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General information posted by Robert Giordano
Okay I just spent the past couple of days updating the Guestbook. You can read the details on the Guestbook Status page!
Hey everyone! I'm still keeping the site updated to the latest standards and you should be able to install it on your phones as an app (a PWA, or Progressive Web App is a cloud-based app you can install without having to download a full sized app!)
Also, I've gotten a little behind with the Guestbook (no surprise right?) but I'm working on that too!!
Are you watching Wednesday on Netflix?? I love the Edgar Allan Poe references in the show. Poe actually DID put hidden messages in his poems and stories. His poem A Valentine is an example. Poe even teaches the reader how to solve secret messages in The Gold Bug. Enjoy!
I've been converting the site to a PWA (Progressive Web App) so you can install the site on your mobile device home screen. I just tested it on iPhone and Android. Try it and let me know if you have any issues.
I just updated the World Map with pins for every person who has signed the guestbook. There are 443 new pins for a total of 5,651. New pins were added for Finland, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Portugal, Ghana, India, Australia, China, Philippines, Dominican Republic, and of course many cities in the U.S.
Don't worry, I didn't forget you! I'm working on updating the Guestbook signatures.
I just wanted to make a post here about COVID-19 in case a future generation finds this site. Around 1842, Poe wrote the cautionary tale, Masque of the Red Death, about a group of wealthy people hiding out in a castle to escape the plague. You'll have to read the story to see how that worked out.
Now, in 2020, we have been confined to our homes for months because of the COVID virus. Many cannot work, while the rest of us try to work from home. At least I am happy to see people using this site for both education and enjoyment. Hang in there!
I just updated the World Map showing pins for all Guestbook signatures. Happy Halloween!!
I've updated some settings for Google Ads. I don't like ads at all, but they are currently the only way for this site to pay for its hosting. Google has a new thing called "auto ads" which places ads in the middle of long text articles. While that's great for blogs or tutorials, I've tried to turn these OFF for stories and poems, so ads don't appear in the middle of a story you're reading.
Edgar Allan Poe died on this day in 1849. His cause of death will always be an unsolved mystery. RIP Edgar.
A while ago, I imagined a world map, with a pin for each person who has signed the Guestbook since I launched this site in 2005. I imagined the map would be dark, like the rest of the site. Tonight, I made it happen! Take a look at the World Map.
For visitors using phones or mobile devices, I added a link to the print version of all stories and poems. For example, here's the print version of The Raven.
I also made improvements to the print layout. Vocabulary words now begin on their own page, after the last page of the story or poem. Words and definitions are no longer split between pages.
Added the poem, Lenore. This is a completely different poem from The Raven.
Added a new story- The Oblong Box.
I just finished writing an essay on the Gold Bug Cryptogram and its different versions. After completing my research, I updated the text of The Gold Bug.
I've been working on the Guestbook. If you're super bored, you can read the details here.
I just added a new Gallery, The Raven Illustrated by Dore, so you can read The Raven along with these amazing images, created by Gustav Dore in 1883.
Today I fixed a few issues people were having on iPhones. I don't own an iPhone so I can't test every part of the site but it should be a lot better now. If you still see any problems on your iPhone, please let me know.
Added a small gallery of photos from the Poe Cottage in NYC. I'll have more galleries and photos coming soon.
Tonight I wrote some magical database code and now the Wordlist shows the stories and poems where each word is used. What amazes me is that Poe didn't use the same words over and over. Many of the words in my list only appear in one story or poem!
Added The Mystery of Marie Roget, Poe's detective story that parallels a real crime! I also added a few words and definitions to the Wordlist.
I just finished upgrading the entire site to HTML5 with a "responsive" layout. It will probably need some tweaking but it should be a LOT better on phones and mobile devices. Try it!! Contact me if you find any problems.
Wow, I'm FINALLY updating the site to HTML5! It will be much easier to use on mobile devices. I'm updating the site, one page at a time though, so you'll see a mix of old and new pages over the next couple of days. The overall style will remain the same.
Well, I haven't posted in a while but it looks like some mischievous miscreant hacked their way into the site and tried to add their spammy links to the wordlist. Because they tried to put links in the wrong place, it caused an error that prevented any of the stories or poems from loading. I just fixed the site and I also have their IP address. =)
I'll be giving the site a much needed update very soon.
