August 6 – (Relaxnews)

As part of a year-long commemoration to honor the bicentennial of American poet and author, Edgar Allan Poe, the curator of Poe: Man, Myth, or Monster will present a tour of the exhibit at the Library of Virginia on August 6. The Edgar Allan Poe Museum in Richmond, in the US state of Virginia, is coordinating a selection of events under the umbrella title, Poe Revealed 1809-2009.

The Gothic writer was part of the American Romantic literary movement and is credited with inventing the detective novel. He lived, worked, was educated, and frequented various sites in Virginia. Boston-born, he also lived in the Bronx, New York and Philadelphia, and died in Baltimore at age 40. Several of his former homes house museums.

The bicentennial honors the life and work of Edgar Allan Poe at historic sites, museums, libraries, and theaters with performances, exhibits, and lectures, and parties exploring the various opportunities to celebrate Poe and his influence. Poe enthusiasts can participate in a variety of events including a symphony performance, “Unhappy Hours,” midnight tours of exhibits, and an academic conference.

One significant exhibit, From Out That Shadow: the Life and Legacy of Edgar Allan Poe, at the University of Texas’s Ransom Center in Austin, runs September 8, 2009 through January 4, 2010. The show displays manuscripts, books, art, and artifacts documenting Poe’s career as a writer, his romances and mysterious death, and his tumultuous literary reputation.

On the anniversary of Poe’s death, the Third International Poe Conference opens in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from October 8 to 11, with scholarly presentations, about “Poe’s Mistaken Identity,” comparisons to Borges, Baudelaire, Rampo, and Stephen King, and his appearances in graphic novels and comics, such as Batman and Scooby Doo. A performance of Edgar: The Life and Life’s Work of Edgar Allan Poe, A New Chamber Musical by Augusta Reed Thomas will premier at the event.

Website: www.poe200th.com