Edgar Allan Poe was an author.
Edgar Allan Poe ( [ poʊ ] born Edgar Poe ; January 19 , 1809 -- October 7 , 1849 ) was an American writer , editor , and literary critic . It was at this time that his publishing career began , albeit humbly , with the anonymous collection of poems Tamerlane and Other Poems ( 1827 ) , credited only to `` a Bostonian '' . Poe switched his focus to prose and spent the next several years working for literary journals and periodicals , becoming known for his own style of literary criticism . In January 1845 , Poe published his poem `` The Raven '' to instant success .