I just launched the NEW version of the web site. It LOOKS the same on desktop browsers but the site is now optimized for iPhone, iPad, and Android devices!!
Let me know if you find any glitches. I'll be adding more content and features in coming weeks.
Happy Birthday to Edgar Allan Poe!!! To remember Poe on his birthday, get some friends together and read one of his poems, like Alone.
Happy Halloween Poe fans! Tonight is an especially good night to read some of Edgar's gory tales. Everyone always reads The Tell-Tale Heart or The Black Cat. Try something different tonight, like Ligeia or Hop-Frog.
Edgar Allan Poe died on this day in 1849. He was found semi-conscious in an alley in Baltimore and he died soon afterwards, in the local hospital. There are many theories about his death but no one really knows what happened.
BACK FROM THE DEAD!!
We recently lost our database server and we're still trying to recover the data. For now, we're using an older backup of our site. You can once again read all of Poe's best works. Hopefully we will recover all of the guestbook entries, news, and other updates to the site.
You'll notice that the news items below are from over a year ago. =(
Poestories is on Facebook! Please "Like" us and leave comments.
The Guestbook has finally been updated. Thank you everyone for your patience and support!
I know its a bit early, but I just added the poem, A Valentine. Can you find the name hidden within the text?
What happened to the Poe Toaster? He didn't show up for the second year in a row! Read more >
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Edgar!!
Dan Piraro, creator of the "Bizarro" comic strip, just posted a really funny cartoon on his web site called "Edgar Allan Pooh". Awesome job Dan!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! I just added a new feature to the Guestbook that adds links to the stories and poems people mention in their posts.
The Guestbook has been updated! Thank you everyone for signing it!! Sometimes I get busy and it takes a while to update the site.
Edgar Allan Poe died today 161 years ago. In pace requiescat!
Sorry about the site being down yesterday! The site is getting a LOT of traffic and there was a database problem. Its all fixed now!
The Poe Toaster failed to appear at Poe's grave for the first time in six decades. Does anyone know what happened to him? Read Article...
Today is Edgar Allan Poe's birthday. He would have been 201. Why not read something by Poe you haven't read before?
Added another short poem by Poe, To The River.
Added a NEW Poe story!! Have you seen the movie Fight Club? Poe wrote a story about two similar characters called William Wilson. Go read it!
Wednesday set still another record with more than 16,000 visitors to this site in a single day. That's a LOT of Poe fans! I noticed that the server was running a bit slow so I've made some changes to the database code that should make it load faster.
Yesterday, September 14, 2009 set a new record! Poestories.com had more than 11,000 visitors in a single day!!
I created a Twitter Page for Poestories. Follow us, ask questions about Poe, and get the latest updates on new stories, poems, and photos!!
Updated the Guestbook
Eeeeeek! The site was down over the weekend due to a database problem. There's no need for despair however, everything is back to its regular creepiness...
Poestories.com is 4 years old! Thanks to all of the students, teachers, and visitors from around the world for supporting this site. I'll be adding more stories and poems by Poe in coming months. Please feel free to send me suggestions for the site.
Thanks,
Robert Giordano
The guestbook page has been updated so the archived pages stay the same. A couple of people asked me to do that so they could bookmark older pages and not have them change as new entries are added.
I'm still getting caught up with all of the guestbook entries. Big thanks to everyone for all of the great comments!! <3
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Edgar!!
Today is the 200th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe and I'm in Baltimore, MD celebrating and taking pictures. Look for the complete story of my trip and lots of photos soon!
Tomorrow is Edgar Allan Poe's 200th birthday. At some point late tonight or in the early morning hours, the Poe Toaster will come and leave roses and cognac on Poe's grave. I'm here in Baltimore to celebrate and take pictures.
I started a mini blog about my upcoming trip to Baltimore for Poe's 200th Birthday. If you want to learn more about the celebration in Baltimore, check out their web site, www.Nevermore2009.com.
I've added a new poem, "The Valley of Unrest and updated the Guestbook. I'm looking forward to Poe's 200th Birthday in Baltimore, Maryland on January 19, 2009. Who's going to join me?
I also added the poem, "Dream-Land. Check it out...
Updated the Guestbook!
