Edward Gorey

Date of Birth: February 22, 1925

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: April 15, 2000

Biography

Edward St. John Gorey was an American writer, artist, and illustrator, celebrated for his distinctive blend of gothic sensibility and whimsy. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Gorey developed a passion for the arts early on. He attended Harvard University, where he was roommates with poet Frank O’Hara. Gorey’s career began in earnest when he moved to New York City and worked for Doubleday Anchor, where he designed book covers and illustrated texts. His own works, such as “The Gashlycrumb Tinies,” “The Doubtful Guest,” and “The Unstrung Harp,” gained a cult following for their dark humor, intricate pen-and-ink drawings, and macabre themes. Gorey’s influence extends into theater, with his designs for the 1977 Broadway revival of “Dracula” earning him a Tony Award for Best Costume Design. He spent his later years in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where he continued to create until his death in 2000.

5 Interesting Facts about Edward Gorey

1. Edward Gorey was a voracious reader and claimed to have read over 25,000 books in his lifetime.

2. He was a self-taught artist, having never received formal training in art.

3. Gorey was known for his eccentric fashion sense, often seen wearing fur coats and tennis shoes simultaneously.

4. He was an avid fan of ballet and attended performances religiously, sometimes going to the same show multiple times.

5. Gorey had a fascination with cats and lived with several feline companions throughout his life.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Edward Gorey

1. “Life is intrinsically, well, boring and dangerous at the same time. At any given moment, the floor may open up. Of course, it almost never does; that’s what makes it so boring.”

2. “I just kind of conjured them up out of my subconscious and put them in order of ascending peculiarity.”

3. “I’ve sort of lost track of the amount of books I’ve illustrated, but somewhere around 60.”

4. “I really think that the work comes out of the work. The more you do, the more you can do.”

5. “I write about Edwardian times because I never experienced them.”