On Cryptography, Literature, and Cats

Most readers know Edgar Allan Poe as the author of detective and fantasy stories, but he also authored numerous essays and articles on a variety of topics, ranging from the decoding of codes and reflections on cats to musings on... the mysteries of the Universe.

One of Poe's interests was cryptography, to which he dedicated the article «A Few Words on Cryptography« and laid out his thoughts on code decryption.
 
Another of Poe's interests was cats, or rather, a cat named Cattarina, who lived with him for almost ten years and inspired the author to write the essay «Instinct vs. Reason – The Black Cat», in which the writer argues that the instinct of animals can be a more powerful force than the human mind.

This collection also includes essays on literature and the prose poem «Eureka», which the writer considered the main work of his entire life.