Gorey Secrets

Malcolm Whyte ’55

Edward Gorey was an author and illustrator known for witty, macabre works such as The Beastly Baby and The Curious Sofa; his style is familiar to the many viewers of PBS’s “Mystery!” series, for which he created the opening animation. In this volume from the University Press of Mississippi, Whyte—himself a prolific creator of illustrated books for kids and a founder of the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco—delves into the artistic and literary inspirations behind Gorey’s work. “Malcolm Whyte has done us all a service by exploring and explaining the incredibly complex tangle of Edward Gorey’s sources, influences, and inspirations,” Frank Robinson, director emeritus of the Johnson Museum, says in a blurb. “Everything is in the mix, from Melville and Lear to Agatha Christie and the Brothers Grimm, from Hogarth and Redon to Matisse and children’s illustrations, as well as the I Ching. Richly illustrated and beautifully designed, this lively monograph is a deeply rewarding celebration of Gorey’s creative genius.”

More books by Cornellian authors