The Conchologist's First Book

The Conchologist's First Book (sometimes subtitled with Or, A System of Testaceous Malacology) is an illustrated textbook on conchology issued in 1839, 1840, and 1845. Though the book was originally printed under Edgar Allan Poe's name, the actual author was Thomas Wyatt, an English author and lecturer. Wyatt wrote the original, longer textbook, Manual of Conchology, upon which Poe based his shorter, condensed version. Poe originally wrote just t... more

The Conchologist's First Book (sometimes subtitled with Or, A System of Testaceous Malacology) is an illustrated textbook on conchology issued in 1839, 1840, and 1845. Though the book was originally printed under Edgar Allan Poe's name, the actual author was Thomas Wyatt, an English author and lecturer. Wyatt wrote the original, longer textbook, Manual of Conchology, upon which Poe based his shorter, condensed version. Poe originally wrote just the preface and introduction but, for $50, Poe lent his name as author of the entire book, published in Philadelphia by Haswell, Barrington, and Haswell. This odd arrangement was to avoid copyright problems with the original edition of Wyatt's book, Manual of Conchology, previously published by Harper & Brothers. Wyatt's book contained multiple illustrations of shells and carried the cover price of $8, a price too high for both beginners and advanced students of conchology. Wyatt intended a cheaper, concise edition to be used in schools with a... less