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I learned of a book I’d never heard of before this holiday season: The Twelve Terrors of Christmas by John Updike. It caught my eye because it’s illustrated by one of my favorite artists, Edward Gorey.
I haven’t read it yet, but some of the reviews make me want to. (I posted a few below.) Sounds delicious and right up my alley!
If you’ve read it I’d love to know your take on it.
REVIEWS
By Hilarious Humbug
Bah to those who found this book slight and unfunny. This is the anti-Christmas cold pricklies for those who don’t enjoy the warm fuzzies of the season (and even for those who do). This is a sarcastic, cynical look at some Christmas traditions, and I found it funny and even a little insightful. I thought the illustrations were gloomy and in keeping with the tone of the book. Ebenezer Scrooge would have kept this book on his coffee table, but he was probably too cheap to buy it. A nice gift for someone who prefers hemlock to holly and avoids mistletoe.
By Deck the Halls – Bluntly
The Twelve Terrors is as demented as I’d hoped for. John Updike’s prose gives Christmas the kick in the teeth it secretly wants, and Edward Gorey’s illustrations are just the right wrapping paper for the beating.
I’m only disappointed that Updike isn’t as good a vehicle for Gorey’s illustrations as Gorey himself. I was hoping for another dose Gashlycrumb Tinies (Gorey at his best) but I set my hopes too high with this collaboration.
Twelve Terrors is a bedtime story that steers kids away from piggish consumerism, carries them through angry cynicism, and finally ushers them into thoughtful enlightenment.
By Delicious like terrified plum pudding
A lovely volume of pure Gorey-esque mystique. If you are familiar with Mr. Gorey’s fashion of examining the world, you will not be disappointed. If you have not tasted the decadent simplicity of evil delight that feeds the macabre monster, this, my friend, is your Christmas goose.
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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No one does Christmas like Edward Gorey. I hadn’t heard about The Twelve Terrors of Christmas. Great Post!
ZOMBIE SANTA CLAWS IS COMING TO TOWN THIS FRIDAY. JESSICA. HE HIS BRING YOU GIFTS.
LOL, TJ! Jessica would love a zombie Santa Clause!
And Jessica, you’re welcome! Tho I cracked up when I then saw your Edward Gorey post. Yet ANOTHER thing we share in common! I knew I liked you for a reason!!!!!!!!!! 😉
IAM COMING THIS FRIDAY. IWILL BE AT ZOMBIE ROAD. AND STOP BY YOUR HOSE AFFTER I VISIT ZOMBIE ROAD. AND GIVE YOUR GIFTS. HOPE YOU BEN GOOD THIS YEAR.
IT MIGHT SNOW HEAR IN ST.LOUIS MISSOURI. THIS FRIDAY.LOOKS LIKE WILL HAVE A WHITE CHRISTMAS?
LOL! That’s hysterical and very clever Zombie Santa Claws! I hope I have been good this year too! I don’t want no coal!
TJ, I heard the same thing from my friend who lives there! Then I got all excited because St. Louis isn’t too far from Nashville so maybe there’s a chance we might get it too. Watched the news last night and they said there IS a chance we might have a White Christmas too!!!!!!!! I grew up in CO so it was the rare Christmas that wasn’t white. Been a long time tho since I had one. Excited!
Hope whether you have a white one or not it is simply FABULOUS! THANKS for reading my blog!