Edward Gorey’s Illustrations for a 1960 Edition of “War of the Worlds”

Edward Gorey wrote over 100 books, and created his own goth-ish, quasi-Victorian aesthetic—despite only having left the United States once in his life. Before becoming well-known as an author in his own right, he worked for a few different publishers, doing cover art or art direction for novels and some nonfiction books. Several of his covers from the 1950s are famous, and one project in particular stands out as a crowning achievement: His wraparound cover and interior illustrations for a 1960 edition of The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells, published in 1960 by Looking Glass Library:

Gorey’s wraparound cover illustration for War of the Worlds. Click to enlarge.

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A better scan of the front cover from a different (presumably later) printing, which includes illustrator credit for Gorey.

In 1960, Edward Gorey prepared a set of his inimitable pen-and-ink drawings to illustrate a new edition of Wells' The War of the Worlds for the legendary Looking Glass Library.

Characteristically quirky, elegant, and entrancing, Gorey's visual take on Wells's seminal tour de force has been unavailable for close to fifty years. This special paperback edition from NYRB Classics brings back for today's readers a richly rewarding collaboration between two modern masters of all that's wonderful and strange.

When massive, intelligent aliens from Mars touch down in Victorian England and threaten to destroy the civilized world, humanity's vaunted knowledge proves to be of little use. First published in 1898, H.G. Wells's masterpiece of speculative fiction has thrilled and delighted generations of readers, spawned countless imitations, and inspired dramatizations by such masters as Orson Welles and Steven Spielberg. The War of the Worlds is a fantasy that is both startlingly up-to-date and in touch with the most ancient of human fears.

What follows are all the interior pages with Gorey’s illustrations. They’re taken from an online exhibition by Loyola University Chicago Digital Special Collections, and furnished by the Edward Gorey Charitable Trust: