, New York: T. Crowell, 1902.
- Mabbott, Thomas Ollive, ed., The Collected Works of Edgar Allan
Poe ; (Vols 2-3 Tales and Sketches), Cambridge, Mass.: The Belknap
Press of Harvard University Press, 1978. (Second printing 1979)
- Pollin, Burton R., ed., The Collected Writings of Edgar Allan Poe;
(Vol I - The Imaginary Voyages (Including The Narrative of Arthur
Gordon Pym, The Unparalled Adventure of one Hans Pfaall and
The Journal of Julius Rodman), Boston: Twayne Publishers, 1981.
- Woodberry, George E[dward]. and Stedman, Edmund Clarence, The Works
of Edgar Allan Poe, 10 vols, Chicago, 1896
- Quinn, Patrick F., ed., Poetry and Tales, New York: The
Library of America, 1978.
Poe's Own Collections of Tales
The following books of tales were printed during Poe's lifetime, all
under his authority and generally under his supervision.
- The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket (New York: Harper
& Brothers, 1838).
- Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (2 vols, Philadelphia:
Lea and Blanchard, 1840). (Only 750 were printed. The sales were disappointing
and Lea and Blanchard declined to purchase the copyrights from Poe.)
- The Prose Romances of Edgar A. Poe (Philadelphia: William H.
Graham, 1843). (Contains only "The Murders in the Rue Morgue"
and "The Man That Was Used Up.") (The number of copies printed
is unknown, but probably fewer than 250.) (Facsimile reprint by George
E. Hatvary and T. O. Mabbott, eds., St. John's University Press, 1968.)
- Tales (New York: Wiley and Putnam, 1845) (This collection was
edited by Evert A. Duyckinck. Poe was unhappy with the selection of tales.
It omitted "Ligeia," which Poe considered to be one of his best
stories. See Poe's letter to Philip P. Cooke, August 9, 1846, Ostrom, Letters,
pp. 327-330.) (At least 1,500 copies were printed.)
Poe planned at least one collection which was never actually printed:
- Phantasy-Pieces (1842) (An annotated copy of Tales of the
Grotesque and Arabesque, with Poe's own handwritten title page. Only
volume I exists. It is presumed that Griswold cut up the second volume
as copy for his posthumous collection of Poe's works.)
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