Thoughtful Alphabets: The Just Dessert & The Deadly Blotter

by Edward Gorey

This book combines two of Gorey's Thoughtful Alphabets (long out of print) in one volume never before published in hardcover. In each, Gorey's twenty-six-word stories (wherein the first word begins with A, the last with Z) weave a tale of suspense and intrigue; the story proceeds as the alphabet progresses. *Gorey's deft and witty use of language is apparent even in these twenty-six-word stories.

*The book combines two of Gorey's Thoughtful Alphabets in one volume never before published in hardcover.

*A must-have for all Goreyphiles

Genres: Art, Fiction, Picture Books, Gothic, Humor, Short Stories, Childrens

64 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2012

About the author

Born in Chicago, Gorey came from a colourful family; his parents, Helen Dunham Garvey and Edward Lee Gorey, divorced in 1936 when he was 11, then remarried in 1952 when he was 27. One of his step-mothers was Corinna Mura, a cabaret singer who had a brief role in the classic film Casablanca. His father was briefly a journalist. Gorey's maternal great-grandmother, Helen St. John Garvey, was a popular 19th century greeting card writer/artist, from whom he claimed to have inherited his talents. He attended a variety of local grade schools and then the Francis W. Parker School. He spent 1944–1946 in the Army at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and then attended Harvard University from 1946 to 1950, where he studied French and roomed with future poet Frank O'Hara.

Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.

Reviews

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Just Dessert: thoughtful Alphabet XI {1997}

Again, this has 12 or so frames with 26 words, each word tells the story in order of the alphabet. The story is not as good as the murder mystery, but it’s decent nonetheless. The last word is Zabaglione and you can make of that what you will.

Simple and sweet and not much else to say.


The Deadly Blotter (1997)

This is a little story told about solving a mystery. It’s 26 words long and each word is the next letter in the alphabet. it’s amusing how each word sets up the story. The 2nd panel is simply a corpse and there is a dead man behind a planter. This short story makes me happy, but the artwork could be better here. It is rushed.

[Drew Canole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deadly Blotter is a charming alphabet murder mystery with small simple but effective drawings. Told with just 26 words.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Because I was reading some big long books and I have to go read more big long books, I decided to knock out a short book so that I could get my Goodreads number up a bit. The shortest unread book I had on hand was Edward Gorey’s Thoughtful Alphabets: The Just Dessert and The Deadly Blotter. These are two short stories--26 words, in fact, told by one word each going through the whole alphabet. The first story, The Just Dessert, is a little opaque about what’s actually going on, but appears to be about a bunch of people bickering a lot, and a small statue on a tall pillar that mysterious things happen to. The second story, The Deadly Blotter, is a much more straightforward murder mystery--the “C” page just says “Corpse”--and it names a lot of the tropes and plot points of regular murder mysteries, with the possible exception of “K,” “Knitting,” although I suppose that depends on what kind of murder mysteries you read.

Anyway, it was short and fun and adorable, probably not Gorey’s best work but still pretty delightful and full of whimsical drawings. The basic concept of the Thoughtful Alphabet also seems like a fun party game for writery types, like Exquisite Corpse.

Originally posted at Alphabets, but clever.

[Benja · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Book Creates Dreams. Ensnares. Fabricates Great Histories. Ideas, Jokes, Kidding Limericks. Many Names Orpheus Professes, Quite Randomly. Suddenly, Time Uniquely Vows With Excruciating Youth. Zounds.

[Sherwestonstec · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved these two books The Just Dessert and The Deadly Blotter. Stories told with each one starting with the first letter of the alphabet being the first word the second word has to start with a B the third word starts with a C etc. from the book jacket. “ Astonishingly brief, captivating, decidedly engaging, for Goreyphiles: here. It’s jolly, keen language menders neatly. One ponders, quietly, rather strange tableau. Uses verbs winsomely. Excited, you? Zowee!

[Becky Loader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This man is a genius.

[Danna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely Christmas present. I so enjoy Gorey's ability to be so expressive with few words, deceptively simple black and white drawings, and the pacing of page turns. That last point is why I enjoy the individual little books so much more than a large compilation.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love Gorey's alphabets! Though "The Deadly Blotter" was the best of the two.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great gift book for a small stocking stuffer or anyone who loves Gorey.

[Sally Van Horn · Rating 4 out of 5]

He does so much with so little! Incredible. As always.

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love his illustrations. The Deadly Blotter was the more interesting of these two, though I didn't like the ending.

[Rick Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading Edward Gorey 2023. Both The Just Dessert and the Deadly Blotter are beautiful examples of his later alphabets where in the Alphabet is the story...no extra words, just twenty six words combined alphabetically to tell a story. The drawings add verve and whimsy throughout.

Favorite quote:
Frequent ghastly happenings imply jeopardy.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

zabaglione looks gross

[Steven Foley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautifully illustrated Gorey book for us Goreyphiles!

[Shweta Gupta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, Zabaglione.

[Tiuri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique

[Mills College Library]

741 G666t 2012

[Huda m · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genius! amazing. Different as always.

[Flannery · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Just Dessert (2/5) and The Deadly Blotter (4/5)