- Paperback
- Publisher: Nesfa Pr (Sep 2002)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1886778426
- ISBN-13: 978-1886778429
- Product Dimensions: 21.3 x 13.7 x 1.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 817,514 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a lovely book full of assorted writing by Neil Gaiman, author of American Gods, The Sandman and more besides.
Most of the book is a transcript of his onling journal during much of 2001 - in the run up to the publication of American Gods and slightly beyond. As such it's actually available for free at Neil's blog, which, although it was set up to follow American Gods, has continued up until the present. However, reading almost eight months of entries on screen would probably be a chore, especially as there are several a week. Reading it through on paper, or just dipping in randomly, is a pleasure. We get an insight into how a book was published, Mr Gaiman shares his opinons with us on a variety of eclectic subjects and the writing is friendly, funny and entertaining.
That's not all that's in the book though. My own favourite is the first section, which mainly features introductions to other books. And although I hadn't read many of them, by the end of almost every introduction I wanted to go and read that book. Which I think makes them pretty good. They're full of anecdotes, name dropping, tangents and a real sense of enthusiasm, nearly always for the book that's being introduced.
We also have sections of poetry and fiction, with five pieces each, and six songs written for the band `Flash Girls'. Like many of Gaiman's short pieces, I found that some worked for me and some didn't, but they're all worth having a look at.
This is the kind of book you can open at almost any page and start reading. It's stopping you might have trouble with.
Most of the book is a transcript of his onling journal during much of 2001 - in the run up to the publication of American Gods and slightly beyond. As such it's actually available for free at Neil's blog, which, although it was set up to follow American Gods, has continued up until the present. However, reading almost eight months of entries on screen would probably be a chore, especially as there are several a week. Reading it through on paper, or just dipping in randomly, is a pleasure. We get an insight into how a book was published, Mr Gaiman shares his opinons with us on a variety of eclectic subjects and the writing is friendly, funny and entertaining.
That's not all that's in the book though. My own favourite is the first section, which mainly features introductions to other books. And although I hadn't read many of them, by the end of almost every introduction I wanted to go and read that book. Which I think makes them pretty good. They're full of anecdotes, name dropping, tangents and a real sense of enthusiasm, nearly always for the book that's being introduced.
We also have sections of poetry and fiction, with five pieces each, and six songs written for the band `Flash Girls'. Like many of Gaiman's short pieces, I found that some worked for me and some didn't, but they're all worth having a look at.
This is the kind of book you can open at almost any page and start reading. It's stopping you might have trouble with.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Apart from being a brilliant storyteller and an enchanting fabulist, Neil Gaiman has always maintained an engaging, punkish belief in the importance of opening up the creative process to other people. Perhaps it comes from his early career as a journalist, but he is not the kind of writer who likes to conceal what he's borrowed, or to pretend that he's some sort of solitary genius who owes nothing to anyone (á la the late L. Ron Hubbard). Gaiman has always been generous about citing his own influences, because he is as much of a fan of the stuff he likes as anyone else is.
This book is a useful and highly entertaining ragbag of book introductions, odd bits of prose and verse, and - especially interesting for novice writers - his weblog from the period between the completion of his most acclaimed novel 'American Gods' and its ultimate critical reception. Gaiman is not scared to demystify the rather boring nature of galley-proofing and book-touring. But for this reader, the most interesting stuff was the collection of introductions Gaiman has written to other people's stuff - a veritable Must Read list for those ignorant of modern fantasy and SF. (I went out and bought Hope Mirrlees' 'Lud-in-the-Mist' and Alfred Bester's 'The Stars My Destination' purely on Gaiman's recommendation. Why? Because if a writer whose work I love recommends another writer I have never read, isn't it stupid to ignore the word of someone better-read in the subject than oneself? If Wittgenstein praised the work of Frege, I wouldn't refuse to read the work of Frege on the grounds that it's 'slavish' to do so purely because Wittgenstein recommended it. Instead, I should assume that Wittgenstein knew what he was talking about.)
This is a fine book, but don't buy it as an introduction to Neil Gaiman. If you want that, get the first couple of volumes of 'Sandman'. Or if for some odd reason you can't face reading a comic, get 'Coraline' - the eeriest and most alarming children's story I have read for years. I have a one-year-old daughter and I am sorry that it will be some years before I dare to read her 'Coraline' as a bedtime story.
This book is a useful and highly entertaining ragbag of book introductions, odd bits of prose and verse, and - especially interesting for novice writers - his weblog from the period between the completion of his most acclaimed novel 'American Gods' and its ultimate critical reception. Gaiman is not scared to demystify the rather boring nature of galley-proofing and book-touring. But for this reader, the most interesting stuff was the collection of introductions Gaiman has written to other people's stuff - a veritable Must Read list for those ignorant of modern fantasy and SF. (I went out and bought Hope Mirrlees' 'Lud-in-the-Mist' and Alfred Bester's 'The Stars My Destination' purely on Gaiman's recommendation. Why? Because if a writer whose work I love recommends another writer I have never read, isn't it stupid to ignore the word of someone better-read in the subject than oneself? If Wittgenstein praised the work of Frege, I wouldn't refuse to read the work of Frege on the grounds that it's 'slavish' to do so purely because Wittgenstein recommended it. Instead, I should assume that Wittgenstein knew what he was talking about.)
This is a fine book, but don't buy it as an introduction to Neil Gaiman. If you want that, get the first couple of volumes of 'Sandman'. Or if for some odd reason you can't face reading a comic, get 'Coraline' - the eeriest and most alarming children's story I have read for years. I have a one-year-old daughter and I am sorry that it will be some years before I dare to read her 'Coraline' as a bedtime story.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Gaiman Strikes Again
17 Aug 2003
Format:Paperback
A fascinating look at writing from a writer's perspective. While there are a few poems and stories, the book centers around essays, introductions, and a vast excerpt from his blog during his proofing/touring for American Gods. I found him witty, erudite, and always in a good humor about life. Most of all, on nearly every page I learned something new and interesting, about writing, publishing, traveling, or best of all, the many authors Gaiman knows. Far too many things I would like to mention than I ever can, but you can see for yourself: NeilGaiman.com, click on journal. All of the archives are there still, if you care to peruse.
what I found most interesting is that Gaiman, who admitted that he couldn't keep a journal and kept saying that it would only be going until the tour was over and the rest of the site was up, was thoroughly hooked by the end. ^_- He's still going very strong, and in fact, the entries are longer and more frequent than in the first few months.
I think Gaiman fascinates me so much because he keeps his wry outlook on everything around him, even when rushed and tired. I love storytellers, and he always finds a story to tell, always something (and when signing things for hundreds of fans, interesting is the word of the day) to relate for us, often strange and wonderous. He isn't the great explainer, like Asimov, but everything he touches seems steeped in history and mystery, and he can remind you of the magic and wonder in the world. Like his garden. ^_^ (Look in the blog for August 5 and September 2)
Fascinating inside look at an author's life
19 Jun 2009
Format:Paperback
The first third of this book is mainly introductions to other writers' books (which means I now have an even longer to-read list, because when Gaiman loves a book, he makes you want to love it too). But the largest and best section is the blog he kept just after writing American Gods, and it's very cool to read about the processes a writer goes through after he types 'the end' on his manuscript. From revising, to author photographs, to signing thousands of books, and touring - it answers all the questions you maybe never knew you had about the life of a writer.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
All-in-one
10 Jan 2007
Format:Paperback
This book is very handy for the Neil Gaiman fan who doesn't want to collect every scrap that has his name on it; it does that for you! Various introductions, miscellaneous poems, and the American Gods web log are all compiled here so that we don't have to try to find it! It's interesting to see Neil's conversational tones and to get a glimpse of what he really finds worthwhile.
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