Summary
Nevermore: A Photobiography of Edgar Allen Poe tells the story of Edgar Allen Poe’s life from birth to death. The author begins with his birth on January 18, 1809, inBibliography
Lange, K. E. (2009). Nevermore: A photobiography of Edgar Allen Poe. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic.My Impression
I enjoyed the book. I like Poe’s stories and poems, so I found it interesting to learn more about his life. I learned new things that I had never heard before, such as Poe being the originator of the detecitve mystery genre. I also really appreciated the author’s depiction of Poe. She presents him as a well-rounded person with both strengths and flaws, unlike the stereotypical portrayal of Poe as a dark, brooding alcoholic. The pictures and images used throughout the book are a great addition. They add depth and interest to an already interesting topic. It was neat to see pictures of Poe, his family and various places that he lived, as well as images of original manuscripts written in his handwriting.To Read or Not to Read: Read it. You'll learn some interesting things about an American classic.
Professional Reviews
School Library Journal
"Gr 6-10-- The drama of Poe's tortured life unfolds in accessible prose. Textual information is interspersed with photos, artistic interpretations, and revealing quotations presented in script. Though not as extensive in scope as Milton Meltzer's Edgar Allan Poe (21st Century, 2003) or Tristan Boyer Binns's Edgar Allan Poe: Master of Suspense (Watts, 2005), this volume offers a fairly complete and thoroughly readable description of Poe's life and his importance to literature. His writing is shown to have grown from his troubled, largely dark, lifetime experiences and the constant longing for connection and love. In addition to his creative writing, Lange discusses popular psychological interpretations of Poe's work and credits him with creating new literary genres such as the detective story and the horror story. The book's brevity and format render it a good addition for reports and background for an author study." - Renee Steinberg
Steinberg, R. (2009, April). [Book review of the book Nevermore: A photobiography of Edgar Allan Poe, by K. Lange]. School Library Journal, 55(4), 149. Retrieved from http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com.Booklist
“This very readable biography introduces Edgar Allen Poe. Effectively orphaned before the age of two by his father’s abandonment and his mother’s death, Poe was taken in by a foster family and educated well. As an adult, he lived in poverty and struggled with alcoholism and emotional instability, but wrote well-crafted, original stories and poems that profoundly affected those who followed him, particularly mystery and horror writers. Illustrated with many period photographs as well as pictures of Poe-related places and artifacts, the book has varied, spacious page layouts in which shade of turquoise add color to some of the illustrations and backgrounds. The jacket art, which features a photo of Poe’s face, overlaid with lines of manuscript, peering outward with haunted eyes, will draw both fans of Poe and a new audience. A chronology and lists of quote sources, books, articles, Internet sites, and historical sites conclude this handsome introduction to an American original.” – Carolyn Phelan
Phelan, C. (2009, April 1). [Book review of the book Nevermore: A photobiography of Edgar Allan Poe, by K. Lange]. Booklist, 105(15), 35. Retrieved from http://www.booklistonline.com.
Library Uses
On Janurary 19, Edgar Allen Poe's birthday, the library could use the information in this book to create a book display and a visual timeline of Poe's life. There could also be readings of some of his works to celebrate his birthday.
Image retrieved from: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/nevermore-karen-lange/1012582875?ean=9781426303982
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