Edgar Allan Poe was an American author best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre. Born on January 19, 1809, Poe is considered the inventor of detective fiction, while also contributing to Science Fiction and Horror. He made a meager living from his writing, and is famous for marrying his 13-year old cousin, who soon died from Cholera. His difficult life of financial hardship and personal agony, ending on October 7, 1849 due to mysterious causes, makes Poe an icon of despair whose macabre works resonate with us still.