Welcome to the Gorey house...

We wanted to throw in something fun and spooky on this chilly October Sunday, so we've decided to take you all on a journey into the mysterious theater of the Edward Gorey House...

Edward Gorey was a unique writer and illustrator. His work has a very interesting style- the writing being somewhat non-sensical and twisted. But, I find the moody illustrations set in detailed ink to be fascinating, and I love his dramatically engaging stories. I was introduced to his work by a friend, who gave me a copy of the book, The Gnashlycrumb Tinies. It is a truly creative piece that just absolutely tickles my imagination : )  ~ Jess


The Gnashlycrumb Tinies is a simple rhyme - the alphabet set up as a little story. But A isn't for something as innocent as an Apple. Let me tell you about another alphabet- one that's a bit more sinister...

A is for Amy who fell down the stairs

B is for Basil assaulted by bears

C is for Clara who wasted away

D is for Desmond thrown out of a sleigh

E is for Ernest who choked on a peach

F is for Fanny sucked dry by a leech

G is for George smothered under a rug

H is for Hector done in by a thug

I is for Ida who drowned in a lake

J is for James who took lye by mistake

Check out the rest of this excellent rhyme...

8 Strawberry Lane, Yarmouthport, MA 02675
(508) 362- 3909

The Edward Gorey house is a great place to learn more about this amazing artist. His writing and illustrations effortlessly capture the essence of the spooky world of mysteries. So, the next time you find yourself in Cape Cod, be sure to stop by and check out this unique museum. It's sure to be an extraordinary day! 

☞ A fun thing to notice while you are walking through the house, if you look closely, you will see the children from the story scattered about in the manner of their death. Out back lies their sparse graveyard; a constant reminder of a character's mortal contribution to the whim of a writer ☟ 

Here's my rendition of the alphabet rhyme: 

You guys know I couldn't resist putting one together!

A is for Abby bitten by a spider

B is for Bucky who drank poisonous cider

C is for Clarice bludgeoned with a chair

D is for Diggory decidedly to fair

E is for Evan tricked by a liar

F is for Fran who got lost in the mire

G is for Gregory who was lost and not found

H is for Hector whose head got stuck in the ground

I is for Isabel worn down by a miser

J is for Jerry who couldn't see through his visor

K is for Karen done in by a hag

L is for Lori kicked by a nag

M is for Morton who lifted a boulder

N is for Nathan who suddenly became older

O is for Offred who married too young

P is for Patience dead of black lung

Q is for Queenie who fell off her rocker

R is for Rosa trampled over by a blocker

S is for Stephen who lost in a fight

T is for Tibby who just wasn't quite right

U is for Unice deathly afraid of mice

V is for Vicus who was not very nice

W is for Walter who tripped over a rock

X is for Xena strangled by a sock

Y is for Yori done in by a lion

Z is for Zelpha who couldn't stop cryin' 

~ JH

Here are a few pictures from my last visit to the Edward Gorey House. Thanks to my dad for taking these awesome shots! Enjoy : ) 

About Edward Gorey:

A truly prodigious and original artist, Edward St. John Gorey (1925-2000), gave to the world over one hundred works, including The Gnashlycrumb Tinies, The Doubtful Guest, and The Wuggly Ump; prize-winning set and costume designs for the innumerable theater productions from Cape Cod to Broadway; a remarkable number of illustrations in publications such as The New Yorker and The New York Times, and in books by a wide array of authors from Charles Dickens to Edward Lear, Samuel Beckett, John Updike, Virginia Wolf, H.G. Wells, Florence Heide, and many others... 

Learn more about Edward Gorey and his work!

Spooky fireplace!

Edward Gorey's sketch pad