The Twelve Terrors of Christmas by John Updike and Edward Gorey

The Twelve Terrors of Christmas pairs John Updike’s darkly comic holiday text with Edward Gorey’s black-and-white illustrations. Updike questions the motives of Santa Claus: “A man of no plausible address, with no apparent source for his considerable wealth, comes down the chimney after midnight while decent, law-abiding citizens are snug in their beds—is this not, at the least, cause for alarm?” Gorey’s drawings depict anxious characters facing yuletide misfortune.

TEXT: John Updike

ILLUSTRATIONS: Edward Gorey; more than a dozen black-and-white illustrations

FORMAT: Jacketed, Smyth-sewn hardcover; 32 pages

PAPER & PRINTING: Matte art paper, color reproduction, and soy-based inks

SIZE: 4.25 × 5.75 in.

ISBN: 9780764937101