Conferences and Events

Edward Gorey Exhibit and Talks a Huge Success!
By Kimberly Kennelly

San Diego State University's Love Library has a delightful treat: an exhibit on author/illustrator Edward Gorey. The exhibit features first drafts and original artwork by the pen-and-ink master as well as personal letters and memorabilia from his career. The exhibit runs through May 31, 2004.

On March 18th, the SDSU Friends of the Library in conjunction with the Children's Literature Program hosted a luncheon in Gorey's honor. Dr. Peter Neumeyer and his wife Helen provided anecdotes about working with the late Gorey. Dr. Neumeyer is a professor emeritus and children's literature scholar from the Department of English and Comparative Literature at SDSU. He is the founder of the Children's Literature Program and author of three books illustrated by Gorey as well as the author of The Annotated Charlotte's Web.

On March 20th, Dr. Neumeyer and his wife returned to give a talk to a packed room of professors, students, and Gorey enthusiasts. Dr. Neumeyer delighted the house with his tale about meeting Edward Gorey who would illustrate Dr. Neumeyer's first children's book, Donald and the . . . . Andreas Brown, trustee of the Gorey Estate and proprietor of the Gotham Book Mart in New York City (and SDSU alumnus), spoke of Gorey's other publications. The Gotham Book Mart published some of Gorey's more avant garde works.

Brown offered some enlightenment on Gorey's influences as well. He was inspired by films, especially silent film, and Victorian and Edwardian literature. Gorey seemed to write for himself rather than for a particular audience and did incorporate hidden clues in his writing. Gorey said, "If a book is only what it seems to be about, then the author has failed." Gorey was a child prodigy able to draw realistic pictures at age two and read by age three. Other than that he had a normal childhood, unlike most of the children in his books. The talk ended with a BBC interview.

March 2004