Text the show TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains the topic of DEATH, SUBSTANCE ABUSE and SUICIDE. An all too mysterious topic that every fan of Edgar Allan Poe has pondered, with much too many possible answers for most to contemplate, the strange death of the Master of Horror has been a subject of 19th century research since it first occurred. Today, not only will we discuss all the gritty details that lead to Poe’s sudden cryptic death, but we will also attempt to do the one thing never ...

Text the show TRIGGER WARNINGS: Talk of DEATH of a loved one and REINCARNATION Today we examine a usually overlooked masterpiece by Edgar Allan Poe, a Victorian Gothic ghost story that explores the depths of love and the horrors of obsession. Ligeia was published in 1838 and ever since then it has perturbed readers and scholars alike, leading it to become known as one of Poe’s greatest literary achievements. Ligeia is definitely a scary story, but just as well, it is a heart-wrenching tale of...

Text the show Today's episode is a shorty. We will hear a simple yet layered poem from Edgar Allan Poe which details the bitter-sweetness of "the hero's journey." Eldorado details the final steps of a noble knight as he seeks the mystical land for which he has longed for, for so long. This audiobook podcast is perfect for educators, teachers, students and schools/colleges looking to educate themselves and others on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Victorian era writing, old ghost stories and cla...

Text the show Today I’m introducing a new series to the podcast! Welcome to Unscripted, episodes of The Poe Show audio horror story podcast where I talk in greater detail about Edgar Allan Poe, 19th century literature and all manner of horror! This series will be much more laid back and won’t feature audio stories. It will have a much more regular podcast format, allowing for you to learn all the delicious details of Edgar Allan Poe’s life, literature and more. In today’s episode, I’m discuss...

Text the show Today's horror audio story is the intriguing tale of a lost lover dealing with a personal illness. Eleonora is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most well criticized Victorian ghost stories, and as you’ll see in this episode, for good reason. Not only does it show the extent of Poe’s masterful use of powerful prose and ravishing rhetoric to create an unforgettable narrative, it also demonstrates the layers of hidden meaning he was able to construct within the ongoing story. As a master o...

Text the show TRIGGER WARNING: this episode will discuss themes of DEATH OF A LOVED ONE and MOURNING. Today’s episode helped me in very personal ways that I can’t express enough gratitude to Edgar Allan Poe for. Although he wrote this poem all the way back in 1831, it resonates with this fellow creative artist nearly two centuries in the future. It is yet another testament that while writing America’s greatest scary stories and creepy tales, Edgar Allan Poe still found time to write some of t...

Text the show TRIGGER WARNING: this episode contains DROWNING, MENTION OF SUICIDE, DISCUSSION OF DEATH AND LOSS OF FAMILY The Oblong Box is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s horror stories that offer both a slice of Victorian life and an intriguing fictional mystery. Published in 1844 and inspired by true events which occurred during the time, as well as events in Edgar Allan Poe’s life, this creepy tale of a boat ride gone wrong has been crafted with a modern flair that makes it both unsettling and s...

Text the show Today’s poem by Edgar Allan Poe is a testament to his ability to craft not only meaningful text but an ethereal aura within it. This poem is also one of his earliest, published in his first collection of poems Tamerlane and Other Poems. What it lacks in his later literary skill, it makes up for in both its youthful wonder and in establishing a new poet stepping onto the scene! Nothing creepy, crawly or scary about this poem, truly a rare instance for Edgar Allan Poe. This podcas...

Text the show Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone this season! Today, in honor of the spirit of Christmas, the compassion for and connection to our fellow human beings, let’s dive into a circular letter by Robert Frost. This letter expresses Frost’s disdain for the overt commercialization of the world, buying up any and all beautiful things to sell them off for a profit. The antagonist of this poem is one who sees no wrong in taking what’s not his, offering little compensation, the...

Text the show TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains DOLLS and PARENT LOSING TRACK OF A CHILD. This Victorian ghost story is the first ever to feature the haunted doll. Although it may be a modern horror trope present in many movies, TV shows and stories nowadays, this tale shows just how new the idea of creepy dolls was. Dolls gaining the innovation of sound was a completely new feature at the time of this story’s publication, and F. Marion Crawford obviously knew the potential for what a cr...