Description: Edgar Allan Poe has long been considered one of America's most important and influential writers. The author of famous novels, short stories, poems, and nonfiction, he remains a popular writer both inside and outside the classroom. This volume examines the full range of Poe's works in various genres and also takes many deliberately different approaches to the texts of a writer who is often seen both within the United States and throughout the world, as one of the most distinctive authors this country has produced.  This volume, like all others in the Critical Insights series, is divided into several sections. It begins with an introductory “About This Volume” essay, followed by another work titled “Poe’s Inner Griffin: A Key to His Creative Process,” by Kevin J. Hayes. This is followed by a Biography of Edgar Allan Poe written by volume editor Robert C. Evans.