New Releases by Edward Gorey

On the envelopes of letters sent to a dear friend, the famed artist and writer Edward Gorey drew dozens of original illustrations—illustrations now collected in this volume along with marvelously playful selections from the correspondence, all never before seen by the public until now. From Ted to Tom will be published in the centenary year of Edward Gorey''s birth. In 1974, Tom Fitzharris met Edward “Ted” Gorey after buying one of his drawings at Gotham Book Mart. They struck up a friendship, and, over the course of the next year, they corresponded regularly, with Gorey sending a total of fifty letters to Fitzharris. The front of every letter’s envelope was illustrated by Gorey (along with the back, sometimes). Every envelope was filled with surprises: news and opinions from Gorey’s life, hand-written historical quotes, sketches, ads cut out from newspapers, inside jokes, fake stamps (drawn and inked by Gorey, of course) and a host of other joyous miscellany. All of the envelopes and a selection of Gorey’s correspondence are assembled here for the first time, filled with all the humor, imagination, gossip, and wonder that came with being pen pals with Edward Gorey.

The inspiration for the iconic musical Cats, T. S. Eliot''s classic and delightful collection of poetry about cats. These lovable cat poems were written by T. S. Eliot for his godchildren and continue to delight children and adults alike. This collection is a curious and artful homage to felines young and old, merry and fierce, small and unmistakably round. This is the ultimate gift for cat and poetry lovers.

Our story opens with a cat stuck in a tree, an ordinary-enough occurrence. Fletcher the cat, having run up the tree in a moment of thoughtless abandon, cannot get back down. Then strange things begin to happen: Fletcher finds in his tree a steamer trunk full of hats, and among the hats a papier-mâché egg that opens to reveal Zenobia, a worldly talking doll who was locked in the egg by an unfeeling child named Mabel. To cheer each other up, Fletcher and Zenobia decide to throw a party, complete with cake, peach ice cream, and punch from a silver punch bowl. The hats come in handy, and a moth, drawn to the festivities, soon becomes the vehicle of an unexpected escape plan. A story of metamorphosis and friendship, like The Owl and the Pussycat crossed with Alice in Wonderland, Fletcher and Zenobia is a wildly imaginative tale of wish fulfillment and freedom. At once silly and zany, it is not without a certain delicacy of feeling that older children, and adults, will also appreciate.

Astonishingly brief, captivating, decidedly engaging, for Goreyphiles: here. Its jolly, keen language meanders neatly. One ponders, quietly, rather strange tableaux. Uses verbs winsomely. Excited, you? Zowee! What''s this all about? In the mid-1990s Edward Gorey launched a numbered series of "Thoughtful Alphabets" featuring cryptic twenty-six-word stories wherein the first word begins with A, the last with Z. The first six Thoughtful Alphabets published (numbers 2, 3, 4, 10, 14, and 15) were hand-lettered posters with clip-art illustrations. Numbers XI and XVII, however, emerged as signed limited-edition books featuring happily for us Gorey''s own drawings. First published by The Fantod Press but long out of print, these two gems are revived in Thoughtful Alphabets: The Just Dessert and The Deadly Blotter. In each, Gorey''s inimitable drawings weave a tale of suspense and intrigue; the story proceeds as the alphabet progresses.

