Mr. Poe and Dr. Moran: A Medical Biography of Edgar Allan Poe

By Dwight Thomas
$51.00
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A compact biography of Edgar Allan Poe and his close associates, Mr. Poe and Dr. Moran, will prove useful and entertaining to a wide range of readers.  It is based exclusively on authentic historical documents and incorporates passages from many sources which became accessible only after the year 2000, following the introduction of searchable Internet databases. 

True-to-life portraiture of the “historical Poe” has always been problematic.  Within a day or two after his death in October 1849, Poe's biography began to be distorted by fabrications and apocrypha.  Oddly enough, the foremost fabricator was also our most intimate and outspoken eyewitness.  The Baltimore physician Dr. John J. Moran, M.D., tried to comfort Poe on his deathbed and then wrote a tactlessly explicit letter of condolence to his anguished next of kin.  Twenty-five years later that same Dr. Moran embarked on a protracted campaign to circulate a thoroughly fabulous account of his patient’s diagnosis and the circumstances surrounding his final hours.  Traces of these notorious fibbings continue to pop up without warning in slipshod popular biographies as well as in medical journals. 


About the Author

Dwight Thomas is descended from the Welsh mariner John Thomas, the captain of the vessel which brought the first English settlers to the colony of Georgia in 1733. He grew up in Savannah and attended Emory University in Atlanta. During the Vietnam War he served in the United States Army. Subsequently he received a doctoral fellowship in the English Department of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He went on to collaborate with the veteran Poe scholar David K. Jackson in preparing The Poe Log (1987), a thousand-page encyclopedic reconstruction of the poet’s career.

Dr. Thomas is a lifetime member of the Modern Language Association. In 2009 he served as keynote speaker at the bicentennial convention of the Poe Studies Association.

Published: 2024
Page Count: 724

Customer Reviews

Based on 11 reviews
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adayriddle
interesting

I actually withdrew my promise to review and then decided it is better to review it.This was not exactly what I expected. But all in all this author has done an excellent job of compiling different sources to offer a type of Biography of Poe and Moran which is not all together unenjoyable.It is not your typical biography but not bad.If you are a huge fan of Poe I think you would like it. I think because I am not a big fan of Poe the played in on my thoughts of the biography.

M
Math Harper
Amazing Book

I think its' a good book. It’s perfect for anyone curious about history or wanting to learn more about one of literature’s most famous figures.

N
Norman
Unveiling the Mystery Behind Edgar Allan Poe’s Final Days

Mr. Poe and Dr. Moran: A Medical Biography of Edgar Allan Poe takes a fascinating dive into the puzzle of Poe's final days through the lens of medical history. This carefully resourced work bridges the gap between biography and medical diagnosis, illuminating Moran's life, controversial eyewitness accounts of Poe's late life. The book excels at dissecting historical inconsistencies while presenting plausible medical theories, from alcoholism to rabies. It’s a compelling read for fans of Poe and medical history buffs alike, unraveling the layers of myth and speculation surrounding one of literature’s most haunting figures. With its balanced narrative and analytical depth, this biography brings clarity to a mystery that has perplexed readers and scholars for generations.

S
Sheila
Poe's Life Unveiled

This book is a fascinating mix of biography and investigation, taking a close look at Edgar Allan Poe’s life and the mystery of his death. It doesn’t try to paint him as a hero or a villain but shows him as a real person with real struggles. I found the part about alcohol withdrawal and how it might have played a role in his final days especially interesting. The book clears up a lot of the myths about Poe by sticking to the facts, which makes it feel honest and grounded. It’s well-researched and full of heart.

L
Lily Brown
Literary Genius

This book reminded me that Poe was not just a literary genius but a deeply human figure with real struggles. The exploration of his mysterious death is compelling, but what I loved most was how it sheds light on his vulnerabilities and resilience. It’s a well-researched and deeply empathetic biography that does justice to Poe’s legacy.

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