Neil Gaiman, born in Hampshire, UK in 1960, discovered his love of books as a child. In addition to Tolkien, he devoured Edgar Allan Poe, Ursula K. Le Guin or C.S. Lewis. He worked as a journalist and wrote, among other things, a biography about the author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, Douglas Adams.
However, his real career aspiration had always been to be a comic book writer, which he was able to do in the 1980s together with the draftsman Dave McKean. The team produced several very successful comic series – in 1991, Gaiman received the first literary prize for “Sandman” that a comic had ever received. In the early 1990s he moved to the USA and concentrated more on writing novels. Screenplays, song lyrics and poems are also part of his work. Gaiman has four children, is married and lives near Minneapolis.
Novels and Comics by Neil Gaiman:
Neil Gaiman is a cross-genre writer, although primarily at home in the fantasy, who writes for readers of all ages. His comic series, above all “Sandman”, received a lot of international attention, the F.A.Z. called it “one of the most important graphic novels” ever. In his comics he sets lovable characters in intelligently constructed stories. The author doesn’t like to stick to one genre when it comes to his novels. The theme is often fantastic, but the tone can be quite different. A Good Omen, for example, written in collaboration with Terry Pratchett, is a satirical and humorous tale about the struggle between good and evil. His children’s literature, on the other hand, is considered rather gloomy and difficult to access for the target group.
Neil Gaiman should be known to many series fans: Among other things, he wrote two episodes for Doctor Who and adapted the Japanese animated series “Princess Mononoke” for the English-speaking market. In 2017, American Gods, a television series based on Gaiman’s novel of the same name, received very positive reviews. “Neverland”, on the other hand, was first a (mini)series before the author expanded the story into a novel. Neil Gaiman’s style is characterized by surprising turns, frequent excursions into (mainly Norse) mythology, unconventional ideas, and a skilful alternation between dark-dramatic and tragically comic scenes. The author has received several awards for his works, including the coveted Hugo Award, one of the most important prizes in science fiction literature.
What is Neil Gaiman best known for?
Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere (1995), Stardust (1999), the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning American Gods (2001), Anansi Boys (2005), and Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett, 1990), as well as the short story collections Smoke and Mirrors (1998) and Fragile Things (2006).
What makes Neil Gaiman unique?
In essence, Gaiman is a chameleon, his writing style adhering to whatever story he’s trying to tell. Moreover, Gaiman’s works are character-driven. It can sometimes be difficult to pick out a distinct plot because it’s so dependent on what the characters say and do.
What is Neil Gaiman’s best selling book?
With over 800,000 ratings, “American Gods” is the most popular Neil Gaiman book amongst Goodreads reviewers. In this fantastical tale woven with ancient and modern legends, Shadow meets a fascinating man named Mr.
How did Neil Gaiman get popular?
Gaiman began his career as a journalist in England writing biographical accounts of pop culture figures. In 1989, he launched the groundbreaking The Sandman comics series (1989-1996, 2013-2015), which became one of the founding and best-selling titles for DC Comic’s adult-themed imprint, Vertigo (1993-2020).
Does Neil Gaiman believe in God?
Gaiman says that he is not a Scientologist, and that like Judaism, Scientology is his family’s religion. About his personal views, Gaiman has stated, “I think we can say that God exists in the DC Universe. I would not stand up and beat the drum for the existence of God in this universe.
Is Neil Gaiman for adults?
Neil Gaiman is an author that has published books both for adults and children. Some of his works that are most popular with adults include American Gods and Good Omens. However, his children’s literature is also ageless and timeless which means that adults can enjoy them too.
What should I read if I like Neil Gaiman?
Joan Aiken.
Tracey Baptiste.
Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
Theodora Goss.
N.K. Jameson.
Carmen Maria Machado.
Nnedi Okorafor.
Vandana Singh.
What is a meaningful quote from Neil Gaiman?
Life is always going to be stranger than fiction, because fiction has to be convincing, and life doesn’t. Things need not have happened to be true. Tales and adventures are the shadow truths that will endure when mere facts are dust and ashes and forgotten.
