Every Gorey Detail

Renowned illustrator of the macabre Edward Gorey (Amphigorey Again), who would’ve celebrated his 82nd birthday earlier this month--had he not passed away in 2000--is recalled in a brief but revealing article in the latest edition of Harvard Magazine. Among the things one learns from that piece is the following:

Given his vivid artwork, it may surprise fans to know that Gorey considered himself a writer first. Every book had to begin with the text. He admired classical Japanese literature for “what is left out” and Surrealism for its oddball juxtapositions: “I do tend to ... write the things that would make as little sense as possible.” Still, story was uppermost. “I think of my books,” he once said, “as Victorian novels all scrunched up.” (Gorey didn’t live long enough to keep up with his own literary productivity, leaving some 75 manuscripts, typed and ready for illustrating.)

You can find the whole Harvard Magazine profile here.