Edgar Allan Poe

The Works of Edgar Allan Poe Vol.5

Pollin and Ridgely have included the complete texts of all the reviews and articles Poe wrote for the Messenger (excluding a few texts published elsewhere in the series). Poe's writings are organized in chronological sections corresponding to the actual monthly issue, and each monthly section is further divided into logical subsections. The section for January 1836, for example, comprises an introductory "Headnote," a series of numbered "Texts," and a final subsection of informative "Notes." This method of organization provides a vivid picture of the month-to-month operations of the Messenger, where Poe worked as an editor (or editorial assistant) from 1835 to the beginning of 1837. Since this was Poe's first full-time job in the publishing industry, the book also provides a unique perspective on his origins as a critic and magazinist.