The Fall of the House of Usher

Written by Edgar Allan Poe

Narrated by George Pearson

Roderick and Madeline are twin siblings. They share a remarkably strong bond - with each other and with the home they live in. At the request of a friend, the narrator travels to the Usher estate. Roderyk's letters suggest that he is suffering from a mysterious ailment and needs support. Upon arrival, it becomes clear that his sister is also falling into unexplained states. Day by day, the unsettling atmosphere of the house affects the narrator more and more. This masterpiece of gothic literature has been adapted for the screen multiple times, most recently in 2008 by David DeCoteau. A true gem of the genre and a perfect read for Lovecraft enthusiasts.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gates of Imagination
• Release date: Feb 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798875109102

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) was an American poet, short story writer, and editor. Born in Boston to a family of actors, Poe was abandoned by his father in 1810 before being made an orphan with the death of his mother the following year. Raised in Richmond, Virginia by the Allan family of merchants, Poe struggled with gambling addiction and frequently fought with his foster parents over debts. He attended the University of Virginia for a year before withdrawing due to a lack of funds, enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1827. That same year, Poe anonymously published Tamerlane and Other Poems, his first collection. After failing to graduate from West Point, Poe began working for several literary journals as a critic and editor, moving from Richmond to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. In 1836, he obtained a special license to marry Virginia Clemm, his 13-year-old cousin, who moved with him as he pursued his career in publishing. In 1838, Poe published The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, a tale of a stowaway on a whaling ship and his only novel. In 1842, Virginia began showing signs of consumption, and her progressively worsening illness drove Poe into deep depression and alcohol addiction. “The Raven” (1845) appeared in the Evening Mirror on January 29th. It was an instant success, propelling Poe to the forefront of the American literary scene and earning him a reputation as a leading Romantic. Following Virginia’s death in 1847, Poe became despondent, overwhelmed with grief and burdened with insurmountable debt. Suffering from worsening mental and physical illnesses, Poe was found on the streets of Baltimore in 1849 and died only days later. He is now recognized as a literary pioneer who made important strides in developing techniques essential to horror, detective, and science fiction.