Edgar Allen Poe stands as one of the most prolific and influential writers in American history. Some will argue that point on a global scale. His works are as popular as ever, and his first published volume has sold for an amazing $200, 000 US. Known for creating a unique style of prose and creating vivid, sensational stories, Poe took American fiction to strange new places, including the animated television favourite The Simpsons.

Best known for such grisly tales as "The Tell Tale Heart" and "The Murders In The Rue Morgue", it was the perennial favourite "The Raven" that brought Edgar Allen Poe to the public eye. A stirring and slightly disturbing tale, The Raven has captured the imagination, and pens, of readers and storytellers since 1843. Today, Poe fans can collect far more than his literary masterworks. Everything from stuffed Poe dolls to clothing to mouse pads to CD's of famous entertainers narrating his writing can be found.

The Edgar Allan Poe National Historical Site was his home for a time during the 1840s, when he wrote his most cherished and famous works.