The World of Edward Gorey

This book features an interesting interview, and then a rather rambling mononograph about Gorey's work overall. This essay is an important first attempt to place Gorey's unique vision into some kind of context, and though quite descriptive, it doesn't reveal a whole lot to me. The best part of the book is plates of some of Gorey's less well-known material, his stage curtain backdrops, etc. Fans of Gorey will appreciate a glimpse of these things for their collections. Those unfamiliar with his work would find a better introduction with one of the "Amphigorey" treasuries.

This book is about Edward Gorey and the part about his art, written by Karen Wilkin, is very good. The interview isn't very good, but it makes up for it by all the great pictures.

1973? "Edward Gorey's Tantalizing Turns of the Screw" by Selma Lanes in the NEW BOSTON REVIEW. 1974: PHANTASMAGOREY, Yale University Press. 1976: "Edward Gorey: in CURRENT BIOGRAPHY 1976 1976: "Strange Things Happen When Gorey is Afoot" by Mary Rourke in the week ending September 11, 1976 issue of the now defunct NATIONAL OBSERVER 1993: ARTIST OF MYSTERY brochure published for the April 21 - September 5, 1993 exhibition of original works by Edward Gorey at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco, CA. The annual listing of Edward Gorey's work by The Gotham Book Mart at 41 West 47th Street, NYC, NY 10036. This item is available upon request.

If you like Edward Gorey then you really owe it to yourself to get a copy of this very fine book. The authors, Clifford Ross and Karen Wilkin are artist and art critic, respectively. Ross begins the book with an interview with Edward Gorey himself in which they talk about other painters (Matisse, Albert York, Picasso, Manet and Max Ernst in particular); Surrealism; the creative process (included are a number of sketches and notes for finished drawings); Gorey's theater pieces; fiction; and television. Wilkin's piece follows next in which she discusses the "band of crypto-Edwardians" that appear so many of Gorey's books as compared to the illustrations he does for books by other authors, for Mystery Theater and for the stage, opera, theater and ballet. She has a very interesting perspective on Gorey's work within both historical and cultural contexts. The second half of the book contains numerous drawings and designs followed by a chronology of Gorey's life (rich with photographs of his home, including one of his cats) and a bibliography. A very interesting book. The only thing I would have added is a section on the Gorey cats (the ones that grace the Amphigorey books).