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Israfel: The Life and Times of Edgar Allan Poe, Vol 1
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
472 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1926
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158 people want to read
About the author
Hervey Allen
104 books14 followersBorn William Hervey Allen. 1915 University of Pittsburgh graduate. In WWI served as a Lieutenant in the 28th (keystone) Division, US Army and fought in the Aisne-Marne offensive July-August, 1918. He wrote "Toward the Flame" (1926), a nonfictional account of his experiences in the war.
Allen is best known for his work Anthony Adverse, a 1933 bestseller. He also planned a series of novels about colonial America called The Disinherited, of which he completed three works: The Forest and the Fort (1943), Bedford Village (1944), and Toward the Morning (1948). The novels tell the story of Salathiel Albine, a frontiersman kidnapped as a boy by Shawnee Indians in the 1750s. All three works were collected and published as the City in the Dawn. Allen also wrote Israfel (1926), a biography of American writer Edgar Allan Poe.
Allen is best known for his work Anthony Adverse, a 1933 bestseller. He also planned a series of novels about colonial America called The Disinherited, of which he completed three works: The Forest and the Fort (1943), Bedford Village (1944), and Toward the Morning (1948). The novels tell the story of Salathiel Albine, a frontiersman kidnapped as a boy by Shawnee Indians in the 1750s. All three works were collected and published as the City in the Dawn. Allen also wrote Israfel (1926), a biography of American writer Edgar Allan Poe.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
November 8, 2022
4.5⭐
Contents to Volume I
Preface ✔
I. A Dramatic Prologue ✔
II. The Two Orphans ✔
III. Lady Bountiful Claims Israfel ✔
IV. “The Little Angel” Tries His Wings ✔
V. Israfel in Albion ✔
VI. Israfel Meets Helen ✔
VII. Israfel Salutes the Marquis ✔
VIII. Elmira and the Enchanted Garden ✔
IX. Israfel in Cap and Gown ✔
X. Alus Henri Le Rennet ✔
XI. Israfel in Carolina ✔
XII. Cold Marble ✔
XIII. The West Point Interlude ✔
XIV. The Weary, Wayworn Wanderer ✔
XV. “The Mysterious Years” ✔
XVI. Bottled Fame ✔
XVII. Valley of the Many-Colored Grass ✔
Contents to Volume I
Preface ✔
I. A Dramatic Prologue ✔
II. The Two Orphans ✔
III. Lady Bountiful Claims Israfel ✔
IV. “The Little Angel” Tries His Wings ✔
V. Israfel in Albion ✔
VI. Israfel Meets Helen ✔
VII. Israfel Salutes the Marquis ✔
VIII. Elmira and the Enchanted Garden ✔
IX. Israfel in Cap and Gown ✔
X. Alus Henri Le Rennet ✔
XI. Israfel in Carolina ✔
XII. Cold Marble ✔
XIII. The West Point Interlude ✔
XIV. The Weary, Wayworn Wanderer ✔
XV. “The Mysterious Years” ✔
XVI. Bottled Fame ✔
XVII. Valley of the Many-Colored Grass ✔
February 22, 2025
What a fantastic source on everything Edgar Allan Poe! First published in 1926, it takes its title from Poe's 1831 poem. With very thorough research and great photos and illustrations, this tome is an easy to read page turner. A must read for followers and students of Edgar Allan Poe.
December 18, 2025
Without a doubt the best and most comprehensive biography of Poe’s life, that strikes the perfect balance between allowing him grace for his actions and pointing out his negative qualities. It contains a wonderful wealth of letters, photographs, quotations, transcripts of wills (!), pretty much every category of primary source you could think of.
I am so SICK of reading books that paint Poe as uwu smol bean can do no wrong. I am equally sick of the criticism I read of Poe being solely about his addictions. If you want to learn about why Edgar Allan Poe was Like That™️ you should read this. It’s long but it’s defo worth it. In fact it’s the only biography of Poe you should read at all!!
I am so SICK of reading books that paint Poe as uwu smol bean can do no wrong. I am equally sick of the criticism I read of Poe being solely about his addictions. If you want to learn about why Edgar Allan Poe was Like That™️ you should read this. It’s long but it’s defo worth it. In fact it’s the only biography of Poe you should read at all!!
