The Poe Shrine: Building the World's Finest Edgar Allan Poe Collection

by Christopher P. Semtner

Although he is one of the world's most popular authors who continues to thrill and chill readers of all ages, Edgar Allan Poe's life is as enigmatic as his sudden, unexplained death. In a quest for solutions to the mysteries surrounding the poet's life and work, a group of Poe devotees founded the Poe Shrine in 1922. This body included the world's most prolific Poe collector, a psychiatrist who believed Poe was clairvoyant, and the grandson of Poe's worst enemy. Within four years of the Shrine's opening, one of the founders had committed suicide, another was committed to a mental hospital, and a third had been banned from ever entering the Shrine again. Somehow, over the course of 95 years, their museum has managed to assemble to world's finest collection of Poe artifacts and memorabilia featuring the author's boyhood bed, clothing, walking stick, and hair clipped from his head after his death. Drawing on the museum's archives, The Poe Shrine tells the story of these coveted objects, the people who collected them, and the institution that serves as their repository.

Genres: Nonfiction

221 pages, Paperback

First published December 11, 2017

Reviews

[Adam · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different kind of Edgar Allan Poe biography. Wonderfully researched, and well written, this book is an entertaining mixture of Poe's life and the world in which he lived. Reading it feels like rooting through EAP's trunk of curious artifacts. Each object has a unique and powerful story and sometimes an intriguing mystery. Fascinating and informative this is a must read for fans of Edgar Allan Poe.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was both fascinating and very entertaining. Whether you are a casual fan or already know everything there is to know about Poe, this one is worth a read. It is a biography of Poe, history of some of the artifacts in the Poe museum, and a history of the museum itself. I thought the stories about the history of the Poe shrine and the people who founded it and ran it over the years were just as interesting as anything about Poe. But, I also loved the story of his life told via the objects that may or may not have been part of that story. I definitely learned some things I never knew. Chris writes in a clear and entertaining manner and I just had a great time reading this book. I highly recommend it!

[Levi Lionel Leland · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of all time! Not only did I learn a lot about Poe's life and times, but I learned it through the collection of the Poe Museum in Richmond. I'm a sucker for Poe, history, and artifacts, and this book combines the three. I cannot recommend this book enough!!!