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The Pit and the Pendulum Audiobook
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(4.09) - 33 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Edgar Allen Poe is seen today as one of the greatest practitioners of gothic and detective fiction that ever lived, and popular culture is replete with references to him. In "The Pit and the Pendulum," one of his most famous short works, a condemned man is judged guilty by the Spanish Inquisition and sentenced to die. Locked away in a pitch-black cell, he soon discovers a pit in the center of the room, a watery grave at its base. Above him hangs a large, razor-sharp pendulum. As the man is slowly tortured, he must face either the pit or the pendulum.
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"I went through a Poe phase when I was young. This is one of the stories that got under my skin. I liked to sit in the sun and read it out loud, using my 'I am reading Poe' voice, which sounded kind of creepy. I wanted to write like him when I grew up, but unfortunately I am still waiting! "
— Alyssa (5 out of 5 stars)
The Pit and the Pendulum Listener Reviews
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" The Pit and the Pendulum tells a tale of torments endurd by a prisoner, this volume also includes other tales such as, The Black Cat and The Tell-Tale Heart. "
— Marts, 2/17/2014 -
" Read this probably with some other Poe stories(The Telltale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher)back in the 60's. Maybe for prep school English class. I can still hear the swoosh of the blade. Date read is approximate. "
— Chris, 2/14/2014 -
" Nice introduction to classic horror/Poe. "
— Capsguy, 2/9/2014 -
" still a book I think a lot of and this is many years after I read it. "
— Tino, 1/15/2014 -
" Welcome to the perfectly deranged mind of Edgar Allan Poe as you are walked through a man's death sentence "
— Janet, 1/8/2014 -
" I thought this one was the best of the 3 Poe stories on the 1001 Books you must read before you die list. It really makes you feel like you are in the shoes of the narrator. It also has a great ending. Altogether a fabulous read. "
— Diane, 1/8/2014 -
" "The room had been square. I saw that two of its iron angles were now acute and two, consequently, obtuse. In an instant the apartment had shifted it's form into that of a lozenge." "
— Teresa, 11/30/2013 -
" I read this for school. It was actually kinda interesting. Poe is definitely Gothic..lol. "
— Jacqie, 11/17/2013 -
" This was amazing. It contains something strange that had added to the book's beauty. "
— Rachelle, 10/24/2013 -
" This is a genius story that you can't simply forget. "
— Marzena, 8/22/2013 -
" Poe is not my favorite author, and this story creeps me out big time. "
— AnnMarie, 7/21/2013
About Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1848) transformed the American literary landscape with his innovations in the short story genre and his haunting lyrical poetry, and he is credited with inventing American gothic horror and detective fiction. He was first published in 1827 and then began a career as a magazine writer and editor and a sharp literary critic. In 1845 the publication of his most famous poem, “The Raven,” brought him national fame.
About Richard Powers
Richard Powers has published thirteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Overstory, and Bewilderment was shortlisted for the Booker Prize.