This vintage book contains Edgar Allen Poe’s 1841 short story, "A Descent into the Maelström". Atop a Norwegian mountain a frail old man retells the story of a fateful fishing tip and a mysterious storm that enveloped one of his brothers, drove another to insanity, and aged him beyond his earthly years. A gripping tale of preternatural horror, "A Descent into the Maelström" is highly recommended for fans of Poe’s masterful fiction, and would make for a worthy addition to any bookshelf. Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American author, editor, poet, and critic. Most famous for his stories of mystery and horror, he was one of the first American short story writers, and is widely considered to be the inventor of the detective fiction genre. Many antiquarian books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. We are republishing "A Descent into the Maelström” now in an affordable, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.