Evermore: Edgar Allan Poe and the Mystery of the Universe

Part biography and part polemic, this brief, passionate look at the life of Edgar Allan Poe (written by the descendant of one of Poe's cousins) offers yet another perspective on one of America's most beloved and controversial authors. The author is at his best when he's tackling Poe's life story and the ways in which it has been distorted. His case against Rufus Griswold's (largely successful) attempt to hijack Poe's reputation after his death is especially compelling, as are his efforts to cut through the mystique and legend to reveal an individual of good manners and strong principles. The portrait that emerges is of a multi-dimensional man who was capable of both experiencing and writing about a full range of emotions%E2%80%94and wasn't merely enthralled with the horrific or grotesque themes for which he's so well remembered. Where the book flounders, however, is when the author tries to defend (and in some cases, divine) Poe's religious and scientific beliefs as outlined in Eureka! With few biographical records beyond the text to rely on, the writer is left to gropingly speculate and interpret a text that has confounded many a critic before him. Readers looking to better understand the Gothic/Romantic master will find this book enlightening, though folks looking to understand his views on the universe would do better to consult Eureka! themselves. (Mar.)