December 16, 2023
My reading buddy, and I decided to read this together because in Louis l'Amour's memoir Education of a Wandering man he stated that this was the best biography on Edgar Allan Poe.
This is the only biography I've ever read on Edgar Poe, so I can't say if it's the best or not. What I can say is it is probably the most in-depth biography on Poe. So much information. not only information on Poe but also the time period as well. It was a very interesting read.
This is the only biography I've ever read on Edgar Poe, so I can't say if it's the best or not. What I can say is it is probably the most in-depth biography on Poe. So much information. not only information on Poe but also the time period as well. It was a very interesting read.
May 21, 2018
one f the best book
November 20, 2022
4.5⭐
A review of this book was published in The Atlantic (an American magazine and multi-platform publisher founded in 1857 in Boston), by Gamaliel Bradford titled Israfel: The Life and Times of Edgar Allan Poe, February 1927 issue in the BOOKS Section.
Mr. Hervey Allen has dealt with the life of Poe and has endeavored to make it clear that Poe was a true product of his time.
Gamaliel wrote:
"BIOGRAPHY seems to be becoming more and more a matter of background. We see eminent men, not so much as errant examples of genius or individuality, but as the product of their surroundings and of their time, influenced, in their strength and in their weakness both, by the numerous and complicated currents of thought and feeling that manifest themselves in the general movement of the age. It is in this spirit that Mr. Allen has dealt with the life of Poe and has endeavored to make it clear that not only much of his achievement but much of his limitation and erratic failure was connected with the conditions under which he lived and worked. The early background of Richmond and the complicated relations with the Allans are developed to a point far beyond anything possible hitherto, since Mr. Allen has had access to documents not used by previous biographers. "
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...
This author has studied the new documents and provided an updated biography from previous ones and has pieced together a more through picture of Poe's life and as summarized by Gamaliel Bradford in his review ". . . surely no one has yet supplied, or probably ever will supply, richer material for such research than Mr. Allen furnishes in this biography."
PREFACE TO THIS EDITION ✔
PREFACE ✔
Chapter:
I A DRAMATIC PROLOGUE ✔
II THE TWO ORPHANS ✔
III LADY BOUNTIFUL CLAIMS ISRAFEL ✔
IV “THE LITTLE ANGEL” TRIES HIS WINGS ✔
V ISRAFEL IN ALBION ✔
VI ISRAFEL MEETS HELEN ✔
VII ISRAFEL SALUTES THE MARQUIS ✔
VIII ELMIRA AND THE ENCHANTED GARDEN ✔
IX ISRAFEL IN CAP AND GOWN ✔
X ALIAS HENRI LE RENNÉT ✔
XI ISRAFEL IN CAROLINA ✔
XII COLD MARBLE ✔
XIII THE WEST POINT INTERLUDE ✔
XIV THE WEARY, WAYWORN WANDERER ✔
XV “THE MYSTERIOUS YEARS” ✔
XVI BOTTLED FAME ✔
XVII VALLEY OF THE MANY-COLORED GLASS ✔
XVIII CARMINE STREET ✔
XIX GROTESQUES AND ARABESQUES ✔
XX HIGH TIDE ✔
XXI SPRING GARDEN STREET ✔
XXII THE RAVEN AND HIS SHADOW ✔
XXIII THE LITERATI AND THE FORDHAM PASTORALE ✔
XXIV THE UNIVERSE AND MRS. SHEW ✔
XXV A HANDKERCHIEF SOAKED IN ETHER ✔
XXVI LENORE AND THE EDGE OF THE WORLD ✔
XXVII AN APPEAL TO HIGHER AUTHORITY
Appendices:
I NOTES ON POE’S ANCESTRY ✔
II GALT CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. ✔
III WILLS OF WILLIAM GALT, AND JOHN ALLAN ✔
IV POE’S BROTHER ✔
V FIRST MARRIAGE OF POE AND VIRGINIA CLEMM ✔
VI HISTORY OF POE’S FRIEND, F. W. THOMAS ✔
VII LETTERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA IN 1826 ✔
VIII LETTERS FROM MARIA CLEMM, AND DR. J. J. MORAN ✔
IX POE-NEAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND “POLITIAN” ✔
A review of this book was published in The Atlantic (an American magazine and multi-platform publisher founded in 1857 in Boston), by Gamaliel Bradford titled Israfel: The Life and Times of Edgar Allan Poe, February 1927 issue in the BOOKS Section.
Mr. Hervey Allen has dealt with the life of Poe and has endeavored to make it clear that Poe was a true product of his time.
Gamaliel wrote:
"BIOGRAPHY seems to be becoming more and more a matter of background. We see eminent men, not so much as errant examples of genius or individuality, but as the product of their surroundings and of their time, influenced, in their strength and in their weakness both, by the numerous and complicated currents of thought and feeling that manifest themselves in the general movement of the age. It is in this spirit that Mr. Allen has dealt with the life of Poe and has endeavored to make it clear that not only much of his achievement but much of his limitation and erratic failure was connected with the conditions under which he lived and worked. The early background of Richmond and the complicated relations with the Allans are developed to a point far beyond anything possible hitherto, since Mr. Allen has had access to documents not used by previous biographers. "
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/...
This author has studied the new documents and provided an updated biography from previous ones and has pieced together a more through picture of Poe's life and as summarized by Gamaliel Bradford in his review ". . . surely no one has yet supplied, or probably ever will supply, richer material for such research than Mr. Allen furnishes in this biography."
PREFACE TO THIS EDITION ✔
PREFACE ✔
Chapter:
I A DRAMATIC PROLOGUE ✔
II THE TWO ORPHANS ✔
III LADY BOUNTIFUL CLAIMS ISRAFEL ✔
IV “THE LITTLE ANGEL” TRIES HIS WINGS ✔
V ISRAFEL IN ALBION ✔
VI ISRAFEL MEETS HELEN ✔
VII ISRAFEL SALUTES THE MARQUIS ✔
VIII ELMIRA AND THE ENCHANTED GARDEN ✔
IX ISRAFEL IN CAP AND GOWN ✔
X ALIAS HENRI LE RENNÉT ✔
XI ISRAFEL IN CAROLINA ✔
XII COLD MARBLE ✔
XIII THE WEST POINT INTERLUDE ✔
XIV THE WEARY, WAYWORN WANDERER ✔
XV “THE MYSTERIOUS YEARS” ✔
XVI BOTTLED FAME ✔
XVII VALLEY OF THE MANY-COLORED GLASS ✔
XVIII CARMINE STREET ✔
XIX GROTESQUES AND ARABESQUES ✔
XX HIGH TIDE ✔
XXI SPRING GARDEN STREET ✔
XXII THE RAVEN AND HIS SHADOW ✔
XXIII THE LITERATI AND THE FORDHAM PASTORALE ✔
XXIV THE UNIVERSE AND MRS. SHEW ✔
XXV A HANDKERCHIEF SOAKED IN ETHER ✔
XXVI LENORE AND THE EDGE OF THE WORLD ✔
XXVII AN APPEAL TO HIGHER AUTHORITY
Appendices:
I NOTES ON POE’S ANCESTRY ✔
II GALT CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. ✔
III WILLS OF WILLIAM GALT, AND JOHN ALLAN ✔
IV POE’S BROTHER ✔
V FIRST MARRIAGE OF POE AND VIRGINIA CLEMM ✔
VI HISTORY OF POE’S FRIEND, F. W. THOMAS ✔
VII LETTERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA IN 1826 ✔
VIII LETTERS FROM MARIA CLEMM, AND DR. J. J. MORAN ✔
IX POE-NEAL CORRESPONDENCE, AND “POLITIAN” ✔
November 26, 2010
Well-written, well-researched, balanced, authoritative, this biography seems to indicate that its subject was self-destructive. What else is new? Poe reminds me of Jim Morrison, and vice versa.
I found the background in this biography almost as interesting as its subject, as the book gives a vivid, thorough picture of the America of the early to mid-19th century. On of the many new nuggets of information I picked up from this volume was about 19th century international copyright law: there wasn't any. American publishers could pirate English aurhtors with impunity, and did so, to the detriment of American authors like Poe, who would have been legally entitled to royalty payments. That's why Poe became a "magazinist" and short story writer. He is credited, rightly so, with advancing the short story form, if not inventing it.
Necessity really is the mother of invention.
