The Bibliophile's Compass

1843 The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe published ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ An unnamed narrator, who suffers from alcoholism, has a strong affection for pets, until he perversely turns to abusing them.  1914 Elmer Rice's play "On Trial" premieres in NYC It was the first play to employ on stage the motion-picture technique of flashbacks, in this case to present the recollections of witnesses at a trial. 1999 Ghostwritten by David Mitchell is published (UK) The story takes place mainly around East Asia, but also moves through Russia, Britain, the US and Ireland. It is written episodically; each chapter details a different story and central character, although they are all interlinked through seemingly coincidental events.

Title : The Birthmark Author : Nathaniel Hawthorne Publication Year : 1843 Pages : 19 Rating :  ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐   ​ Genre : Horror, Science Fiction, Allegory Source : Book Opening Sentence : In the latter part of the last century there lived a man of science, an eminent proficient in every branch of natural philosophy, who not long before our story opens had made experience of a spiritual affinity more attractive than any chemical one. This is the tale of a mad doctor with a crazy obsession over a birthmark, thinking he can play God. Everyone thinks he’s a genius, but deep down, he’s just a fraud. And guess what? His wife eventually figures it out, but does that stop her from trusting his medical wizardry? If you think so, bless your heart—you’re as naive as she is and might deserve an eye-roll! At first, everyone—including Georgiana—sees the birthmark as a cute little charm. But then her husband, driven by his obsession, convinces her it’s the most unforgivable flaw since, well, pi...

Title : The Gold-Bug Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1843, June 21 Pages : 45 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : Early Detective fiction, mystery Source : eBook & audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : Many years ago, I contracted an intimacy with a Mr. William Legrand. “The Gold-Bug” by Poe is a story reminiscent of a treasure island adventure, but with one key difference: you don’t need to embark on a sea journey; it all unfolds in your own neighborhood! The plot revolves around Mr. William Legrand, who discovers a gold bug and is believed to be going mad by his valet and his physician—the narrator of the story—because of being bitten by the bug. However, this leads him to become a successful treasure hunter. I never expected that an exciting tale of treasure hunting could turn into a tedious explanation filled with meticulous details about the discovery. By the end, I found myself thinking, “Okay, I understand, you are a genius—just spare me the details!” I would have p...

Title : Diddling, Considered as One of the Exact Sciences Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1843 Pages : 26 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : Humor, Satire, Essay Source : eBook and audiobook @storytel.tr Opening Sentence : Since the world began there have been two Jeremys. This is essentially an essay in humor, or a humorous entry in an imaginary encyclopedia about “diddling.” It amusingly explores what it means to diddle, the act of diddling, who a diddler is, the characteristics of a diddler, and provides tangible examples of different types of diddling. Poe describes it so well that I am considering becoming a diddler myself! Here are some insights into this diddling: Man is an animal that diddles, and there is  no  animal that diddles  but  man. To diddle is his destiny. “Man was made to mourn,” says the poet. But not so: — he was made to diddle. This is his aim — his object — his  end . And for this reason when a man's diddled we say he's “ done .” ...

Title : Egotism; or, The Bosom-Serpent Author : Nathaniel Hawthorne Publication Year : 1843 Pages : 15 Rating : ⭐⭐ Genre : Allegory Source : eBook “Egotism; or, The Bosom-Serpent” is another allegorical work by Hawthorne, a genre that I am not particularly fond of. To clarify, I do have a bias against this type of literature. That said, it is interesting to note that Hawthorne himself seemed to question his own allegorical works. He wrote to publisher James T. Fields in 1854: "Upon my honor, I am not quite sure that I entirely comprehend my own meaning in some of these blasted allegories" (Wikipedia). But I am proud to say I comprehended his meaning here, or did I? The story centers on a character named Roderick Elliston, who suffers from a peculiar condition known as the bosom-serpent. This condition symbolizes egotism—there's no hidden meaning to decode here. Hawthorne himself reveals it in the title. Here, I was particularly fascinated by how the narrator explo...

Title : The Oblong Box Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1843 Pages : 15 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Horror, Gothic, Satire, Detective Source : Ebook @everand_us Get ready for a mix of suspense and satire in "The Oblong Box." Imagine if Sherlock Holmes was a nosy neighbour who decided to become the town detective despite having no real sleuthing skills and no one asking him to do anything sleuthing-like. This character thinks he's solving grand mysteries that nobody else even notices. The blend of horror and humour creates a delightful concoction, but be prepared for a tragic ending that hits hard. Our unnamed narrator embarks on a sea journey, convinced he's on the verge of solving case after case—until, of course, there's a shipwreck (and who doesn't enjoy a good shipwreck?). He jumps to conclusions, misreading situations and arriving at wildly inaccurate deductions. Most comically, he believes his friend is hiding dark secrets worthy of a thriller...

Title : The Tell-Tale Heart Author : Edgar Allan Poe Publication Year : 1843 Pages : 6 Rating : ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Genre : Horror, Gothic Source : Book Edgar Allan Poe demonstrates his full mastery of writing horror, madness, and psychology in “The Tell-Tale Heart.” This story serves as a compelling study of an unreliable narrator who is grappling with delusion, insanity, and guilt while attempting to rationalize his psychological breakdown, which ultimately leads to murder, although some interpretations suggest that the narrator could be female. Poe's skill shines through in every aspect of the narrative: characterization, symbolism, setting, and theme. It's a brilliant and concise work that is definitely worth reading. If you haven’t experienced it yet, I highly recommend you do so!