Ebenezer DuLally Uvney
Ebenezer DuLally Gasp Uvney (the Gasp is silent, or nearly so) is perhaps the most celebrated man of letters alive today. For well over 150 years, his writing has embellished the literary scene in all lands where English is spoken, and many others in which it is not. He is even respected by people who have never heard of him.
Although already well known to scholars, aesthetes and critical thinkers, Uvney only became a household name relatively recently when the distinguished publishing house, orrydian, commissioned him to write a series of Introductions to their beautiful new illustrated editions of classical literature.
To date, Uvney has provided over twenty illuminating, erudite and deeply philosophical essays which draw the reader’s attention to the hidden depths within the books. Several readers already familiar with the volume in question have described themselves as ‘astonished’ at the quintessential elements of the work which they had not noticed before. There are Introductions to:
THE TIME MACHINE, THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, ANIMAL FARM, GULLIVER'S TRAVELS, ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, DR JEKYLL AND MR HYDE, THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER and many others.
When it became clear that it was time for the matter of the dreadful hauntings at Crone Castle finally to be related to the general public, Uvney was chosen as the author best suited to tell the story. Only he, it was felt, could describe the horrors and mysteries of the affair in such a way that the average reader might both understand and also not be fatally damaged by the facts. THE GHOST AT CRONE was published in 2023.
Not much is known about Uvney’s own life: he is a very private man. But hints sometimes appear in his writing and UVNEY AT SEA (published in 2024) actually describes an important adventure in which the Reverend Professor himself participated, helping save the world from a nightmare of confusion. Some further glimpses of his inner world are provided in the journal entries quoted in David Stoll's A DREAM OF LOCKDOWN.
In early 2025, Orrydian informed the great man that the more discerning members of the reading public were clamouring for a convenient way to find all his celebrated Introductions in one place. Dr Uvney graciously allowed a collection to be made available, and he generously supplemented the volume with some other material from his own archives, including a selection of his Obituaries written about several literary contemporaries who had died or otherwise disappeared from public view. This carefully chosen set of informative essays offers a fascinating overview of the bookish arts during the past few centuries. A BOOK OF UVNEY (published in 2025) is now available exclusively on Kindle.
Wishing to update the collection, orrydian requested the great man to provide an entirely new Introduction to the Introductions. They then carefully prepared a new volume, INTRODUCING UVNEY, adorned with copious illustrations in full colour, taken from the covers and pages of the relevant works. The book was designed by experts for convenient handling, storage, display and reading. Released in both hardback and paperback editions, this is a rare adornment to every library shelf, and may even be placed upon a coffee table - though care must be taken with hot liquids in the immediate vicinity. Readers are advised to buy multiple copies to give as gifts on those occasions when nothing else comes to mind.
Uvney does not invite correspondence, his time being so taken up with his own research, writing and lunch. However, he has been known to reply to comments which interest him – but only, he wishes it to be clearly understood, if he has bothered to read them in the first place.
