On November 18th of alternate years Mr. Earbrass begins writing his new novel. Weeks ago he chose its title at random from a list of them he keeps in a little green note-book. It being tea-time of the 17th he is alarmed not to have thought of a plot to which The Unstrung Harp might apply but his mind will keep reverting to the last biscuit on the plate. So begins what the Times Literary Supplement called "a small masterpiece." TUH is a look at the literary life and its "attendant woes: isolation writer's block professional jealousy and plain boredom." But as with all of Edward Gorey's books TUH is also about life in general with its anguish turnips conjunctions illness defeat string parties no parties urns desuetude disaffection claws loss trebizond napkins shame stones distance fever antipodes mush glaciers incoherence labels miasma amputation tides deceit mourning elsewards. You get the point. Finally TUH is about Edward Gorey the writer about Edward Gorey writing The Unstrung Harp. It's a cracked mirror of a book and it's dedicated to RDP or Real Dear Person.
