From Ted to Tom: The Illustrated Envelopes of Edward Gorey

by Edward Gorey, Tom Fitzharris (Editor)

Overview

On the envelopes of letters sent to a dear friend, the famed artist and writer Edward Gorey drew dozens of original illustrations—illustrations now collected in this volume along with marvelously playful selections from the correspondence, all never before seen by the public until now.

From Ted to Tom will be published in the centenary year of Edward Gorey's birth.

When Tom Fitzharris met Edward "Ted" Gorey in 1974, the two quickly struck up a friendship. Over the next year Gorey sent a total of fifty letters to Fitzharris. Every envelope Fitzharris received was illustrated by Gorey, and filled with surprises: typewritten letters with news and opinions from Gorey's life, handwritten note cards with unexpected quotes, sketches, inside jokes, and a host of other joyous miscellany.

Assembled here for the first time, these envelopes and their contents deliver all the humor, imagination, gossip, and wonder that came with being Edward Gorey's pen pal.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681379050
Publisher:	New York Review Books
Publication date:	02/04/2025
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Edward Gorey (1925–2000) was a writer, illustrator, and Tony Award-winning costume designer born in Chicago. He studied briefly at the Art Institute of Chicago before studying French literature at Harvard College. In 1953 Gorey published The Unstrung Harp, the first of his many books, which include The Curious Sofa, The Haunted Tea-Cosy, and The Epiplectic Bicycle.

Tom Fitzharris was a close friend of Edward Gorey in the 1970s. He currently lives in New York City and East Hampton and gives tours at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Editorial Reviews

This marvelous collection is the perfect way to deepen your love of Gorey (or, if you’re new to his work, fall in love with it).... Gorey sent Fitzharris a total of fifty letters, all whimsically illustrated and full of charming, miscellaneous bits of trivia, and fun surprises. And finally, they’ve been reprinted all together. Read it and feel (as I did) the privilege of being Edward Gorey’s pen pal.” — Lithub


“Famed eccentric, balletomane, and my beardspiration Ed­ward Gorey…wrote fifty letters to an intimate by the name of Tom Fitzharris. Each envelope was illustrated in his signature style—mordant, funny, strange. They’re relics of a friendship that burned bright and brief—the kind of seductive connection that disappears in a flash.” —Nate Lippens, Artforum

“Chockablock with eccentric delights, from Gorey’s surreal, Victorian-tainted illustrations (the dogs stand on swings, perform circus acts, balance on the sun, cruise in balloons) to his self-deflating humor, which is often aimed at his lethargic condition.” — Bill Marx, The Arts Fuse

“A unique collection of Gorey’s private works that’s sure to be of interest to his many ardent fans…Gorey took the time to meticulously adorn each envelope with a one-of-a-kind artwork….Fitzharris has also included excerpts from some of the letters, providing a window into Gorey’s summers spent on Cape Cod as well as his professional and intellectual pursuits during this period.” — Michael Patrick Brady, WBUR

"A delightful new book, From Ted to Tom, collects the marvelous illustrations that Gorey sent to Fitzharris. Each image reveals secrets of Ted and Tom’s friendship—snippets of their conversations and shared memories. Toward the back of the book, there is a section of notes decoding some of the references behind the inside jokes and quotes. What a wonderful glimpse into the mind of one of America’s greatest illustrators." —Elena Clavarino, Air Mail

From the Publisher