The Pit and the Pendulum

Written by Edgar Allan Poe

Narrated by Paul Michael Garcia

Edgar Allen Poe is seen today as one of the greatest
practitioners of gothic and detective fiction that ever lived, and popular
culture is replete with references to him. In “The Pit and the Pendulum,” one
of his most famous short works, a condemned man is judged guilty by the Spanish
Inquisition and sentenced to die. Locked away in a pitch-black cell, he soon
discovers a pit in the center of the room, a watery grave at its base. Above
him hangs a large, razor-sharp pendulum. As the man is slowly tortured, he must face either the pit or the pendulum.

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• Language: English
• Publisher: Blackstone Audio
• Release date: Jun 10, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481535793

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–49) reigned unrivaled in his mastery of mystery during his lifetime and is now widely held to be a central figure of Romanticism and gothic horror in American literature. Born in Boston, he was orphaned at age three, was expelled from West Point for gambling, and later became a well-regarded literary critic and editor. The Raven, published in 1845, made Poe famous. He died in 1849 under what remain mysterious circumstances and is buried in Baltimore, Maryland.

Reviews for The Pit and the Pendulum

[rainidontmind · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Having trouble getting back into Poe. I feel like I'm not "getting" it.

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This work is set in Toledo at the time of the inquisition. The narrator has been found guilty and is going to be tortured. He wakes in a dark place. He avoids falling in the pit and then finds himself tied up with a pendulum dropping down to slowing cut him assunder. The end finds him rescured. This is a look at the reality of torture on the psyche.

[shelley.s · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I preferred these short stories alot more than the last ones i read (The Haunted Dolls House). There's more to them and they have better plots but they are also written better. The black Cat was probably my favorite story although very disturbing! The beating heart and The premature death was also very good. The pit and the pendulum was my least favorite but not for any reason other than the others interested me more. Its a really good book when your spending hours on and off coaches! Its small enough not to be a burden and you can read a story then put it down with forgetting where you are. I still haven't been persuaded to short stories at home though.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I didn't read this edition. First I listened to the radio play by Vincent Price (as preserved by Smithsonian legends). Then I read some reviews here to help me understand what I'd heard. That made me more confused, so I skimmed the Gutenberg Project's e-text. That text is *very* different than the radio play, and in language much too old-fashioned for my patience. I give up. But I'm counting this as read because I surely did work hard on it and will count it as 'done.'

[michael8xolotl · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

All is MADNESS!!!!!

[bookworm12_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Poe was the master of capturing our deepest fears and giving them a stage on which to shine. In Tell-Tale Heart he writes about guilt driving a man insane, other stories focus on the fear of being buried alive, destructive force of greed, etc. This dark tale is about a man being tortured to death and it’s a doozy. One man is trapped in complete darkness and as he slowly begins to explore his prison he realizes just how dire his case is. “The blackness of eternal night encompassed me. I struggled for breath. The intensity of the darkness seemed to oppress and stifle me. “  

[alspray · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Look up the word 'macabre' in the dictionary and you (should) find Edgar Allan Poe. This book of shorts is a delightful read... in a sort of sick and twisted way.

[scottcholstad · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've previously written that regardless of what or who came before, it all really starts with Lovecraft and I stand by that. However, that said, I've been a huge Poe fan my entire life and I feel that he's generally more famous for a reason -- he's damn good! I love his work and I think he was very original in many of his works, including this one, but I subjectively feel Lovecraft did him one better, if only subtly. In other words, for me, Lovecraft is 1A and Poe is 1B. Together, they're simply unbeatable. Very recommended!