The Dwindling Party

by Edward Gorey (Author and Illustrator), Ib Penick (Contributor)

Pop-up illustrations and verses divulge how, one by one, six members of the MacFizzet family monstrously disappear during a visit to Hickyacket Hall, leaving behind only young Neville, who expects "it was all for the best."

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Childrens, Horror, Art, Gothic, Humor

12 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1982

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

[Liz M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book since early childhood.
I still dream about it, and it's instilled in me a lifelong love of secret gardens, urns, and topiary.
As a small child I didn't realize that this this book was morbid or macabre. I simply I played with it and helped the monster hands swoop the family members to oblivion, toying with but never realizing the repercussions of senseless loss.
I've gone through several phases, but always been attracted to gothic elements and even written my own comics- perhaps the Dwindling Party had something to do with it.

[Alice Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous children’s picture book with amazing pop-ups

[Goatboy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful...

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

My father bought this pop-up book at the Smithsonian in the early 1980's for my young daughter. I was told to keep it and only let her read it when she was sitting with me. So the pop-ups still work! A great tale, a little dark but then again my child was a lover of things that were a little dark or odd.

We have toured his home in Sandwich, MA several times - I recommend a visit if you are ever on Cape Cod.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

So cute. I wish it was 3x as long.

[Magda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know I had written a review ...

This childhood favorite of mine was Teddy's first pop-up book. He had been crying, but stopped as I kept reading, opening his eyes for the turning of the page, and was all agog at the pop-up pages.

I enjoyed rereading the rhymes, of course, and wish I had more information on the family.

[Erinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first saw this book as a little girl while in the library. I remember eagerly turning the pages, and being a little confused that someone would make a children's book so morbid.

Now that I have my own copy, I still eagerly turn the pages. But I'm not as confused any more.

[Andrew Schwartz · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books when I was a child, both for the whimsical drawings and matter-of-fact tone which contrasted so nicely with the macabre subject matter. I used to read it whenever I visited my grandmother in Sarasota. She left me her copy when she passed on.

[Sasha · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was... macabre. I mean, he puts the gore in gorey. It is exceptionally creative - castles and grottos and moats - but I can't endorse the senseless slaughter of children by beasts, kidnapping, etc.

[Edie Walls · Rating 5 out of 5]

This isn't really a children's book, though it's structured like one. My dad owned this book and I loved reading it when I was very young, but it unfortunately burned in a house fire many years ago. I recently got him another copy in preparation for Christmas and gave it a read - I can understand why I adored it as a kid. Children like creepy things for whatever reason (it's the reason why "horror game for kids" is a pervasive genre of video game these days), and the art is macabre but the actual content is tame enough to draw a child in.

[Jan Priddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it is a pop-up book and so really too short to count, but I'd never read it before, I will never gift it to the person for whom it was intended, and it's Gorey so the humor is grave. (Yes, ouch!) Neville has the last word: "I expect it was all for the best" is the last line and fits.

Perhaps this is not the book I would choose to introduce someone to Edward Gorey. On the other hand it is perfect. And finally, Gorey is the only reason I ever loved The New Yorker.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this at a little "take a book" shelf in Syracuse's Salt City Market (which is an A+ food court, by the way). I would not have expected a pop-up book left in a public space to be in decent condition, but there were only a few broken bits. Overall, this is a delightful, classic Gorey story.

[Mainon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite Gorey books. Darkly comic (like all his books) but more fun than horrifying.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Edward Gorey pop-up book, I'm in heaven.

[Kai Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

fun, simple, the popups were very detailed and a v classic gorey story w all the family members getting killed and eaten, excellent

[Julie Leibee · Rating 5 out of 5]

For kids who like the movie Saltburn.

[Mathew · Rating 3 out of 5]

There once was a family whose name was MacFizzet
(Two parents, five children) who only last fall
Put on their best clothes and then set out to visit
The varied distractions of Hickyacket Hall.

This is the first Gorey that I have encountered apart from seeing what @tygertale has on his blog. Wonderfully dark and macabre, I would love to share this with children and see what they make of watching each of young Neville's family being devoured as you turn the pages. The interactive nature of the book means that you can take great pleasure in discovering how each family member is taken by the various dangerous denizens of Hickyacket Hall.

[Christy Brooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Gothic, and unrepentantly, almost matter-of-factly morose and true to Gorey's signature style. This pop-up book has lovely illustrations and the pop-up element seems to detract from rather than add-to the book though it may give the story more appeal to younger children. This is not an especially clever book but still a decent read

[Jraven · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully macabre childrens book. The pop-ups and illustrations are very detailed and is a book where you will discover something new almost every time you read the story. One of my favorites as a child. Unfortunately out of print. Published by Random House.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know who gave me this book, but I am thankful that they did. I've had this book forever and I *love* it. It's a bit macabre, but that's part of what makes it so fun. Sadly, it's out of print. Luckily for me, I have my own copy. :)

[Lisbeth Solberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinatingly creepy. Willy-Wonkian mishaps but without the underlying justice.

[Aja · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the few books that he did in color, rhymes, and it's a POP-UP!
(everyone dies except the little boy)

[Valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite pop-up book.

[Autumn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Pop-up book. So fun and quirky. Clever and amusing. Wonderful illustrations, of course. Easily one of my favorite Edward Gorey books.

[Rick Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rereading Edward Gorey 2023. The Dwindling Party is a moving portrayal of an idle expedition into a fully inhabited set of ruins. Light fare, but don't wander off.

[Kara · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book scared the &%$@#@* out of me as a child.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome gift from an awesome friend. Gorey was such a genius.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

We had this book as a child before I ever realized how darkly funny it is- I only wish we had kept better care of it and still had the original version.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Signed first edition

[Michael Larson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an Edward Gorey pop-up book! What more could you ask for in life??