Into the Maelstrom with Edgar Allan Poe

With his tales of horror, detective fiction, and love poetry, Edgar Allan Poe left a lasting mark on a young, restless, and rapidly changing America. He lived a life as chaotic and enigmatic as his works, moving from city to city, haunted by loss and despair, driven by ambition. Join us in Poe's strange world to understand how America shaped this genius—and how he, in turn, shaped us.

***

The full schedule, topics, and speaker information are listed below.

Friday, February 20, 2026, 7:00 PM MSK:  Love and Horror: Poe's Gothic Impulse

Speaker: Dr. Amy Branam Armiento is a professor in the English Department at Frostburg State University in Maryland. She specializes in 19th century literature of the U.S. and Great Britain and teaches courses on romanticism, women and literature, and literary theory.  Renowned as one of the country's top experts on Edgar Allan Poe, she is on the executive committee of the Poe Studies Association and a board member of the Poe Baltimore cultural foundation and museum.

Friday, February 27, 2026, 19:00 MSK:  Back and Forth: Poe's Roots in North and South / There and back: Poe's Roots in the North and South

Speaker: Scott Peeples

Friday, March 13, 2026, 7:00 PM MSK:  American Ambition: Poe's Quest for Greatness

Speaker:  John Gruesser

Friday, March 20, 2026, 7:00 PM MSK:  Mystery in Baltimore: Poe's Unexplained Death

Speaker:  Enrica Jang

About the moderator and series curator, Michael Beckelhimer: 

Michael Beckelhimer is a graduate of Russian studies programs at American University and Harvard. He lived in Moscow and Tallinn before, during, and after the fall of the Soviet Union, and traveled there often to shoot his documentary film “Pushkin Is Our Everything.” He lives in Alexandria, VA, where he is working on a documentary film about Russia's relationship with the US.

***

ALL AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE

***

To watch this event live, tune in to the American Center in Moscow’s YouTube channel and VK page . You can also watch the recordings of these events on the same platforms after the event's end.

You can register below and leave your valid email address to receive a reminder 30 minutes before the online event begins.

To join other AMC Online programs, please check the American Center’s website and TimePad calendars.