Dead Broke, Deeply Weird, and Still Iconic: Why Poe Endures
Edgar Allan Poe suffered a lifetime of tragedies, then died broke and misunderstood—but he's become one of the most enduring literary brands of all time. In this funny, myth-busting talk, Catherine Baab uncovers the real Poe: his Virginia roots, the craft choices that make his work unforgettable, and the life choices packed with lessons more timely than ever. Come for the juicy lore; leave with some surprisingly useful takeaways.
About Catherine:
Catherine Baab is a writer and journalist whose work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Slate, CNBC, and NBC News. She is the author of Poe for Your Problems: Uncommon Advice from History’s Least Likely Self-Help Guru (Hachette, 2021), a finalist for the Library of Virginia People’s Choice Award and a Barnes & Noble Holiday Catalog pick.
A frequent guest on NPR, she lives in Richmond, Virginia, where she writes the Substack newsletter “Poe Can Save Your Life” and is at work on her next book.