The Curious Sofa: A Pornographic Work by Ogdred Weary

Books Read in the Past:

It's sad in a way that Gorey's books are now all attributed to Gorey. This one was written, as the cover still indicates, by Ogdred Weary. Fun with language, including peculiar anagrammatic pseudonyms, was half the fun of some of Gorey's work.

The present volume is pornographic, though not explicitly so. I believe I recall reference to some "exceptionally well-made" young men, though my wording may be off. There's little of concern for the worried reader, and little to find for the prurient, yet I recall it as a sexier reading experience than my recent foray into [b:Fifty Shades|10818853|Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades, #1)|E.L. James|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1300842729s/10818853.jpg|15732562] territory.

The Curious Sofa may well be Edward Gorey's masterpiece. It skillfully incorporates all of the strongest elements of his work, particularly his remarkable ability to incorporate "taboo" subjects (i.e. sex and violence) without stooping to the sort of cliches which would make the whole enterprise mawkish (on the one hand) or overly self-conscious (on the other hand). It takes real skill to deliver a tale that is charming, naughty, and emotionally evocative, and it takes even more skill to do all of that in a very short number of pages. Needless to say, Gorey pulls the whole trick off with style and grace to spare - a genuine masterwork all around.

This "pornographic" work relies upon the terrible, filthy minds of its readers- positioning characters behind strategically placed objects and alluding to arcane and fetishistic acts of debauchery in arcane and obtuse ways, such as "demonstrating the Lithuanian typewriter."

If you find yourself appalled, you've only your own dirty mind to blame, and if your mind is innocent, you won't get it. And that's exactly the point. As always, Gorey's irony is delicious, his art gorgeous and full of Victorian flair.

This is a very short parody by Edward Gorey of Victorian gentlemen's naughty tales. Although the story (such as it is) is slightly Gothic and decadent in atmosphere, the pornography is all in the reader's mind. Not a single line (visual or verbal) would offend anyone... and yet... hmmm. It'll make you smile.

This is another great little work from Edmund Gorey, which is funny and dark and naughty. None of the drawings are pornographic, all the characters are either fully clothed or covered by strategically placed objects,everything is left up to the reader's imagination. If you are a fan of Gorey's work this is a must read.

"a pornographic work", October 22, 2014

This review is from: The Curious Sofa: A Pornographic Work by Ogdred Weary (Hardcover)
Much of Edward Gorey's work is utterly witty and delicious, but I'm afraid this one (largely) missed the mark for me. Featuring a bunch of 1920s looking people -including a number of 'well-proportioned' gentlemen - frolicking at a house-party, I just didn't find it hugely funny.
From our heroine perusing an album of 'instructive chromolithographs' to a married couple, both with wooden legs 'with which they could do all sorts of entertaining tricks'...hmm...

I loved this book! Hilarious, odd, and left me wanting more!