A Gorey century

Tomorrow, Feb. 22, would be the 100th birthday of Edward Gorey (1925–2000), the famed writer, designer and artist whose absurdist humor and distinctive style of illustration—darkly crosshatched, vaguely Edwardian, and often gleefully grim—has inspired generations of devotees. To celebrate, the New York Review of Books just published From Ted to Tom: The Illustrated Envelopes of Edward Gorey, a collection of never-before-seen art and letters sent by Gorey to his friend Tom Fitzharris. The book makes it apparent that, even in private correspondence, Gorey was meticulous, mischievous, creatively abundant, and always utterly himself.

To celebrate the centennial, NRB is offering a 25% discount on From Ted to Tom along with several titles that Gorey illustrated, including H. G. Well’s The War of the Worlds; a children’s book collaboration with Rhoda Levine; a book of Greek myths and legends; and a collection of classic horror stories chosen by Gorey himself. The sale ends Feb. 22 at midnight EST.

SEE THE BOOKS

In addition, here is a link to "Edward Gorey in the Basement," which reproduces an 11-part adventure serial Gorey drew for the NRB in 1975 called “La Malle Saignante” (“The Bleeding Trunk”), one episode of an unfinished project called Les Mystères de Constantinople. To celebrate Gorey’s centenary and the serial’s 50th anniversary—and with thanks to the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust—the magazine presents the entirety of “La Malle Sagnante” with an introduction by Lucas Adams, a senior editor at New York Review Comics, as well as four articles and one letter from its archives about Gorey and his legacy.

The weird Walt Whitman

In her essay, "Mortal Concerns: Community, Democracy and the Weird Mr. Whitman," poet Patricia Spears Jones, New York's current Poet Laurate, does not directly address Walt Whitman's sexuality. But she does allude to it in her closing:

[Engagement with Whitman's poetry] can "generate thought and new poems that can be shared by strangers from a range of ages, ethnicities, sexualities and genders. Our capacity to imagine democracy as part of the creative process is the complicated legacy of Whitman’s call. But poets make crazy demands upon language, and it seems to me that now is the time to demonstrate what language can do in a time of crisis—not only to protest the indignities of these times but also to protect our spirits."

This isn't a long essay, but it is an inspiring one. So I encourage you to check it out.

Some LGBTQ+ poetry for Valentine's Day

In honor of this special day, here are some LGBTQ-themed poems (not all by LGBTQ poets, I should note) from the American Academy of Poetry's Poem-a-Day newsletter. Enjoy!

Serenade by Djuna Barnes

Having a Coke with You by Frank O'Hara

To O.E.A by Claude McKay

Let's love each other by Jalal al-Din Rumi

When The World Falls in Around You or, Vows to My Palestinian Wife on Our Wedding Day by Lehua M. Taitano

How Some of Us Survived Cuando El Mundo Did Not Want Us by Emanuel Xavier

Anophasis Now by James Hannaham

January by Aldrin Regina Valdez

Surrender by Angelina Weld Grimké

"How Books Can Open Your Mind"

This six-minute TED Talk by Lisa Bu: "How Books Can Open Your Mind." --is a salutary reminder of the power of literature in challenging, even dark circumstances. Check it out!

What did the author mean by THAT?!

I haven't watched the Apple TV+ series "Severance," but during a recent Washington Post Style interview Britt Lower, the actress who plays both Helena Eagen and Helly R. on the show, said something very interesting about how she toggles back and forth between the characters: "I had an English teacher in high school who used to say, “Don’t ask what the author meant, ask what they suggested.” Speaking as someone who always tries to suss out the writer's intent in any work of fiction, I found that distinction illuminating and plan to bear it in mind going forward.

An updated list of Amazon alternatives

The following list incorporates suggestions and comments from various members of BookMen replying to my recent message. I thought it would be easier to post this than to edit the original compilation.

— The Montgomery County Public Library system often has multiple copies of the books we discuss. You do not have to be a resident of the county or even the state to borrow them; they’re available, free of charge, to anyone in the DMV with a library card via interlibrary loan. Besides the savings, another advantage of going that route is that the more often LGBTQ titles are borrowed, the stronger the case libraries can make for ordering more. 🌈

— ABE Books is mainly known for selling used books, but it also offers new titles. Alas, Amazon owns it.

— Alibris Books

— AllStora (formerly known as ShopQueer) pledges that when you buy any book from them—and not just LGBTQ works—the author will earn double what they receive from other booksellers.

— Barnes and Noble

— Biblio Books

— Bookshop.org now offers e-books.

— EBay

__ Good Reads (also owned by Amazon, alas)

__ Little District Books, a queer-owned Washington, D.C.-based independent bookstore that celebrates LGBTQ+ authors and stories.

— Loyalty Bookstores (in Washington, D.C., and Silver Spring)

— Openlibrary.org

— Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni’s Room (formerly Giovanni’s Room Book Store)

— Politics and Prose

— Thrift Books (proceeds support gay causes in NYC)

— Walmart Books

Of course, there are many independent bookstores around the DMV, as well...

Alternatives to Amazon

I recently learned from a BookMen member that Amazon has removed some LGBTQ stuff from its website and discontinued some benefits for its employees. He suggested that I stop linking to Amazon for the books we are reading and suggest alternatives.

As someone who has seriously considered canceling his own subscription to The Washington Post after 40+ years because of Jeff Bezos’ decision to put his business interests ahead of journalism (and decency), I am very sympathetic to the idea of no longer linking our reading list titles to Amazon. Sadly, however, there just is no other single source for basic info about so many books, so I reluctantly will continue using the site for that purpose.

However, there are many alternative ways to acquire the books we discuss:

— The Montgomery County Public Library system often has multiple copies of the books we discuss. You do not have to be a resident of the county or even the state to borrow them; they’re available, free of charge, to anyone in the DMV with a library card via interlibrary loan. Besides the savings, another advantage of going that route is that the more often LGBTQ titles are borrowed, the stronger the case libraries can make for ordering more. 🌈

— ABE Books is mainly known for selling used books, but it also offers new titles.

— AllStora (formerly known as ShopQueer) pledges that when you buy any book from them—and not just LGBTQ works—the author will earn double what they receive from other booksellers.

— Barnes and Noble

— Bookshop.org now offers e-books.

__ Good Reads (also owned by Amazon, alas)

__ Little District Books, a queer-owned Washington, D.C.-based independent bookstore that celebrates LGBTQ+ authors and stories.

— Of course, there are many other independent bookstores in the DMV, such as Politics and Prose (to name just one of many).