Edward Gorey: cover star of book design

The author and illustrator is much revered for his own weird and wonderful books, yet his 200-plus jacket designs are virtually ignored. Steven Heller celebrates his contribution to a unique era of publishingDeliciously and subversively cryptic, Edward St John Gorey’s books, plays, postcards, toys, stage sets and costumes – indeed an entire lifetime of utterly sublime, mockingly apprehensive artistry and authorship – are celebrated and critically acclaimed by everyone from cultural pundits to goth cultists. The rare front-page New York Times obituary, on 17 April 2000, is testament to Gorey’s eclectic narrative range. “In creating a large body of small work, he made an indelible imprint on noir fiction and on the psyche of his admirers,” Mel Gussow wrote.Yet, understandably, less attention is devoted today to the 200-plus illustrated paperback covers and hardcover jackets that Chicago-born, Harvard-educated Gorey (known to his friends as Ted) created while working as a staff artist, art director, editor and freelance illustrator at various American publishing houses for a large portion of his career. In two brief sentences, his obituary tossed aside this impressive output: “After graduation he remained in Boston, illustrating book jackets. Then he went to New York and worked in the art department at Doubleday, staying late in the office to create his own books.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Does Oprah still have her book mojo?

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-06-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Book review: 'People Who Eat Darkness' is a masterful true crime tale

British journalist Richard Lloyd Parry skillfully goes beyond the headlines in the 2000 disappearance of fellow Brit Lucie Blackman in Tokyo. It is a dark, unforgettable ride.People Who Eat Darkness Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2012-06-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Oprah launching 'Book Club 2.0,' your mom now knows what 'webisode' means

Everyone! Check under your chairs! It's a...new book club from Oprah! Yep, the former queen of daytime TV is revamping her famed literary organization for the 21st century. Winfrey says she was so taken by Cheryl Strayed's Wild, that she absolutely had to get back on the book peddling bandwagon.... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2012-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Audio Book Club on Are You My Mother?

To listen to the Audio Book Club discussion of Are You My Mother?, click the arrow on the player below. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2012-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Media Decoder Blog: The Return of the Oprah's Book Club

After two years, Oprah Winfrey's highly influential book club is being revived, with "Wild," by Cheryl Strayed, as the first selection. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nook De-Kindles Classic Books

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[ Fast Company | 2012-06-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Catching the Summer Book-Buying Wave

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[ Publishers Weekly | 2012-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin and Macmillan Deny e-Book Price Fixing

In response to a Justice Department lawsuit, the two book publishers denied any price fixing for ebooks and accuse Amazon of engaging in anticompetitive behavior. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2012-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Citia Lets You Skip the Boring Stuff in E-Books (And Get to the Important Parts)

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[ AllThingsD | 2012-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Galaxy steps back from National Book Awards

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Printed book sales slump to nine-year low

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[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Amazon, Publisher Settle Digital Books Dispute

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[ AllThingsD | 2012-05-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2012-05-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Stephen Colbert's children's book tops the bestseller list

Stephen Colbert's latest release – a picture book aimed at young adults and up – follows a pole as it searches for the perfect job. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2012-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Apple Claims US Government Sides With Monopoly in E-book Case

The U.S. government has sided with monopoly rather than competition in bringing a case of ebook price-fixing against Apple, the company said in a filing on... Continue reading at PC World

[ PC World | 2012-05-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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