Gorey has a fine grasp of subtle humor and social satire, veiled in the eccentric phrasing and brilliant illustrations for which he has acquired a devoted following. If one is not already familiar with this ingenious mind, Amphigorey Again is certainly the right vehicle for an introduction.

Only Gorey’s creative and quirky talent could produce the singular images, including rough sketches and unfinished panels, indicative of a mind churning with intellectual curiosity and artistic temperament bordering on delicious dementia. A clever blending of humor and art, Gorey’s work is touched with true genius.

This collection of Edward Gorey’s droll stories and illustrations consist of previously uncollected works and two unpublished stories: “The Izzard Book,” a whimsical take on the letter Z, and “La Malle Saignante,” a bilingual treatment of early French silent serial movies.

In “The Just Dessert (Thoughtful Alphabet XI),” we are treated to a series of curious images and text: “Bewail complications”; “Drivel endlessly”; “Frequent ghastly happenings imply jeopardy”; “Keep laughing mechanically”; Take umbrage”; and “Vilify.” Indeed, such selective use of language fortifies the quirky illustrations with otherworldly delight, a grand adventure of the mind and spirit.

Charming and amusing, Gorey’s approach to art as a view to the world-at-large is an experience to be savored, potentially addictive. Soulful eyes, elongated bodies, strangely formed topiaries, elegant, stylish ladies, mustachioed gentlemen and bizarre beasties, from the cantankerous and irreverent to the sublimely confused… all are delightful.

Amphigorey Again is an invitation to the imagery and whims of a man whose perceptions are skewed by a particular and hilarious genius: an appreciation of the ordinary as extraordinary, a perfect blend of language and art, a joyful romp through the vast chambers of a talent constantly reinventing itself.