Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction.

Poe was born in Boston as Edgar Poe. He was the second child of actors David and Elizabeth "Eliza" Poe. His father abandoned the family in 1810, and when Eliza died the following year, Poe was taken in by John and Frances Allan of Richmond, Virginia, though they never formally adopted him. Poe attended the University of Virginia but left due to financial difficulties. He then enlisted in the United States Army under the assumed name of Edgar A. Perry.

In 1827, he published his first collection, "Tamerlane and Other Poems," credited only to "a Bostonian". Poe switched his focus to prose, working for literary journals and periodicals, and became known for his own style of literary criticism. His work forced him to move between several cities, including Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City. In 1836, at 27, he married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm, who died of tuberculosis in 1847.

Poe's poem "The Raven" was published to great success in 1845. He planned to produce his own journal, "The Penn," later renamed "The Stylus," but died in Baltimore in 1849 under mysterious circumstances at the age of 40. The cause of his death remains unknown, with theories ranging from disease to alcoholism and suicide.

Poe's works have influenced literature worldwide, impacting fields like cosmology and cryptography. Since his death, his writings have appeared throughout popular culture, including art, photography, music, motion pictures, and television. Several of his homes are dedicated museums. In addition, the Mystery Writers of America presents an annual Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre.