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The Object-Lesson
Inspired by Samuel Foote's poem, 'The Grand Panjandrum', The Object Lesson presents a stunning series of seemingly random and unrelated events. A missing artificial limb, ghostly spectres and the statue of Corrupted Endeavour all have a place in this enigmatic tale, which combines elements of French surrealism, Japanese haiku and lots of good fun. With its humorous obscurity and puzzling intrigues, The Object Lesson delights and provokes.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1958
464 people want to read
About the author
Edward Gorey
479 books2,024 followersBorn 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
April 17, 2018
This book is bat-shit crazy and I found it fun. At first I was trying to make sense of what was going on and then I let go and it was like a dream that did crazy things.
I enjoyed the Throbblefoot Spectre; the Statue of Corrupted Endeavour (what a great name) and Madame O was like Tosca throwing herself off a tower (she disappeared. The bat or umbrella take your pick.
I love the art and I love his choice of words. Pure fun. don't expect a linear story, but is PSYCHEDELIC WONDERMENT at it's best.
I enjoyed the Throbblefoot Spectre; the Statue of Corrupted Endeavour (what a great name) and Madame O was like Tosca throwing herself off a tower (she disappeared. The bat or umbrella take your pick.
I love the art and I love his choice of words. Pure fun. don't expect a linear story, but is PSYCHEDELIC WONDERMENT at it's best.
November 4, 2017
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA what the hell is going on here? One of the most absurd things I've ever read. It makes no sense. A bat that could be an umbrella, a women jumps off a tower because the man she is talking to is not wearing his own moustache. Brilliant creepy pictures too.
I reckon Mr Gorey took LSD in a bucket, ate 14KG of cheese, played chess with a dog and went to bed....this book was his dream. To me it is the only possible explanation.
Loved this. Totes barmy though.
I reckon Mr Gorey took LSD in a bucket, ate 14KG of cheese, played chess with a dog and went to bed....this book was his dream. To me it is the only possible explanation.
Loved this. Totes barmy though.
December 28, 2019
A typically surreal tale by Edward Gorey, superbly illustrated as always.
A missing limb, the Throbblefoot Spectre, a statue of Corrupted Endeavour, Madame O______ flinging herself from the parapet, a bat (or possibly an umbrella) flies out of the trees and there was no message from the asylum. The last statement being perhaps the most salient of the lot!
What do you make of all that? Well, the object lesson in the book is to understand fully what is going on with the seemingly unrelated incidents.
I am not sure I do but it still makes for fun and enjoyable reading!
A missing limb, the Throbblefoot Spectre, a statue of Corrupted Endeavour, Madame O______ flinging herself from the parapet, a bat (or possibly an umbrella) flies out of the trees and there was no message from the asylum. The last statement being perhaps the most salient of the lot!
What do you make of all that? Well, the object lesson in the book is to understand fully what is going on with the seemingly unrelated incidents.
I am not sure I do but it still makes for fun and enjoyable reading!
March 5, 2008
Liking Edward Gorey is not hip. But having one particular favorite Gorey book is hip as fuck and sexy as hell. This one is mine. To prove it, I will now relate to you the entire text of this book, which I have memorized:
It was already Thursday,
but his lordship's artificial limb could not be found;
therefore, having directed the servants to fill the baths,
he seized the tongs
and set out at once for the edge of the lake,
where the Throbblefoot Spectre still loitered in a distraught manner.
He presented it with a length of string
and passed on to the statue of Corrupted Endeavour
to await the arrival of autumn.
Meanwhile, on the tower,
Madame O___ in conversation with an erstwhile cousin
saw that his moustache was not his own,
on which she flung herself over the parapet
and surreptitiously vanished.
He descended, destroying the letter unread,
and stepped backwards into the water for a better view.
Heavens, how dashing! cried the people in the dinghy,
and Echo answered: Count the spoons!
On the shore a bat, or possibly an umbrella,
disengaged itself from the shrubbery,
causing those nearby to recollect the miseries of childhood.
It now became apparent (despite the lack of library paste)
that something had happened to the vicar;
guns began to go off in the distance.
At twilight, however, no message had come from the asylum,
so the others retired to the kiosk,
only to discover the cakes iced a peculiar shade of green
and the tea-urn empty
save for a card on which was written the single word:
Farewell.
It was already Thursday,
but his lordship's artificial limb could not be found;
therefore, having directed the servants to fill the baths,
he seized the tongs
and set out at once for the edge of the lake,
where the Throbblefoot Spectre still loitered in a distraught manner.
He presented it with a length of string
and passed on to the statue of Corrupted Endeavour
to await the arrival of autumn.
Meanwhile, on the tower,
Madame O___ in conversation with an erstwhile cousin
saw that his moustache was not his own,
on which she flung herself over the parapet
and surreptitiously vanished.
He descended, destroying the letter unread,
and stepped backwards into the water for a better view.
Heavens, how dashing! cried the people in the dinghy,
and Echo answered: Count the spoons!
On the shore a bat, or possibly an umbrella,
disengaged itself from the shrubbery,
causing those nearby to recollect the miseries of childhood.
It now became apparent (despite the lack of library paste)
that something had happened to the vicar;
guns began to go off in the distance.
At twilight, however, no message had come from the asylum,
so the others retired to the kiosk,
only to discover the cakes iced a peculiar shade of green
and the tea-urn empty
save for a card on which was written the single word:
Farewell.
May 30, 2023
Landscape B+W images each with one line of prose. Each event seems completely random but there's a sort of narrative meandering along.
October 16, 2017
I actually (unexpectedly) loved this! It's so suggestive. It has the potential to become more an yet it is complete in itself. I must say it was my initial intention to review it with "same", so that too.
