The Fall of the House of Usher and Ot..., Edgar Allan Poe
The Fall of the House of Usher and Ot..., Edgar Allan Poe
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The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings
Penguin Classics

Author: Edgar Allan Poe, Peter Ackroyd, David Galloway

Narrator: Catherine Bailey, Tom Ravenscroft

Unabridged: 16 hr 8 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/26/2019


Synopsis

Brought to you by Penguin.

This Penguin Classic is performed by Tom Ravenscroft, radio presenter known for his work on BBC 6 Music, and Catherine Bailey, known for A Quiet Passion and The Crown, as leading roles in London Theatres. This definitive recording includes an Introduction by David Galloway.

The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings is a collection that displays the full force of Edgar Allen Poe's mastery of both Gothic horror and the short story form.

This selection of Poe's critical writings, short fiction and poetry demonstrates his intense interest in aesthetic issues, and the astonishing power and imagination with which he probed the darkest corners of the human mind. 'The Fall of the House of Usher' is a slow-burning Gothic horror, describing the final hours of a family tormented by tragedy and the legacy of the past. In 'The Tell-Tale Heart', a murderer's insane delusions threaten to betray him, while stories such as 'The Pit and the Pendulum', 'The Raven' and 'The Cask of Amontillado' explore extreme states of decadence, fear and hate.

In his introduction David Galloway re-examines the myths surrounding Poe's life and reputation.

Although dissipated in his youth and plagued by mental instability towards the end of his life, Boston-born Edgar Allan Poe (1809-49) had a variety of occupations, including service in the US army and magazine editor, as well as his remarkable literary output.

'The most original genius that America has produced'
Alfred, Lord Tennyson

'Poe has entered our popular consciousness as no other American writer'
The New York Times Book Review

About Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet, short story writer, editor, and literary critic who is credited with inventing the detective fiction genre and with contributing to the emerging science fiction genre. He began his literary career with the anonymous publication of a collection of his poems entitled Tamerlane and Other Poems. He then turned to writing prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals, becoming well known for his particular style of literary criticism. He served for a time on the staff of the New York Mirror, in which his poem "The Raven" was published. Poe's other well-known works include his stories "The Purloined Letter," "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," and "The Mystery of Marie Roget."


Reviews

Goodreads review by Federico on October 03, 2025

Pure Classicness. Part II. Yet another collection by legendary Poe. What is there to say? I love completionism! Another good but scarcely great mixed bag of sorts. You can always count on good ol’ Poe to get the job done… in an old fashioned convoluted kind of way. Thank God there was no poetry th......more

Goodreads review by Bionic Jean on February 22, 2025

This selection of short stories reveals Edgar Allan Poe in all his moods. All the stories have been reviewed, but some have their own separate reviews and star rating. These are indicated with links at the end. This review and star rating is for the remainder of this selection. The Fall of the House......more

Goodreads review by Paul on August 09, 2022

I was just going to read ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’ to remind myself of it before reading T. Kingfisher's ‘What Moves the Dead’ which is presented as an extended retelling of the story. I found myself, however, reminded of how good a writer Poe was, and had to go on and reread many of the stor......more

Goodreads review by melydia on December 24, 2009

The Balloon-Hoax - Wow. That was really boring. Ms. Found in a Bottle - Good suspense, but the ending confused me. A Descent into the Maelstrom - Not too memorable. The Murders in the Rue Morgue - A rather silly Holmes-esque mystery tale. The Purloined Letter - Not bad, but far too wordy. The Black Cat -......more

Goodreads review by piperitapitta on October 17, 2024

Nero, enigmatico, gotico, terrificante, ricercato, brillante, ironico: non è il mio genere, davvero, ma non si possono non riconoscere la qualità letteraria di questi racconti, la capacità di Edgar Allan Poe di trascinare chi legge in territori in cui molti (io di sicuro) non hanno il piacere di add......more