"[Poe] was not a man who held his liquor well," notes Walsh. Indeed, Poe may even have been allergic to alcohol. In any case, only a little could seize him and embarrass him. Yet, Walsh does not view Poe as a weak, wasting-away man. His view is that Poe was robust and energetic, and that most of the time, he was sober and hardworking. He notes that Poe had been athletic when young and proposes that Poe would still have put up a good fight if he were attacked.

Walsh also believes that Poe's love for Shelton was sincere. While Poe probably hoped that he could use some of her wealth for starting up a magazine that he would edit, he remained passionate after learning that she would lose most of her money to a trust fund. The picture he paints of Poe is...