It's Official! With links from more than 900+ web sites around the globe, 166,306 unique visitors, and 718,868 page views during October 2008 (stats for one month), PoeStories.com is now the most popular Edgar Allan Poe web site in the world!
Thanks to everyone who supported me and contributed to this site. Thanks to all of the Edgar Allan Poe fans out there. Thanks to all the teachers and students who give me feedback and suggestions for making the site even better. I hope to see many of you this January in Baltimore, Maryland as we celebrate Edgar's 200th birthday.
The Guestbook has been updated! Stay tuned for information about Poe's 200th Anniversary in Baltimore, MD.
I've also updated all of the posts in the Poe forum. The forum no longer displays anyone's email address and in the future, I'll be adding more features.
In the forum, I've added the complete text of an essay on Poe from 1884 by Edmund C. Stedman. Have a Happy Halloween!
Edgar Allan Poe died today 159 years ago. He died in a hospital bed but no one is sure of the events that led to his death. He was 40 years old.
Thanks to everyone for signing the guestbook! I've finally updated it!! Sorry for the delay but life gets a bit hectic sometimes. All of your wonderful comments are inspiring. I'll be adding a couple of stories and poems soon. In the meantime, go read the story, "Ligeia"
The Guestbook was getting REALLY big so I split it into different pages. I'm also adding links to the stories and poems people say they like. =)
Added the poem, Eldorado. Thanks to Emma for the suggestion.
Everyone should read Manuscript Found in a Bottle. Poe won a contest for it in 1835.
Edgar Allan Poe was born 199 years ago today. Happy Birthday Edgar!
I've upgraded the Photo Gallery and added new pictures! Take a look!! The Guestbook and Forum have also been updated.
New Story Added!!
The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar. It's really quite creepy! Go check it out.
The forum and guestbook have been updated! I'm thinking of updating the forum software. Would anyone like to be a forum moderator? Contact me.
Want an Edgar Allan Poe book, t-shirt, or CD? Check out the NEW bookstore!
The guestbook has just been updated. I just returned from a road trip to the Poe House in Baltimore and the Poe Cottage in New York City. Photos coming soon!
New Story Added!!
Poe wrote a little comedy called The Spectacles and I've just added it to the site. Check it out!
Also, more words and phrases were added to the wordlist for a total of 560.
Some minor corrections were made to The Raven in order to match Poe's original text. Many versions of this poem have been printed and a few of these errors appear in the first books published after Poe's death. See also Versions of The Raven
January 19 is Edgar Allan Poe's birthday! Did the Poe Toaster visit Poe's grave this year? Contact me if you have any info and I'll post it here!
Check out the cool new Visitor Map that shows which areas of the world have the most Edgar Allan Poe fans.
[NOTE: This link has been updated to the custom Google Map I built in 2019]
Edgar Allan Poe died today in 1849. He was 40 years old. How he died is still a mystery.
PoeStories.com celebrates its first year of existence!!
In June 2005, I began building Poestories.com as a personal project. The site gives people of all ages the opportunity to learn about one of America's greatest authors, Edgar Allan Poe. Since then, over 100,000 unique visitors have stopped by to read The Raven or one of Poe's many other works. Thanks to everyone who has signed the Guestbook. I'll be adding more of Edgar Poe's works to the site in the next couple of months.
In school, everyone usually reads the same stories by Poe. Why not read one of his lesser known tales, like The Oval Portrait or Some Words with a Mummy? Also, the guestbook entries have been updated. Take a look.
Which Edgar Allan Poe story is your favorite? Tell us about it in the new forum topic.
Looking for a book of Poe's tales and poems? Visit the new bookstore for some great deals.
My CSS Zengarden entry, "Edgar Allan Poe", has just been added to the list of accepted designs. While my stylesheet wasn't picked as an "official design", I'm still honored to be a part of Dave Shea's project.
User comments have been ENABLED on the Discussion pages! Please contribute your opinions. If anyone wishes to start a new topic, please contact me. Finally, the dead link to Mesmeric Revelation has been fixed. This is a very interesting tale and is the subject of a discussion topic.
Today is Edgar Allan Poe's birthday! Everyone should read The Raven to a friend who has not heard it before. Did anyone see the Poe Toaster this year at Poe's grave? Contact me if you did!
It's Friday the 13th! Don't forget Poe's birthday is coming up on the 19th of January!
