Born January 19,1809 in Boston, Edgar Allen Poe is best known for his bizarre, dark macabre tales. He wrote in many forms, including the short story, a format he is credited with refining, and is seen as one of the first writers of the genres known as crime and science fiction.

Poe and his family were first abandoned by their father in 1810 then orphaned when their mother Eliza died a year later. Poe was raised by the family of John Allan in Richmond, Virginia - his middle name was taken after his adopted parents (often misspelled as Allen).

Adding to what is seen as a very troubled life of darkness, Poe would marry his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm, in 1835. His tales of darkness mixed realism with parody while his characters were often gloomy introspective types that were locked within the rooms of their minds.

His tales featured stories of being buried alive and returning from the grave and included "The Premature Burial," "Ligeia," "The Cask of Amontillado," and "The Fall of the House of Usher." Poe's most famous work is "The Raven" written in 1845.

Poe died in 1849 at the age of 40 of an undetermined illness - suggestions have ranged from alcohol and drugs to cholera and rabies.

From the Raven:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."