Amphigorey (Penguin Graphic Fiction) - Softcover

Gorey, Edward

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140129030 ISBN 13: 9780140129038

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd, 1993

Synopsis

Fifteen works by the American artist and author provide a journey into a macabre world

About this title

Review:

The title of this deliciously creepy collection of Gorey's work stems from the word amphigory, meaning a nonsense verse or composition. As always, Gorey's painstakingly cross- hatched pen and ink drawings are perfectly suited to his oddball verse and prose. The first book of 15, "The Unstrung Harp," describes the writing process of novelist Mr. Clavius Frederick Earbrass: "He must be mad to go on enduring the unexquisite agony of writing when it all turns out drivel." In "The Listing Attic," you'll find a set of quirky limericks such as "A certain young man, it was noted, / Went about in the heat thickly coated; / He said, 'You may scoff, / But I shan't take it off; / Underneath I am horribly bloated.' "

Many of Gorey's tales involve untimely deaths and dreadful mishaps, but much like tragic Irish ballads with their perky rhythms and melodies, they come off as strangely lighthearted. "The Gashlycrumb Tinies," for example, begins like this: "A is for AMY who fell down the stairs, B is for BASIL assaulted by bears," and so on. An eccentric, funny book for either the uninitiated or diehard Gorey fans.

About the Author:

Edward Gorey, known for his unsettling pen-and-ink drawings with a Victorian flair, wrote and illustrated such books as The Doubtful Guest, The Gashlycrumb Tinies, and The Headless Bust. He was also the illustrator for the bestselling Lewis Barnavelt series by John Bellairs. Gorey was a very successful set and costume designer, earning a Tony Award for his Broadway production of Dracula. His works dating back to the 1950s have been collected in the Amphigorey series of books. He died in 2000.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0140129030
• ISBN 13: 9780140129038
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 1