S26-0119P, The Souls Close to Edgar Allan Poe: Graves of His Family, Friends, and Foes

“No! Even in the grave all is not lost.”
In an oral journey to the burial places of the people who lived in Edgar Allan Poe’s world, telling the stories of the individuals who supported, inspired, and challenged him, and even a few who attempted to foil his plans, Dr. Pajka will provide us with a fuller understanding of Poe’s life.
Poe is credited with originating the modern detective story, developing Gothic horror tales, and writing the precursor to science fiction. He considered himself a Virginian, and his family and many of his closest associates were southerners. Poe worked to elevate Southern literature and lived in the South for most of his life. He died in Baltimore, and made his final home in Richmond.

Dr. Pajka will have copies of her books for sale following the class:

The Souls Close to Edgar Allan Poe: Graves of His Family, Friends and Foes (2023)
Women Writers Buried in Virginia (2021)
Haunted Virginia Cemeteries (2025)

$20 cash or $25 PayPal or Venmo.

Presenter: Dr. Sharon Pajka
Sharon Pajka, a professor of English at Gallaudet University, holds a Ph.D. in English education from the University of Virginia and a master’s in deaf education: secondary from Gallaudet University. She earned a certificate in public history from the University of Richmond. On the weekends, you can find her in the cemetery giving history tours or volunteering, as well as running River City Cemetarians. She is also the co-chair of the Virginia Chapter of the Association for Gravestone Studies.

LLI Coordinator: Valerie Kenyon Gaffney