Edward Gorey and Peter Neumeyer met in the summer of 1968. Gorey had been contracted by Addison-Wesley to illustrate "Donald and the...," a childrens story written by Neumeyer. On their first encounter, Neumeyer managed to dislocate Goreys shoulder when he grabbed his arm to keep him from falling into the ocean. In a hospital waiting room, they pored over Goreys drawings for the first time together, and Gorey infused the situation with much hilarity. This was the beginning of an invigorating friendship, fueled by a wealth of letters and postcards that sped between the two men through the fall of 1969. Those letters, published here for the first time, are remarkable in their quantity and their content. While the creative collaborations of Gorey and Neumeyer centered on illustrated books, they held wide-ranging interests; both were erudite, voracious readers, and they sent each other many volumes. Reading their discussions of these books, one marvels at the beauty of thoughtful (and merry) discourse driven by intellectual curiosity. The letters also paint an intimate portrait of Edward Gorey, a man often mischaracterized as macabre or even ghoulish. His gentleness, humility, and brilliance--interwoven with his distinctive humor--shine in these letters; his deft artistic hand is evident on the decorated envelopes addressed to Neumeyer, 38 of which are reproduced here. During the time of their correspondence, Peter Neumeyer was teaching at Harvard University and at SUNY Stony Brook, on Long Island. His acumen and compassion, expressed in his discerning, often provocative missives, reveal him to be an ideal creative and intellectual ally for Gorey. More than anything else, "Floating Worlds" is the moving memoir of an extraordinary friendship. Gorey wrote that he felt they were part of the same family, and I dont mean just metaphorically. I guess that even more than I think of you as a friend,

Fetching young Hamish prefers life in the great outdoors. One day he mistakenly opens an envelope. Sudden wealth from movie stardom leads Hamish to raising lions. But the newfound fame frustrates him, so he chooses the 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.

In 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.

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 take charge, the family''s ominous feelings turn to full-on 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.

"One of Mr. Gorey''s wordless masterworks." --New York Times

On a long trip abroad, Gorey''s young Drusilla is introduced to high art and gourmet meals. She gamely tries to appreciate the museums, rich food, and architectural wonders that delight her parents, only to find herself drifting along in a puzzling world. But then Miss Skrim-Pshaw takes her for tea with Mr Crague, a sockless, elderly man with a notable past, and their brief encounter is what will haunt Drusilla years later. Her casual promise to the old man has led to sudden recollection, then sad regret. curious coming-of-age tale, Edward Gorey employs his signature dark humor and exquisite illustrations to deftly portray the precociousness of a child on the brink of adulthood. One of the most enigmatic of Gorey''s many books, The Remembered Visit has been a favorite of Gorey fans, young and old, since its original release in 1965.

Item is derived from the artist''s sets and Tony Award winning costumes for the 1977 Broadway revival production of Hamilton Deane''s 1927 dramatization as a play of Bram Stoker''s "Dracula."

Finally, back in print! Edward Gorey''s CATEGORY was first published by Gotham Book Mart in 1974. The English language edition has been out of print for decades. One of Gorey''s most beloved books, CATEGORY collects a series of fifty cat vignettes, originally created by the artist as accompaniments to a limited edition of his book Amphigorey. Gorey once said, "I can''t conceive of a life without cats." Now Gorey fans and cat lovers alike won''t have to conceive of a world without CATEGOREY. Edward Gorey (1925-2000) may be best known for his mildly unsettling illustrated tales and cautionary alphabets—The Deranged Cousins, The Gashlycrumb Tinies, and The Doubtful Guest, among many others. He was also a playwright, an award-winning set and costume designer, and the creator of the animated introductions to the PBS series Mystery!

An umbrella is missing. A man is distressed. A thief scampers over rooftops. A child is in danger. A Harangued salesclerk weeks. A dog saves the day. The intriguing story of The Sopping Thursday is unlike any other Edward Gorey book, both because of its unique gray-and black illustrations and because it has a happy ending (if one is to dismiss any worry about the child featured inthe last frame). In just thirty imags and thirty short lines of text, Gorey manages to create a complex tableau of characters and a plot worthy of film noir. Long out of print, this new edition is faithful to the size of Gorey''s original drawings and wisely refrains from offering any editorial commentary...except to say this Gorey jewel is--to quote the eminent literary critic Edmund Wilson---A brilliant discovery.

Figbash is acrobatic, topiaries are tragic, hippopotami are admonitory, and galoshes are remorseful in this celebration of a unique talent that never fails to delight, amuse, and confound readers. This latest collection displays in glorious abundance the offbeat characters and droll humor of Edward Gorey.

