The World of Edward Gorey cover

The World of Edward Gorey

by Clifford Ross

Perennial favorites such as The Doubtful Guest, The Insect God, and The Fatal Lozenge, which have been collected in the award-winning Amphigorey anthologies; set and costume designs for Dracula; illustrations for books such as Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot; and of course the animated credits for the Mystery! series on public television have won Edward Gorey one of the most intensely loyal followings of any artist today. Coupled with his offbeat literary humor are the black-ink line drawings that we have come to know so well. An author of some forty years standing, Edward Gorey now moves center stage as the star of this book: a full-scale monograph that explores his roles as artist, illustrator, writer, and theater designer. The World of Edward Gorey introduces readers to Gorey himself by way of an interview with artist Clifford Ross. Here we learn about Gorey's unusually agile mind, his immense and diverse interests, and his deep knowledge of art. From there, art critic Karen Wilkin takes us on a voyage through Corey's world, analyzing the evolution and sources of the artist's style and situating it within a tradition of narrative art, of high and popular culture. Both important and lesser-known works are discussed, amplified by 200 illustrations made by Gorey.

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?