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. The book was originally printed under Edgar Allan Poe's name. Poe never claimed, however, that he was the author. Poe's condensed version was based on the textbook by 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 was the editor or compiler of the work.