Longman Classics - Tales of Mystery and imagination : by Edgar Allen Poe / Simplified by Roland John and Michael West / Artwork illustrated by Per Dahlberg : A must read for a young reading enthusiasts but not for 'adult readers'.

I have to say as a 26 year old adult avid reader, getting to know the mystery and horror of "Edgar Allen Poe" through a "Longman Classic" was a very bad reading experience.

Longman classics are tailor made for young readers.

The book simplification was done by "Roland John" and "Michael West" has provided suffice justice on par to achieving the objectives as a "Longman classic". But it is definitely not for an adult reader.

This book is a collection of "Edgar Allen Poe's" most famous novella's or short stories.

There is an introduction in this book which provides an analysis of Edgar Allen Poe's personal and literary life. There are also six introductions and reviews on the short stories also.

The names of the short stories are provided below.

(01) "You are the man."

(02) The Gold Bug

(03) The Stolen letter

(04) The murders in the Rue Morgue

(05) Down into the Maelstrom

(06) The pit and the pendulum

My personal analysis and observation on the short stories of "Poe" is that they are very creative and innovative for his time.

Terror and horror is actually mystifying. His imagination in creating loneliness and human emotion in the face of danger is unmatchable.

But the problem for me as a reader was the original language and structure "Poe" actually used in his original and whether it is better comparing to the "Longman Classic" which is simplified for the ease of the young readers.

Anyway among the five short stories, my favourite was "Down into the Maelstrom". It has a writing style made out of literary grandeur in elaborating the beauty and horror of the sea and the surrounding environment in the reader's mind fused with fear.

All the other stories are also great because the illustrations by "Per Dahlberg" are amazing and they set the tone for the short stories of "Poe".

I suggest this book for young readers but not for adults just to make sure they avoid this "Longman Classic" just to have a better experience in reading the original "Poe" classics.