Long before The Raven, the detective stories, and the literary legend, there was simply Edgar.

In Episode 2, we're heading back to Poe's earliest years. We'll explore the brief and turbulent lives of his parents, the tragedy that left him orphaned at the age of two, and the wealthy Richmond family who would change the course of his life forever.

Along the way we'll follow young Edgar from Virginia to England and back again, discovering how loss and privilege shaped the boy who would one day become Edgar Allan Poe.

This is the story of the child before the poet, the dreamer before the legend, and the first chapter in one of literature's most fascinating lives.

New to Poe? Welcome.

Already obsessed? You're among the bros.

Why does a writer who died in 1849 still have such a hold on us today?

In the very first episode, I am sharing my own journey into the wonderfully strange world of Edgar Allan Poe. From my first encounter with The Raven to the rabbit holes I followed, this is the story of how a long-dead poet became one of my biggest creative inspirations.

Along the way, we'll cover an abridged timeline of Poe's life, including his difficult childhood, literary ambitions, personal tragedies, famous works, mysterious death, and the legacy that continues to captivated readers almost two centuries later.

If you ever wondered who Edgar Allan Poe really was, or why so many of us can't seem to stop talking about him, this is the perfect place to begin.

New to Poe? Welcome.

Already obsessed? You're among the bros.