"The Sphinx is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe about a man who decides to visit a relative living near the Hudson River, north of New York City, for two weeks during a cholera epidemic that occurred during the summer of 1832. One day during this visit, the man is reading a book near the window revealing a scenic view of the river. His attention is focused upon the epidemic nevertheless, and when he glances up from the pages, the man sees a ghastly sight in the distant hills--there an enormous creature larger than any oceangoing ship is climbing down!Edgar Allan Poe (January 19, 1809 - October 7, 1849), born in Boston, Mass., was an American writer, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective-fiction genre. He is further credited with contributing to the emerging genre of science fiction. He was the first well-known American writer to try to earn a living through writing alone, resulting in a financially difficult life and career.Patrick Lawlor, a classically trained stage actor, has performed on-stage throughout the US and Europe. He has appeared in several feature films, as well as on the television series, "LA Heat." His extensive work as an audiobook narrator has garned numerous awards, including an Audie Award nomination.