[UA] In Defense of Baltimore

[stuartanderson at uswest.net]

Nick Wedig wrote:

> >Grave site of Edgar Allan Poe, dipsomancer par excellance.
>
> Untrue.  Poe drank rarely.  Some notes from his doctor and similar things stating he was allergic to alcohol (something like that) prove so.  Also, he took laudanum only once and was sick for days afterward.  All the stories about him be a big drunk are basically false (it always seemed weird to me that people always make comments about Poe being drunk all the time, whereas at least half of the traditional "great men of western culture" were so... everyone from Socrates to Hemmingway, at least.)

Poe made the enduring mistake of naming his worst enemy in the world his literary executor. That's where the stories come from. He was a poor guy, trying hard to fit in at West Point & other high society places. He'd have one glass of wine and start dancing on the tables. Mortified by any faux pas, he avoided alcohol. I'm statting him out a couple different ways as a NPC in the historical I'm trying to develop. I'll post when I'm confident I'm on the right track.
--Stu.


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