Like an obscure gentleman sleuth in the British mystery novels that he loved, the celebrated American artist Edward Gorey was a curious, reclusive ...
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Nov 18, 2011
Emily
rated it: 
The book serves as a catalog and platform for Mr. Theroux to show us just how many obscure references and terms he could put to use while partially relaying conversations he had with Mr. Gorey. The writing was pretentious and wordy to the point of using parenthetical statements to explain itself and define words for the reader--there is something to be said for clarity and accessibility. More than a few times Theroux talks in circles, oftentimes recycling information; the disorganization of the
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Sep 18, 2011
Belinda
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Look out folks--for once I did not choose a book that for some reason I absolutely loved. I did like it for it's information but the style was quite questionable. It's easy to see why the original of this book is a bit of a Holy Grail for extreme Gorey fans, which I am. There is so much information that is not available anywhere else--personal anecdotes that honestly really showed a lovely and fascinating picture of Gorey. He was adorable, eccentric, and a complete original. These were thing
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Jun 22, 2011
David
rated it: 
Having once had dinner with Ted Gorey I was very hopeful about liking this book. While it did provide a look at what it must have been like to be part of Gorey's circle of friends (which seems very small and exclusive indeed) I came away feeling that the author had relegated Gorey, over time, into a box labelled "nelly queen," and though I don't think those words appear in Theroux's book, it felt more and more that Theroux stopped trying to understand Gorey (apparently a very complicat
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May 15, 2011
Dave
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What a book.
a must for Gorey fans and devotees. The profile of E.Gorey is done in such a marvelous and intimate way in this book, that all the interviews i have read simply pale. Mr. Gorey simply told snippets and peculiarities of himself in cryptic and misleading answers for no reason other to get a rise out of people. Theroux's book paints the picture I have longed t see about Ogdread himself.
I simply can't enjoy this enough, maybe it is Theroux's personal and intimate style of writ More...
a must for Gorey fans and devotees. The profile of E.Gorey is done in such a marvelous and intimate way in this book, that all the interviews i have read simply pale. Mr. Gorey simply told snippets and peculiarities of himself in cryptic and misleading answers for no reason other to get a rise out of people. Theroux's book paints the picture I have longed t see about Ogdread himself.
I simply can't enjoy this enough, maybe it is Theroux's personal and intimate style of writ More...
Oct 17, 2011
Pattie
rated it:
This is a very strange little book (much like the subject). It's essentially a list of the things Edward Gorey liked and didn't like: art, books, movies, TV, and people's behavior, interspersed with his favorite sayings, a few pictures from his book and many delightful handbills from his many plays and puppet shows. As a huge Gorey fan, those handbills, which I've never seen, are well worth the strange mysanthropic tone of the book.
I didn't think it possible that there was anyone More...
I didn't think it possible that there was anyone More...
Feb 10, 2012
Anita
rated it:
Review snippet: This book has interesting moments but they are few and far between, and those moments are generally content that will not be new to long-term Gorey fans. Still, it was pleasant being reminded of how eccentric Gorey was, how he eventually stopped wearing fur because of his love of animals, how he sewed stuffed animals by hand as he watched television, how he would do work for anyone who asked, even those who could pay very little.
But after one admits that this book has s More...
But after one admits that this book has s More...
Jul 12, 2011
Adam
rated it: 
This book is randomly sectioned off into few-page chunks, and each section reads like an alternate version of every/any other section. Many contain wonderful stories or asides about Gorey, but they're often colored with the same supporting anecdotes. For example, I'm 2/3 through and some variation of 'how someone could like [sophisticated thing] AND have every episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on VHS, I will never know.' has appeared 4, maybe even 5 times.
There are some weird, out-o More...
There are some weird, out-o More...
Apr 07, 2011
Laura
rated it:
Not a poorly written book, per se, I just didn't like it. Gorey sounds like a trying personality. More panache than meaning...which if you look at his art, I guess it would make sense. Still, I was hoping for more. He seemed rather a paper-doll, flamboyant, sibilant-speaking gay man that liked to change outfits and say odd things just to be odd. Truth hurts I guess.
Jul 03, 2011
Cathy
rated it:
I loved the anecdotes and insights into this fascinating artist, but I wasn't enamored of the author's preening obsession with his own enormous vocabulary. It's worth the read if you love Gorey, and it's got lots of lovely pictures, too.
Apr 29, 2009
Rick
rated it:
A bizarre tribute/biography of Gorey by a friend and collaborator. The tone is certainly Gorey-Victorian. Bring your thesaurus. This book is a pretentious name-dropping nightmare. It is fine when done to give a snapshot of Gorey's likes and dislikes, but way overdone.
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Mar 04, 2011
Eric
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Basically a book about what Edward Gorey liked and didn't like which I'll admit was totally riveting. The writing was at times a bit too arch.
Dec 29, 2010
Judy
rated it:
This was a quick little paperback written by the author about his friend Edward Gorey. The author and Edward Gorey are two locals for me so I was curious. I discovered I like the dark humor of Edward Gorey's drawings. I bought his book "The Gashlycrumb Tinies" - an alphabet book with drawings not really for children. Most people are probably familiar with his animation introducing "Mystery" on PBS. He died in 2000. There's an Edward Gorey museum on the Cape I intend to
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Oct 05, 2008
Beth
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A friend's recollection of Edward Gorey full of quotes and fussy prose prone to lists, commas, subphrases, dashes, and other stylistic tricks--almost as ornate as a Gorey drawing with its urns and clashing pattern wallpapers and carpets. Read the book slowly or some of its meaning may slip by. Sometimes the author falls into redundancy, but he is rescued by his love of subject and the dredging up of a good anecdote or zippy quote. Excerpts from Gorey's work and stills from his favorite films abo
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Aug 03, 2011
Richard
rated it: 
A great remembrance of Gorey with the caveat that Theroux can be a bit elliptical and given to his own obsessions. I personally love it, but people wanting a more straightforward book on EG may want to look elsewhere.
Oct 30, 2008
Matthew
rated it:
Not my fav. Gorey bio, but still interesting because the author knew him.
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