5ive books: Tom Gauld

One of the best illustrators in the UK shares his five favourites (and yes, Edward Gorey's in there).


The Inheritors by William Golding
I've read this twice and I'm looking forward to doing so again. It's a dense complex book, but really beautiful.

The Vinegar Works (trilogy) by Edward Gorey
I love Edward Gorey's work. I've been influrenced a lot by his books, the intense scratchy ink drawings, the lovely design and the dark humour. He's a genius, and these three are some of his best.

Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut
I could have chosen any of his books for this, the perfect mix of absurd humour and depth. And nice short chapters.

All Quiet on the Orient Express by Magnus Mills
I like the odd little worlds that Magnus Mills creates and the simple deadpan manner in which he writes.

Tetratoid Heights by Mat Brinkman
This is a very strange comic book which details a weird other world inhabited by odd creatures. I think Brinkman's drawings and storytelling are amazing.

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Tom Gauld is an illustrator and comicbook artist working in London. His published books are Guardians of the Kingdom, 3 Very Small Comics Volumes I and II, and Both with Simone Lia, with whom he runs Cabanon Press.

Cabanon Press