Saturday to take my mind off the dismal performance of the Denver Nuggets, I curled up on the couch with my calico and read
Amphigory by Edward Gorey, as one does after watching the NBA playoffs. In reading the 15 tales in
Amphigory, I thought they were quite poetic, in a Monty Python sort of way.
I struggle to describe Edwards Gorey’s stories and basically can only sum it up with two phrases, ”hmmm, wonder where this is going,” and ”I did not see that coming.”
Some call his ironic and offbeat humorous stories literary nonsense, but I just call it pure genius. A is for apple and B is for Bear, oh, I don’t think so as you will find in
The Gashlycrumb Tinies, "A is for Amy who fell down the stairs, B is for Bail assaulted by bears.” His illustrations add so much depth to the stories, or should I say darkness in that charming and witty macabre way.
As I writer, I particularly loved this passage in
The Unstrung Harp:
“Mr. Earbrass has been rashly skimming through the early chapters, which he has not looked at for months, and now sees TUH (The Unstrung Harp) for what it is. Dreadful, dreadful, DREADFUL. He must be mad to go on enduring the unexquisite agony of writing when it all turns out drivel. Mad. Why didn’t he become a spy? How does one become one? He will burn the MS. Why is there no fire? Why aren’t there the makings for one? How did he get in the unused room on the third floor?"
If you are a fan of British humor than I believe you will quite enjoy the works of Edward Gorey, despite the fact he was born in Chicago and never visited Britain. Other stories in Amphigory include:
The Listing Attic, The Doubtful Guest, The Object-Lesson, The Bug Book, The Fatal Lozenge, The Hapless Child, The Curious Sofa, The Willowdale Handcar, The Insect God, The West Wind, The Wuggly Ump, The Sinking Spell, The Remembered Visit.
In honor of the last week of National Poetry Month, I will leave you with this verse from
The Listing Attic:
A dreary young bank clerk name Fennis
Wished to foster an aura of menace;
To make people afraid
He wore gloves of grey suede
And white footgear intended for tennis.
The World of Edward Gorey is a perfect gift for the Gorey Groupie. Since I am a Gorey Groupie, this was a most excellent Christmas gift from my husband. Loved the interview with between Clifford Ross and Edward Gorey at the beginning of the book:
The other evening when deciding what to read next, the Edward Gorey’s Amphigorey Also caught my eye on the end table. I was just going to read a story or two and then start in on my next Sandman graphic novel, Volume 5, A Game of You, but ended up reading the whole book. Edward Gorey never ceases to amaze me with his macabre humorous style. Read about Embley and Yewbert’s adventure in the Epiplectic Bicycle. Brush up on the alphabet in The Utter Zoo, The Glorious Nosebleed and The Eclectic Abecedarium. Learn how the famous mystery writer, Miss D. Awdrey-Gore, of such great titles, The Pincushion Affair, The Toothpaste Murder, and The Dustwrapper Secret, pieced together the perfect tale of mystery. This Amphigorey book also highlights Gorey’s artistic and creative talent with his superbly macabre illustrations. I particularly enjoyed his cycling cards in The Broken Spoke and his urns in the Les Urnes Utiles.
This book, The Other Statue by Edward Gorey, is worth reading for the characters' names alone, Miss Underfold, Earl of Thump, Marquess of Wherewithal, his aunt, Lady Isobel Stringless, Dr. Maximilian Belgravius and his nephew, Luke Touchpaper, Fenks the butler, Rev. O. MacAbloo, Miss Quartermourning and other delightful nomenclature. Was the statue that crushed Lord Wherewithal blown from the parapet or pushed? And who took his beloved Lisping Elbow made of wax?
Saturday to take my mind off the dismal performance of the Denver Nuggets, I curled up on the couch with my calico and read Amphigory by Edward Gorey, as one does after watching the NBA playoffs. In reading the 15 tales in Amphigory, I thought they were quite poetic, in a Monty Python sort of way.
Tattered Cover Book Store was having a special event. I cannot for the life of me remember what the name of the event was, just that I got a 15% discount on one item and a long stem rose with my purchase. I find it best to never question or analyze why my mind works like it does, but strolling through the store it decided I needed to expand my Edward Gorey collection, and really, who can argue with that. I made my way over to the humorous book section and to my surprise I was quite lacking in my Gorey collection as there were several books I did not have including his Amphigorey collections, Amphigorey, Amphigorey Too, and Amphigorey Also. Again, not questioning my reasoning, I chose Amphigorey Too. That night I curled up on the couch with my calico and started reading, The Beastly Baby by Ogdred Weary, The Pious Infant by Mrs. Regera Dowdy, The Evil Garden by Eduard Blutig, The Eleventh Episode by Raddory Gewe, and then my personal favorite, The Inanimate Tragedy by Edward Gorey himself. In reading his stories of pure genius, part of my mind questions if I am even worthy of my keyboard, while the other cries to write. I have now added Amphigorey and Amphigorey Also to my library. While reading The Unstrung Harp in Amphigorey, a couple of characters appeared to me and may have a story to tell. One like Willow May immediately gave me his name, while the other like the ringmaster is being difficult about his. I jotted down a few notes, but they will have to go on the back burner for now, must stay concentrated on Willow May editing and then see if the demonic snowmen are ready for me yet.
