Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 October 7, 1849) was an American writer, poet, editor, and literary critic. Poe was the first well-known American writer to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career
Poe is best known for his poetry and short stories, particularly his tales of mystery and the macabre. He was one of the country's earliest practitioners of the short story. He is also generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre and is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction.