From the spine-tingling horror of The Tell-Tale Heart and The Masque of the Red Death to the haunting echo of The Raven, this classic compilation includes all your favorite tales and poems by Edgar Allan Poe.  Be sure to read The Gold Bug, a story of buried treasure set on Sullivan's Island, SC.  

The brief introduction provides a concise overview of the author's tragic life and mysterious death, which is almost as intriguing as the tales themselves.  Poe is celebrated as a literary innovator, and his influence can be seen in the works of today's horror and mystery authors.   If you enjoy either of these genres, then sample
these writings by a master in both fields.         

During the month of October, RCPL is going "Stark Raven Mad" reading Great Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe.  Pick up a free copy of this book at your local Richland County Public Library and participate in national reading initiative The Big Read.  Post your comments and join the discussion on our Online Book Group:

/forums/-big-read-online-book-club

This excellent collection of short stories picks up where Clarke’s 2004 debut novel “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” left off, with fantastic tales of English magic told in a style reminiscent of Jane Austen. The seven stories included range from retellings of familiar fairy tales to humorous tales featuring characters from “Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell” such as Strange himself and the Duke of Wellington. Readers who are new to Clarke’s world of historic fantasy will certainly enjoy this short collection.

Elizabeth Spencer’s The Southern Woman is a collection of new and selected fiction from her over 50-year career as a writer.

The title is somewhat misleading because it is not a sugary collection of sweet sentiments for the southern woman. These stories are meant for a much wider audience. Setting plays a very important role in each of the stories in this collection, whether it be the Deep South of Spencer’s native Mississippi or the piazzas of Italy.

Her stories explore the complex relationships between human beings. The characters draw you in. They are in search of themselves; trying to find a place in a world they can’t quite make sense of. It is hard to explain the magic of Elizabeth Spencer’s stories. You must simply experience it for yourself.