Biography

Descend into the dark world and tragic life of Edgar Allan Poe, the melancholy author who is the uncontested master of the macabre, and hear excerpts from his famous works. A genius whose gloomy nature made his own life as tragic as one of his strange tales, Poe's haunting poems and chilling stories established him as one of the most important men of American letters. But behind his popularity and artistic success was a personal life defined by broken hopes and failure. This extraordinary program tells Poe's complete story, from the death of his parents when he was three to his tragic collapse on the street at age 40. Dramatic readings recall the devastation of his broken engagement and the loss of his child bride. And experts explore the bouts of depression and addiction that tormented the man and gave birth to his dark and brilliant art. Biography takes an intimate look at one of literature's most complex and fascinating figures.