The Complete Stories of Edgar Allan Poe Part 4 of 4

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The Narrative of A. Gordon Pym of Nantucket

Poe’s done his research regarding life at sea, sometimes going on for pages about stowage or sails or sea cucumbers. Pym keeps repeating that what happens to him can’t be imagined by someone who hasn’t been in a similar position.

As a schoolboy, Pym and his friend Augustus take their boat out at night. Augustus is drunker than he appears and passes out. Pym doesn’t know how to operate a boat. A whaling vessel runs them over, destroying their boat, but through good luck, the whaling crew manages to save them.

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The Complete Stories of Edgar Allan Poe Part 3 of 4

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Flights and Fantasies

The Balloon-Hoax

A balloon is said to have crossed the Atlantic in three days. Why did they bring sailors? He said it would be explained later and it wasn’t. This wasn’t originally published as a story, but was rather a journalist hoax.

Mesmeric Revelation

Mr. Vankirk is skeptical of the afterlife. P. (Poe?) mesmerizes him. They have a philosophical discussion about God, the nature of matter, how pain is necessary to appreciate pleasure, etc. Inhabitants of Venus are mentioned. He may have died during the séance.

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The Complete Stories of Edgar Allan Poe Part 2 of 4

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Humor and Satire

The System of Doctor Tar and Professor Fether

Patients at an asylum think they’re chickens, donkeys, a tea pot, etc. The lunatics end up taking over the asylum and tar and feather the employees. The narrator takes too long to figure out what’s happening. I didn’t find it funny, but your milage may vary.

The Literary Life of Thingum Bob, Esq.

Narcissistic writer tells his life story. He started his career by plagiarizing Dante, Homer, etc. Humorously, editors declare the writing drivel. He then writes a bad two line poem and everyone praises him, although the editor won’t pay him. He goes on to become a famous editor himself.

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The Complete Stories of Edgar Allan Poe Part 1 of 4

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I’m a big fan of Mike Flanagan. His next series on Netflix is The Fall of the House of Usher, coming some time later this year. It will be based on the work of Edgar Allan Poe. Poe is having a bit of a moment on Netflix right now with Wednesday and The Pale Blue Eye also invoking him, so now seems like a good time to revisit Poe’s work.

Poe sometimes quotes other languages without providing English translations, so it’s a good idea to have your phone handy while reading to translate for you. He sometimes blanks out the year or character names for some reason. I also noticed he uses lots of adverbs. (Supposedly, good writers don’t use a lot of adverbs, but I’m not convinced that’s true.)

The narrators of his stories often go unnamed. I wonder if this is because the reader is supposed to think Poe is the viewpoint character? This seems especially likely in stories where the narrator’s name is given as P. or P__. Some of his narrators marry their cousins, like Poe himself did.

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Good News Friday

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  • The Democratic Republic of the Congo certified free of Guinea-worm disease. WHO.
  • Between 2014 and 2021, the South-East Asia Region recorded 73% reduction in measles deaths and 64% reduction in measles cases. Five of the 11 countries have eliminated measles, and two countries – Maldives and Sri Lanka – have eliminated rubella as well. WHO.
  • In India between 2017 and 2021, measles has decreased by 62%, and rubella by 48%. WHO (PDF link).
  • Saudi Arabia is making strides in women’s rights. Strict dress regulations, mandatory gender segregation, and a ban on women drivers were abolished. ABC.
  • Almost half of electricity in Germany was generated from renewables in 2022. IEEFA.
  • Congress’s bipartisan deal to spend billions more fighting HIV and malaria abroad. Vox.
  • Hawaii to make preschool available for all 3-4 year-olds. AP.
  • Postpartum haemorrhage: Niger halves blood-loss deaths at clinics. BBC.
  • Gentle policing: Social workers team up with Raleigh officers to successfully respond to over 1,000 calls. WRAL News.

For more good news, check out The Progress Network, and Future Crunch.

Good News Friday

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  • There’s been a 33% overall reduction in cancer deaths since 1991 and an estimated 3.8 million deaths averted, mostly due to the decline in tobacco use. American Cancer Society.
  • Here are all the positive environmental stories from 2023 so far. Euronews.
  • EU solar deployment rate soars by almost 50% in 2022. Energy Monitor.
  • A powerful laser can redirect lightning strikes. Science News.
  • Medicare begins to rein in drug costs for older Americans. The New York Times.
  • 118th Congress is most racially diverse to date. The Hill.
  • 118th Congress breaks record for lesbian, gay and bisexual representation. Pew Research Center.

For more good news, check out The Progress Network, and Future Crunch.

Good News Friday

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  • Why the ozone hole is on track to be healed by mid-century. Vox.
  • The green jobs boom is benefiting the people who need it most. Reasons to be Cheerful.
  • How Jersey City got to zero traffic deaths on its streets. Bloomberg.
  • New antibody therapy works for 73% of multiple myeloma patients. Freethink.
  • Number of populist world leaders at 20-year low. The Guardian.
  • The economy is improving in three major ways. The Atlantic.

For more good news, check out The Progress Network, and Future Crunch.

Good News Friday

~ D. J. Moore ~ Leave a comment
  • 183 ways the world got better in 2022. Reasons to be Cheerful.
  • Adolescent risk behaviours (such as drinking, smoking, drug use, crime, and sex) have declined markedly in high-income countries between 1999-2019. ScienceDirect.
  • Teen birth rates have declined 77 percent in the past 30 years. Child Trends.
  • There are more than a billion fewer people living below the International Poverty Line today than in 1990. Our World in Data.
  • Carbon dioxide emissions in the European Union reached a 30-year low this November despite Russia. The Hill.
  • This new sea salt battery has 4 times the capacity of lithium. Euronews.
  • Minimum wage rises in more than half of U.S. states. Yahoo!
  • Cancer vaccines are showing promise. National Geographic.
  • Secret Congress delivers more good news on clean water. Slow Boring.
  • Income inequality has been falling for a while now. Slow Boring.

For more good news, check out The Progress Network, and Future Crunch.

Good News Friday

~ D. J. Moore ~ Leave a comment
  • Best science news 2022. Neurologica.
  • New clean energy investments have topped $40B since the IRA passed, report says. Utility Dive.
  • Oregon governor commutes all 17 of the state’s death sentences. CBS News.
  • Largest study to date confirms Ebola vaccine safety, with immunity lasting up to a year. Gavi.
  • Moderna’s mRNA cancer vaccine shows promise in preliminary study. The Wall Street Journal.
  • U.S. rents drop at the fastest rate in 7 years. Axios.

For more good news, check out The Progress Network, and Future Crunch.