1925-2000

Edward Saint John Gorey, Born 1925, Chicago, IL

Edward Gorey is an author and illustrator of a number of unique books that could usually best be described as morbid children's stories not intended for children. The texts, drawings, and plots are often very obscure, ominously minimal, and almost subliminally mysterious and sinister. He is probably best known for his drawings used for the animated opening to the public television show "Mystery!". Many people don't know that he has also done illustrations for hundreds of books by other authors.

After serving in the US Army from 1943 to 1946, Gorey went on to graduate from Harvard College in 1950, majoring in French. He moved to New York in 1953 where he began illustrating books for Doubleday/Anchor until 1960. His first book, The Unstrung Harp, is published in 1953. Since then he has published nearly one hundred of his own books, as well as designed sets for theatrical productions.

In 1986 he moved to Cape Cod, and lived there until he died in April, 2000. He was cremated and his ashes were thrown into Barnstable Harbor on a rainy, overcast day. His house is now a museum.