0329 | The Purloined Letter | Edgar Allen Poe

by John on 17 October, 2011

in fiction

Context: As I finished this, my transfer went through to purchase my second ever motorbike, a 200cc Yamaha

REVIEW

Better be careful here or my review might actually be longer than the ‘book.’ This is a very short story, less than 50 pages with large type on my Sony Reader. I breezed through it. But was it an easy read? Not really.

While reading it, coping with its tedium, I was thinking to myself, as I regularly do with older books on the list, ‘I know this is on the list for a reason, what is it?’ All I could put it down to was that it was the first bit of writing to really use the device of the incredibly complex crime which has baffled the brightest police for months being solved by some amateur who doesn’t even have to move from the upholstery supporting him.

And yes, that’s what it was.

Woo eee.

OPENING LINE	At Paris, just after dark one guys evening in the autumn of 18–, I was enjoying the twofold luxury of meditation and a meerschaum, in company with my fried C. Auguste Dupin, in his little back library, or book closet, au troisieme, No. 33, Rue Dunot, Faubourg St. Germain.
CLOSING LINE	They are to be found in Crebillon’s ‘Atree’