Originally published in 1963, The West Wing is one of Edward Gorey’s classic books. This wordless tale unfolds through 31 mysterious drawings that carry the viewer from room to room via long corridors. Peeling wallpaper hangs to the floor, a candle held by invisible hands casts light into the dark, and odd characters appear unbidden. The viewer wonders: What’s haunting this building? And who left that boulder on the table? First released as part of The Vinegar Works: Three Volumes of Moral Instruction (which included The Gashlycrumb Tinies and The Insect God) this book is undoubtedly a cautionary tale. Stop. Do not enter. Unless you dare to find out what’s happening in The West Wing.
Artist and author Edward Gorey (American, 1925–2000) is beloved for the boundless imagination and sharp humor exhibited in his more than 100 published works. Gorey was also a set and costume designer for innumerable theater productions, including a staging of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, for which he won a Tony. He had a profound affection for literature, film, ballet, and animals. Cats and other odd creatures appear in many of his crosshatched illustrations. His humorously unsettling drawings of vaguely Victorian innocents facing unfortunate ends became familiar to a wide audience after appearing in the opening credits of the PBS television series Mystery! Gorey’s Cape Cod home, a veritable cabinet of curiosities, is now a museum celebrating his life and work.