The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym
Edgar Allan Poe · 1809–1849 · United States
Why it matters
Poe's only novel sends a stowaway through mutiny, shipwreck, cannibalism, and an increasingly hallucinatory Antarctic voyage. Its ambiguous, unfinished ending influenced everyone from Melville to Borges.
At a glance
gothicspeculative fiction
Difficulty 6/10fast pace248 pagesDigressive, documentary-style prose with abrupt tonal swings.
Where to go next
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Nathaniel Hawthorne · 1850The Scarlet LetterLvl 7Slow burn
Steven Millhauser · 1996Martin Dressler: The Tale of an American DreamerLvl 5Medium pace
Herman Melville · 1851Moby-DickLvl 8Slow burn