Edward Gorey''s mordant masterpiece The Wuggly Ump charts the fate of three wholesome children whose happy days weaving chains of flowers are cut short when the mysterious Wuggly Ump hurtles from its den in search of tasty tots. Set to deceptively pleasant rhymes and illustrated in Gorey''s inimitable style, this lighthearted and mildly unsettling cautionary tale has delighted legions of Gorey fans since its first publication in 1963. This brand-new edition is a faithful reproduction for old and new fans alike to treasure. In addition to writing and illustrating more than one hundred books, the renowned artist Edward Gorey (1925-2000) was also a playwright, an award-winning set and costume designer, and the creator of the animated introduction to the PBS series Mystery! 32 pages with 14 color illustrations. Smyth-sewn casebound book with jacket. Size: 6 x 5."

With his typically dark, droll humor, Edward Gorey presents the transformation of Maudie Splaytoe, a girl prone to staring at dead birds, into Mirella Splatova, a chic and mysterious prima ballerina. This woeful tale chronicles an ascent to the peak of fame, followed by an unexpected and dreadful demise. Gorey''s exquisitely crafted illustrations of magical ballets, elegant drawing rooms, and stark apartments set the stage for this melodrama starring a slightly peculiar heroine. Faithfully re-released in this superb new edition, The Gilded Bat is one of the hundred or so eerily fanciful illustrated tales created by Edward Gorey (1925-2000) to the delight of his adoring fans. Gorey was also a playwright, an award-winning set and costume designer, and the creator of the animated introductions to the PBS series Mystery!

Calendar spanning Dec. 29, 2004 through Jan. 2, 2005.

In this enigmatic, surreal, wonderfully entertaining tale, three mysterious figures set out from Willowdale, traveling by handcar. At once deeply vexing and utterly hilarious, darkly mysterious and amusingly absurd, "The Willowdale Handcar" is vintage Gorey.

For Gorey fanatics (you know who you are), this page-a-day calendar provides a year''s worth of comic relief with excerpts from a variety of Edward Gorey''s publications.

Another Goery masterpiece unfolds in this dark tale of surreal morality. Illustrations.

A vivid self-portrait in words of one of the great American artists of the twentieth century. Designed to appeal to Gorey lovers as well as those seeking an introduction to his work, Ascending Peculiarity includes reproductions of previously unpublished drawings and photographs. Edited by Karen Wilkin. Edward Gorey''s extraordinary and disconcerting books are avidly sought and treasured throughout the world, but until now little has been known about the man himself. While he was notoriously protective of his privacy, Gorey did grant dozens of interviews over the course of his life. And as the conversations collected in this book demonstrate, he proved to be unfailingly charming, gracious, and fascinating. Here is Gorey in his own words, ruminating on everything from French symbolist poetry to soap operas, from George Balanchine and the unique beauty of ballet to Victorian photographs of dead children. We meet the artist in his ramshackle book-lined studio in Manhattan and his equally bizarre house on Cape Cod. We listen as he describes his legendary upbringing and vast range of influences, as well as how he managed to work amid all his cats.

The annual charity fête at Backwater Hall in Mortshire is disrupted by the mysterious death of Lord Wherewithal and the theft of the Lisping Elbow. Confusion and misgivings abound. And, alas, the Earl of Thump''s stuffed thisby is found disemboweled by the edge of the lake. Dr. Belgravius and his nephew, Luke Touchpaper, attempt to tie the loose ends together and wonder why Miss Underfold was seen wearing a hat decorated with black lilies. And why was Victoria Scone dancing the tango with Horace Gollop in The Soiled Dove? Edward Gorey creates an intriguing and sharply mordant world and leaves us his own mystery: What has happened to the missing Night Bandage, volume two of the Mortshire secrets?