Today, Sara and Chelsey discuss “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe. This delightfully creepy story ushers in (that pun was NOT intended, but let’s go with it) chilling fall breezes, spooky October vibes, and atmosphere galore. We walk through a close reading of this classic horror story and cover Poe’s signature writing style and the horror tropes he plays with here, leaving a legacy for modern authors and even filmmakers in the horror genre. As always in Short Story Club, we offer four contemporary pairings to add to your gothic reading pile this fall.

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Skip to the pairings: [43:50]

Books mentioned:

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“The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe

Poe’s stories on audio

A collection of Poe’s short stories

Chelsey:

His Hideous Heart by Dahlia Adler (Amazon)
The Whispering House by Elizabeth Brooks (Amazon)

Sara:

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield (Amazon)
The Essex Serpent by Sarah Perry (Amazon)

Both (Bonus):

Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia (Amazon)

Picks of the week:

Chelsey - For students: The Poe Museum & Common Lit For teachers: Drunk History, Edgar Allan Poe feuds with Rufus Griswold

Sara - The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez and The Fall by Bethan Griffin

81. The Fall of the House of Usher by Edgar Allan Poe and creepy fictional houses to explore

Novel Pairings