October 8, 2014
a drifty crepuscular conundrum in the partly cloudy fen
August 3, 2025
İnanılmaz güzel çizimler ve absürd bir hikaye.
March 6, 2021
Brilliant!
February 9, 2012
I liked this book, but didn't get it. The illustrations have a beautiful Burtonesque look to them, and each page in itself is amusing, but I came away feeling stupid / as if I'd missed some cleverly disguised joke running in the background. I don't really know how to rate this book since I did really enjoy reading it, but it's left me wondering what I've missed, and on investigating online it seems that was the intention, which seems a little cruel. Whilst reading up on it I did, however, come across an animation of the book which other readers may also enjoy:
http://www.kuriositas.com/2011/06/edw...
http://www.kuriositas.com/2011/06/edw...
November 30, 2008
Not your traditional story by any means! Many of Gorey's books are ostensibly children's books, and The Object-Lesson is no exception. The book takes several seemingly unrelated characters and places them in disconnected situations...make sense of it if you can!
Any other author might not have been able to get this one past the publishers, but in Gorey's skillful hands, the story takes on a life and character all its own. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a dose of the weird.
Any other author might not have been able to get this one past the publishers, but in Gorey's skillful hands, the story takes on a life and character all its own. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves a dose of the weird.
November 11, 2011
The Object-Lesson is a classic, and one of the best works that Edward Gorey ever produced. It contains all of his trademark elements (arising from the murky and somewhat morbid world of idle aristocrats) combined with an excellent pacing and a mysterious plot that is impenetrable without being precious. If Gorey's oblique sense of humor and narrative is your cup of tea, then this volume is sure to satisfy that taste like no other.
January 26, 2008
Among the great opening phrases in western literature, comes this:
"It was already Thursday... but his lordship's artificial limb could not be found."
Brilliant, just brilliant.
"It was already Thursday... but his lordship's artificial limb could not be found."
Brilliant, just brilliant.
June 27, 2008
I have this one memorized.
February 1, 2013
I did not get this at all. I liked it because there is just *something* I like about Gorey. Would something this nonsensical be published today? Maybe I need to read it twelve more times...
June 5, 2019
Somebody is on drugs!
March 20, 2021
Tell me you’re high without telling me you’re high.
February 9, 2025
did i understand what was happening? no
did i see any connection between these small incidents? no
did i enjoy its gothic feel? way too much
did i see any connection between these small incidents? no
did i enjoy its gothic feel? way too much
May 26, 2013
*Warning: This book will make you feel stupid.*
A seemingly random series of unrelated events: A man missing his artificial limb, ghosts, suicide and black umbrella's.
I read it, I didn't get it. I read it again, I still didn't get it. I read it 5 more times and guess what? I still didn't get it. I feel like I'm missing some inside joke that everyone but me understands!
It reminds me of that episode of "Malcolm in the Middle" where Francis stares at the totem pole for days trying to figure out what it means.
The pen and ink drawings are just as appealing but this story lacks the droll humour that usually features in his stories.
A seemingly random series of unrelated events: A man missing his artificial limb, ghosts, suicide and black umbrella's.
I read it, I didn't get it. I read it again, I still didn't get it. I read it 5 more times and guess what? I still didn't get it. I feel like I'm missing some inside joke that everyone but me understands!
It reminds me of that episode of "Malcolm in the Middle" where Francis stares at the totem pole for days trying to figure out what it means.
The pen and ink drawings are just as appealing but this story lacks the droll humour that usually features in his stories.
August 24, 2017
This was my first Gorey, and apparently a bad book to begin with, though I enjoyed it. The 'plot' was completely nonsensical, but left me with a pleasantly eerie feeling, and the art was absolutely beautiful. I thought Gorey wrote children's books, but after reading this rather bleak book (it includes a woman jumping off a tower to her death!) I think he just wrote art books for all ages--probably with supervision if under a certain age! I'll be picking up more by Gorey soon. This satisfied the angsty teenager still inside of me, but didn't blow me away consistently, which I think is important in such a short book.
August 5, 2011
Whenever I'm down, I pick up this book and it instantly makes me feel better. The art is amazing, the text beautifully absurd and full of wonderful lines you'll remember always. However, I know that this isn't a book for everyone because when I showed it to my Mama she agreed that the art was great but her overall expression was one of bewilderment. If you're not familiar with Gorey, I recommend looking at this one before buying it. If you love Gorey, though, you should love this book! Even the cover is perfect.
October 28, 2012
Started out promising, I was totally into it and then suddenly....I wasn't. Overall not something I would ever read again, or think about again, or recommend to anyone, ever. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever read but I think it is highly overrated. You can't just throw a bunch of stuff together and call it surreal.
January 9, 2009
This is one of the best surrealist works other than those by Andre Breton and Le Compte de L'autremont IN my opinion. Paul Clay sent it to me in the mail, and I loved it. I read about why Edward Gorey wrote it, and he actually did so in order NOT to make any sense at all.
January 8, 2016
Another Gorey experimentation with the nature of narrative. Another Gorey I hated on the first read and loved on the second. Review to come.
(Reread in Amphigorey; reviewing separately.)
(Reread in Amphigorey; reviewing separately.)
August 2, 2008
First Edition.
This is one of my favorites
This is one of my favorites
August 2, 2008
Another gem from Gorey!
March 15, 2012
This is the reason Edward Gorey is better than you.
September 18, 2012
I really liked the drawings! The story? Quirky, but I liked it too.
January 3, 2013
Odd....good thing I like odd.
January 22, 2013
Farewell.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews