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Neil Gaiman: About

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Who is Neil Gaiman?

Neil Gaiman was born in Hampshire, UK, and now lives in the United States near Minneapolis. As a child he discovered his love of books, reading, and stories, devouring the works of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, James Branch Cabell, Edgar Allan Poe, Michael Moorcock, Ursula K. LeGuin, Gene Wolfe, and G.K. Chesterton. A self-described "feral child who was raised in libraries," Gaiman credits librarians with fostering a life-long love of reading: "I wouldn't be who I am without libraries. I was the sort of kid who devoured books, and my happiest times as a boy were when I persuaded my parents to drop me off in the local library on their way to work, and I spent the day there. I discovered that librarians actually want to help you: they taught me about interlibrary loans."

Gaiman began his writing career in England as a journalist. His first book was a Duran Duran biography that took him three months to write, and his second was a biography of Douglas Adams, Don't Panic: The Official Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy Companion. Gaiman describes his early writing: "I was very, very good at taking a voice that already existed and parodying or pastiching it." Violent Cases was the first of many collaborations with artist Dave McKean. This early graphic novel led to their series Black Orchid, published by DC Comics.

The groundbreaking series Sandman followed, collecting a large number of US awards in its 75 issue run, including nine Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards and three Harvey Awards. In 1991, Sandman became the first comic ever to receive a literary award, the 1991 World Fantasy Award for Best Short Story.

Neil Gaiman is credited with being one of the creators of modern comics, as well as an author whose work crosses genres and reaches audiences of all ages. He is listed in the Dictionary of Literary Biography as one of the top ten living post-modern writers and is a prolific creator of works of prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics, and drama. Continue reading from Neil Gaiman Official

From our Collection

Link to The Neil Gaiman Reader: Selected Fiction by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to The Neil Gaiman Library, Volume 1 by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russel in Hoopla
Link to The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman in Hoopla
Link to Snow, Glass, Apples by Neil Gaiman in Hoopla
Link to Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess's Stardust by Neil Gaiman in Hoopla
Link to Coraline by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Forbidden Brides Of The Faceless Slaves In The Secret House Of The Night Of Dread Desire by Neil Gaiman in Hoopla
Link to Fortunately, The Milk by Neil Gaiman in Hoopla
Link to Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Neil Gaiman's Midnight Days by Neil Gaiman, Matt Wagner in Hoopla
Link to American Gods: Shadows, volume 1 by Neil Gaiman in the Catalog
Link to The View From the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to American Gods: A Novel by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Creatures of the Night by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Don't Panic by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Stardust by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Sandman: The Dolls House by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Neil Gaiman in the 21st Century edited by Tara Prescott in the catalog
Link to Neil Gaiman's 'Make Good Art' Speech by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to A Study in Emerald by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to The Wolves in the Walls by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Only the End of the World Again by Neil Gaiman in the catalog
Link to Cinnamon by Neil Gaiman in the catalog

Link to Revolutionary Biographies Resource Guide Series