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Floating Worlds: The Letters Of Edward Gorey And Peter F. Neumeyer (2011)

by Edward Gorey(Favorite Author)

4.13 of 5 Votes: 2

ISBN

0764959476 (ISBN13: 9780764959479)

languge

English

genre

Memoir & Autobiography

publisher

Pomegranate

review 1: Edward Gorey, the illustrator famous for his finely detailed, macabre drawings (and poem-.tales) of pampered, pompous adults and fragile, oppressed children, formed a relationship in the late 1960s with Peter Neumeyer, an academic and author. The two were paired by a publisher for a series of childrens' books: Neumeyer would write the text and Gorey pen the illustrations. They worked separately and corresponded primarily via letters, although they occasionally visited one another's home. This three-year series of those letters reveals two erudite, smart and witty men, trading book recommendations, movie reviews, and the many travails of getting their books completed and approved by their troublesome, erratic publisher. There's a lot of borderline tedium in these letters, a... mores well, as you might expect, but they still make an entertaining read. Of most interest is the physical nature of this book--very lavish with heavy coated page stock--and the entertaining, whimsical illustrations Gorey draws on the envelopes that accompany his missives to Neumeyer.
review 2: Floating Worlds: The Letters of Edward Gorey and Peter F. Neumeyer edited by Peter F. Neumeyer is a collection of the correspondence of the two men during 1968-1969, when Gorey was illustrating three children's books that Neumeyer had written. These are not, however, dry correspondence between writer and illustrator, though that is frequently discussed. Instead, the letters are often brilliant discussions or illuminations on art, literature, philosophy, history, etc., between two highly intelligent men. I knew, of course, from his books that Edward Gorey was an intellectual and a lover of the arts. But until I read these letters, I had no idea of the depths of his intellect or the range of his interests. Neumeyer, I must confess, I expected to be extremely well read due to his being an academic, but again, their commentary on various subjects really left me astounded and delighted, and a little breathless from all the books I now would like to read because they mention them. Also included are Gorey's incredible illustrated envelopes and post cards; various drawings and handwritten comments from both men; and photographs from the times they visited each other.The book itself is both wonderful and slightly frustrating; great care was taken in its creation - it's a very solid book, sewn binding, jacket cover art duplicated on the boards, heavy paper that allows for the depths of shadow and detail in the photographs and illustrations - this is clearly a book meant to last. However, the paper, though wonderful for illustrations/images, is not so wonderful for the reader where text is involved. The pages are very thick for a reading experience - I was constantly checking to see if I'd skipped a page (they feel like the thickness of two pages together.) That is, however, a minor quibble, especially when faced with the overall excellence of the edition (both content and construction.)I highly recommend this to anyone with a love of Edward Gorey's work, discussions of literature and the arts, or an interest in the working relationship between a writer and an illustrator - the book covers these gloriously.Overall rating: 4.5 or 5 stars Review copy supplied by the publisher as part of LibraryThing's Early Reviewer Program. less

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