Recensori in anteprimaEdward Gorey

Fetching young Hamish prefers life in the great outdoors. One day he mistakenly opens an envelope, which leads to movie stardom and sudden wealth. He buys property and begins raising lions, but soon the celebrity life gets the better of him. He flees the glitz and glamour, choosing his big cats over the big screen... With charming, distinctive pen-and-ink drawings coupled with characteristically succinct text, Edward Gorey leads us—as only he can do—through the mysterious circumstances that envelop Hamish on a long journey that begins with a single misstep. First published in 1973 and long out of print, The Lost Lions is an ever-popular Gorey classic.

Drawings by Edward Gorey The Treehorn Trilogy contains three well-loved children's stories chronicling the trials of Treehorn, a young boy with a talent for getting into and out of (and sometimes right back into) unusual situations. The Shrinking of Treehorn finds him growing down instead of growing up; in Treehorn’s Treasure, he puts a creative spin on an adage spoken by his father; and a genie adds some befuddlement to the boy’s birthday in Treehorn’s Wish. In these tales—each written by Florence Parry Heide and illustrated by Edward Gorey—Treehorn’s quandaries are complicated by preoccupied adults, his fickle friend Moshie, and, of course, comic books, coupons, and cereal box tops. Published by PomegranateKids. Includes 3 hardcover books, each 64 pages, packaged together in a sturdy slipcase.

A happy, naive family enters the Evil Garden (free admission!) to spend a sunny afternoon in its inviting landscape, lush with exotic trees and flowers. They soon realize their mistake, as harrowing sounds and evidence of foul play emerge. When humongous hairy bugs, famished carnivorous plants, ferocious fruit-guarding bears, and a sinister strangling snake appear, the family’s misgivings turn to panic—but where’s the exit?Edward Gorey leads us through this nefarious garden with a light step. His unmistakable drawings paired with engaging couplets produce giggles, not gasps. Perhaps The Evil Garden is a morality tale; perhaps it’s simply an enigmatic entertainment. Whatever the interpretation, it’s a prime example of the iconic storytelling genius that is Edward Gorey.

A marvelous, long out of print collaboration between good friends Peter F. Neumeyer and Edward GoreyIn this curious tale, four children, accompanied by their faithful cat, stumble around in the dark and ask, “What’s going on when the lights go out?” A lot of imagination and a little bit of science (cue a flashlight and an orange) inspire a creative conclusion. To these young minds, why we have day and night is a big question that can only be answered by one (very hungry) little bug. Hardcover, 36 pages. Published by PomegranateKids.

Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, renowned 97-year-old writer of detective stories, is found murdered; then a mysterious hidden packet is discovered. Addressed to her publisher, it contains what appear to be notes and drawings related to a literary work in progress. The contents "in their entirety--though certain things are patently missing" comprise clues about the who, what, when, where, and how of Awdrey-Gore’s demise. Or do they? Edward Gorey takes us on a rollicking ride in this merry murder mystery, but whether or not the killer is revealed is open to speculation. As one scrap of paper in the packet states, "The smallest clue may be (or not) / The one to give away the plot."Like his fictional dame novelist, Gorey (1925–2000) was a prolific author. Creator of more than one hundred works, he was also an artist, playwright, award-winning set and costume designer, and creator of the animated introduction to the PBS series Mystery! First published in 1972, The Awdrey-Gore Legacy remains one of Gorey’s most treasured tales, satisfying the sleuth in each of us. The main character's name, "D. Awdrey--Gore," is an anagram for "Edward Gorey"--one of many such anagrams he included throughout this book and in other works.

Drawings by Edward GoreyText by James Donnelly Three timeless favorites--Little Red Riding Hood, Jack the Giant-Killer, and Rumpelstiltskin--come together in this enchanting collection of read-aloud fun. Illustrated in charming detail by Edward Gorey and retold with engaging wit by James Donnelly, these unique renditions offer a fresh take on age-old tales.What happens when Little Red Riding Hood ignores her mother's advice to "Keep yourself to yourself"? How will young Jack fight the Giant who gobbles children by the fistful? And how will Queen Omoline save her baby from the devious Rumpelstiltskin? Gorey's expressive drawings and Donnelly's breezy text prove that good stories never grow old: rather, the tales in Three Classic Children's Stories are better than ever.112 pages with 85 color drawings. Size: 6 x 8 inches. Hardcover smyth-sewn casebound book, with jacket. Published by PomegranateKids, an imprint of Pomegranate Communications.

By all appearances the world according to Edward Gorey (1925–2000) is a deeply troubling place. Dire plots filled with hapless victims and shadowy villains unfold on the eternally crepuscular stage created by Gorey’s exquisite, crosshatched ink drawings. Doom is always waiting in the wings. Yet despite its foreboding nature, this world is surprisingly inviting. Depictions of the demise of innocent children elicit laughter; clever couplets relating tales of mayhem are somehow delightful. One cannot help but feel uneasy about having so much fun perusing Gorey’s dark scenarios. In Elegant Enigmas: The Art of Edward Gorey, more than 175 reproductions offer a rich review of his work, including samples from his own books, illustrations produced for other writers, theatrical sets and costume designs, and a wealth of individual pieces, many never before published. Sketches, typewritten manuscripts, doodles, and musings join the generous selection of finished works, which include his trademark finely detailed ink drawings and watercolors. The text by Karen Wilkin, an expert on Gorey’s work and a friend of the artist, offers an intimate review of his career, with insights that provide a fresh understanding of Gorey’s life and art. Published on the occasion of the first retrospective of Edward Gorey’s work, at the Brandywine River Museum, Elegant Enigmas is a long-overdue tribute to a master artist and writer, who with sharp intellect and devastatingly wry humor created a body of work singular in its brilliance and charm.

The Black Doll, a little-known and never-produced screenplay by the very well-known and often-published artist and writer Edward Gorey (1925–2000), dishes up a rambunctious romp of a plot, featuring vile villains, wicked women, sinister socialites, and a horrified heroine. It’s the stuff of many a silent melodrama, but imbued with classic Gorey convolutions. Written before 1973 and originally published with illustrations in Scenario magazine in 1998, The Black Doll has been missing from most Gorey libraries until now. A huge film buff all his life, Gorey claimed to have watched as many as one thousand movies a year when he lived in New York City during the 1950s and 1960s. He was a devoted student of silent films, citing Louis Feuillade (French, 1873–1925) and D. W. Griffith (American, 1875–1948), pioneers of the genre, as major inspirations. His informed insights on silent films were revealed in an interview with Annie Nocenti, published in the same issue of Scenario; it, too, is republished in these pages. Gorey illustrated The Black Doll with about twenty costumed characters, who seem to appear haphazardly within the script’s text. (Don’t worry: they should all make sense at the end of the story.) If the enigmatic script leaves you a bit dazed, keep in mind these words from Mr. Gorey: “I always feel, ‘what you see is what you get,’ but if you want to read something into it, then you can.” Including several relevant illustrations from his other books and an illuminating foreword by Andreas L. Brown (owner of the Gotham Book Mart and Trustee of the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust), The Black Doll is truly a Gorey gem.