1/16/2013 Listening Lounge

Edgar Poe was born January 19th, 1809. We'll celebrate his birth and genius with another episode focusing on his work. This time however, it will be decidedly less spooky.

Called the father of the detective story, he was the first well-known American writer to attempt to earn a living through writing alone. His poem The Raven, penned in 1845, numbers among the best-known poems in national literature. However, for all the information we know about Edgar, an equal amount of his life remains a mystery. Much of the distorted picture we have long held of Poe can be attributed to Rufus Griswold who was, in fact, a jerk. After Poe's death, Rufus published a libelous obituary followed by a slanderous memoir; all aimed at defaming Edgar. It didn't work.

In this program, you'll hear several of Basil Rathbone's readings of Poe, an excerpt from The Cavalcade of America's excellent radio play "Edgar Allan Poe," Terence Stamp reciting A Dream within A Dream, and The Alan Parson's Project prog rock masterpiece: "To One In Paradise."

Happy 204th Birthday, Edgar!