Explores historical and biographical details of the writer's life, as well as the unexpected dimensions of his accomplishments and influence. Contains an introduction that considers the tension between Poe's "otherworldly" settings and his historically marked representations of violence. This book covers topics such as Poe and the American Publishing Industry, Poe's Sensationalism, Poe's relationship to gender constructions, and Poe and American Privacy. Abbreviations vii Introduction: Poe in Our Time 3(16) J. Gerald Kennedy Edgar Allan Poe, 1809--1849: A Brief Biography 19(44) J. Gerald Kennedy POE IN HIS TIME Poe and the American Publishing Industry 63(32) Terence Whalen Spanking the Master: Mind-Body Crossings in Poe's Sensationalism 95(34) David Leverenz Poe and Nineteenth-Century Gender Constructions 129(38) Leland S. Person Poe and the Issue of American Privacy 167(22) Louis A. Renza Illustrated Chronology 189(20) Bibliographical Essay: Major Editions and Landmarks of Poe Scholarship 209(24) Scott Peeples Contributors 233(2) Index 235