Added two new galleries with photos from my road trip to the Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia and Poe's Grave and his House in Baltimore, Maryland.
There are now over 500 words in the wordlist! At some point I may have to split it up into pages, by letter. There are a couple of new items in the links page and it now shows the date it was last updated. I also made a couple of improvements to the guestbook.
Added The Balloon Hoax, a newspaper article Poe wrote claiming that a group of men had just crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a balloon. The story was fictional but many were fooled and believed it was true.
Added Hop-Frog, a great little story about a crippled midget who seeks revenge on those who make fun of him. As usual, vocabulary words in this story were added to the wordlist.
Once again, I've expanded the wordlist to a total of 472 words! Here are a just few from The Purloined Letter:
- axiom
- acumen
- doggerel
- dogma
- ennui
- escritoire
- expedient
- hyperobtrusive
- juxtaposition
- recherche
- trumpery
Just for fun, go look at the definition for "doggerel" and the note that follows it.
The wordlist has been updated and now contains 380 words. I'd like to thank everyone who has linked to my site and has signed the guestbook. It shows how many people today still honor Poe. I'll be adding more content and working on the discussion forum in coming weeks.
In 1875, famous French Painter, Edouard Manet did a few illustrations for a French translation of The Raven. You can view these images in a new section of the Gallery.
Added "For Annie", Poe's poem to one of his few close friends. More to come.
The wordlist now has 359 words. Also, I added a couple of historical items to the timeline and I've added a learning resource section to the links page.
Added "Some Words with a Mummy which reads like a Twilight Zone episode. The wordlist now has 331 words, and my short Poe biography is finished. I actually have a bit of paying work to do so it might be a fortnight before I return to this site.
The wordlist is up to 283 words, I added a couple of events to the timeline, and I've been trying to promote the site.
Added "The Masque of the Red Death". There are now 262 words in the wordlist. More to come...
I've added a few poems and another story. There are now 194 words in the wordlist.
For some twisted humor, read Never Bet the Devil Your Head. =)
Added The Black Cat and The Cask of Amontillado. Also, the wordlist is now up to 155 words.
Today I tested the site on a friend's Treo 650 and it worked perfectly.
At the request of a visitor, I've added a link to print each story or poem. When the link is clicked, a new window opens with only the text of the story on a white background, properly formatted for the width of a sheet of paper.
Added The Angel of the Odd, a really funny story about being drunk. Also, there are 95 words in the wordlist so far.
The site is now functional on mobile devices like phones. Depending on the phone, you may or may not be able to download the longer stories. I was having a Frappuccino in Starbucks today and I pulled up The Raven on my Sanyo 8100 phone in about 10 seconds. =)
The wordlist utility is working now. All I have to do is add words to the database and they become links anywhere they appear in each story or poem. I've tested it with The Raven. Go take a look!!
I also added tooltips to the thumbnails in the image galleries.
OFFICIAL LAUNCH !!!
The site was officially launched today. There are still a couple of items that need to be finished, like the timeline and the wordlist. Also, more stories, summaries, and images will be added during the coming weeks. Finally, I'm planning a solo road trip to Poe's grave in the fall.
If anyone would like to see something added to the site, please let me know.
The site is almost ready to launch. The contact and credits pages are done and I've added a couple more stories. There is still some work to be done but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel... or the headlight of an oncoming train. Fun times either way.
The Guestbook is working! The site isn't open to the public yet but for those of you who are reading this, please sign in. The biography is about halfway done, I've added a few more stories, and I'm still figuring out the code for the wordlist utility. Oh, and I posted the first 2 topics in the Discussion section. Go read them! Unfortunately, you can't post comments yet... doh!
I've added most of my favorite quotes and a few more stories to the database. I'm still working on the wordlist feature. It will allow me to create a list of words that will automatically be hyperlinked wherever they appear in any story. It's almost time for the public launch...
Most of the scripts have been written and now I'm using my content manager to add the stories and summaries. So far, I've added 5 stories. I still have to build the gallery, timeline, and guestbook pages. I've also added some content to the quotes page.
The layout of the site is basically finished. The welcome page is done for now but the links don't work yet. This is a completely database driven site so now I need to start adding all of the text files and summaries.
I'm working on the last few details of the menu and layout. After that's done, I'll start coding the php pages and various scripts necessary to read in the text files of Poe's works.
