The Poe Project
A Reading Report Addenda, by Jeff Baker
April 25th, 2024.
Finally got back to reading some Edgar Allan Poe, focusing on reading some stories beyond the often-anthologized, constantly-adapted favorites on a list I made. I intend to read ALL his stories someday.
I read “Thou Art The Man,” title being a Biblical quote.
It involves Mr. Shuttleworthy who has vanished and is presumed murdered and Charles (“Old Charley”) Goodfellow (Name from Shakespeare?) who sets out to solve the case.
I had a few theories as to the identity of the culprit and what was going on (three of them in fact!) but I breezed past a telling clue early on in the story that would have explained everything!
The story was published in 1844 and there is some action to prove the killer’s identity which would not fly today but the earlier clue would be the sort of thing Ellery Queen and Edward D. Hoch would employ in their “fair play” detective stories. (Where the reader gets all the clues too!)
In reading about “Thou Art The Man,” I see it is regarded as an “inferior” detective story. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Poe was a master! This story proves it!
If he’d only lived to a ripe old age and written more mysteries; imagine what a fun collection that would be!
Here’s the list of the first stories on my Poe Project, marking off the ones I’ve read.
The Island of the Fay
Lionizing
“Thou Art the Man” —read!
The Imp of the Perverse—read!
Four Beasts in One
King Pest—read!
Von Kempelen and His Discovery—read!
The Assignation
authorjeffbaker 