The Big Read at Wyckoff Library: Edgar Allan Poe Forevermore!

The library's two-act kickoff event of The Big Read starts with one of the country's foremost Poe experts, John Gruesser, Ph.D., professor of English at Kean University in Union, NJ, and president of the Poe Studies Association. Professor Gruesser's talk, "Quoth the Raven: Eat My Shorts! The Life, Literature and Legacy of Edgar Allan Poe, explains the duality of Poe's immense impact. In Poe's short life, he created some of the most celebrated works in American literature, yet reaped few rewards. His status in the 21st century, however, is that of pop culture icon quoted by even the likes of the incorrigibly flippant Bart Simpson. Act two is "The Poe Show," the acclaimed one-man theatrical performance by actor/director Tony Tsendeas of several of Poe's most famous stories and poems. Part Shakespearean soliloquy, part spine-tingling ghost story, Tsendeas's interpretations of Poe's works have thrilled nationwide audiences for years. Preregistration recommended.