Author Hervey Allen (no relation) however does not credit Poe with inventing the short story. Allen seems to believe that Poe's genius was for poetry, and that his "tales" were a sort of prostitution of his talent, although he never uses that word.
Another striking fact I learned from this book: Poe was an international literary celebrity at the time of his death. He was also a beggar, literally unable to support himself. (Maybe that's partly because he was a "dipsomaniac." You don't hear that word much anymore. It has been replaced by "alcoholic.") Could such a famous beggar exist today? Not for long, I imagine. Even in 1840, Poe was probably destined to do one of two things: get rich, or die young. He died young, just 3 months short of his 41st birthday.
I found the background in this biography almost as interesting as its subject, as the book gives a vivid, thorough picture of the America of the early to mid-19th century. On of the many new nuggets of information I picked up from this volume was about 19th century international copyright law: there wasn't any. American publishers could pirate English aurhtors with impunity, and did so, to the detriment of American authors like Poe, who would have been legally entitled to royalty payments. That's why Poe became a "magazinist" and short story writer. He is credited, rightly so, with advancing the short story form, if not inventing it.
Necessity really is the mother of invention.
Author Hervey Allen (no relation) however does not credit Poe with inventing the short story. Allen seems to believe that Poe's genius was for poetry, and that his "tales" were a sort of prostitution of his talent, although he never uses that word.
Another striking fact I learned from this book: Poe was an international literary celebrity at the time of his death. He was also a beggar, literally unable to support himself. (Maybe that's partly because he was a "dipsomaniac." You don't hear that word much anymore. It has been replaced by "alcoholic.") Could such a famous beggar exist today? Not for long, I imagine. Even in 1840, Poe was probably destined to do one of two things: get rich, or die young. He died young, just 3 months short of his 41st birthday.
November 20, 2022
4.5⭐
CONTENTS OF VOLUME II:
XVIII. Carmine Street ✔
XIX. Grotesques and Arabesques ✔
XX. High Tide ✔
XXI. Spring Garden Street ✔
XXII. The Raven and His Shadow ✔
XXIII. The Literati and the Fordham Pastoral ✔
XXIV. The Universe and Mrs. Shew ✔
XXV. A Handkerchief Soaked in Ether ✔
XXVI. Lenore and the Edge of the World ✔
XXVII. An Appeal to Higher Authority ✔
Appendices:
I. Notes on Poe’s Ancestry ✔
II. Galt Correspondence, etc. ✔
III. Wills of William Galt, and John Allan ✔
IV. Poe’s Brother ✔
V. First Marriage of Poe and Virginia Clemm ✔
VI. History of Poe’s Friend, F. W. Thomas ✔
VII. Letters from University of Virginia in 1826 ✔
VIII. Letters from Maria Clemm, and Dr. J. J. Moran ✔
IX. Poe-Neil Correspondence, and "Poliitan" ✔
CONTENTS OF VOLUME II:
XVIII. Carmine Street ✔
XIX. Grotesques and Arabesques ✔
XX. High Tide ✔
XXI. Spring Garden Street ✔
XXII. The Raven and His Shadow ✔
XXIII. The Literati and the Fordham Pastoral ✔
XXIV. The Universe and Mrs. Shew ✔
XXV. A Handkerchief Soaked in Ether ✔
XXVI. Lenore and the Edge of the World ✔
XXVII. An Appeal to Higher Authority ✔
Appendices:
I. Notes on Poe’s Ancestry ✔
II. Galt Correspondence, etc. ✔
III. Wills of William Galt, and John Allan ✔
IV. Poe’s Brother ✔
V. First Marriage of Poe and Virginia Clemm ✔
VI. History of Poe’s Friend, F. W. Thomas ✔
VII. Letters from University of Virginia in 1826 ✔
VIII. Letters from Maria Clemm, and Dr. J. J. Moran ✔
IX. Poe-Neil Correspondence, and "Poliitan" ✔
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May 7, 2009read it dont really like it =]
Read
March 11, 2012Love Edgar Allan Poe. Biography
March 17, 2015
I only read Israfel, so this rating is for that alone
August 21, 2015
Simplemente... precioso... <3
December 9, 2018
You learn a lot about the times in which Poe lived, as well as about him.
Read
June 10, 2012Great book!...loved it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews