What do you think?
Rate this book
The Art of Neil Gaiman
Novelist, comics writer, scriptwriter, poet and occasional artist, there are few creative avenues Neil Gaiman hasn't venture down - from unforgettable books like The ocean at the end of the lane and American gods to groundbreaking comics and graphic novels like The Sandman and Violent cases; from big screen fantasies like Coraline and Stardust to small screen epics like Doctor Who and Neverwhere; and from short stories to songwriting, stage plays to radio plays, journalism to filmmaking, and all points in-between. This tells the full story of his amazing creative life. Never-before-seen manuscripts, notes, cartoons, drawings and personal photographs from Neil's own archive are complemented by artwork and sketches from all of his major works, and his own intimate recollections. Each project is examined from genesis to fruition, and positioned in the wider narrative of Gaiman's crative life, affording unparalleled access to the inner workings of the writers mind
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 5, 2014
73 people are currently reading
2920 people want to read
About the author
Hayley Campbell
2 books287 followersHayley Campbell writes for GQ, WIRED, Empire and more. She lives in London, near a cemetery, with her cat, Ned. See more of her work at www.hayleycampbell.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
July 16, 2018
This book is a celebration, a celebration of a fantastic writer who has contributed much to the arts. How many children (and adults) has Neil Gaiman introduced to the world of books? How many readers has he created? Many I think.
This book brings the stories behind his stories together. There are a few pages dedicated to each work he has created, detailing how it came about and what inspired him to write it at the time. There’s information on everything he has written in the fictional world. It’s almost like a catalogue of his work; it gives brief glimpses of all he has to offer. And it’s a great idea because his books are a random and unrelated bunch, though they are all distinctively his.
I’ve read many of them and I was surprised to find a few obscure books listed here that I’ve not even heard of. Time to add them to my list! I currently own 27 of his books (and comic books) though there will always be room on my shelf for more. So this is a great read for those that are huge fans of all his work. And I stress all because he has done so many varied things including, short stories, novels, comic-books and screenplays. It’s definitely a book for his fans.
This book brings the stories behind his stories together. There are a few pages dedicated to each work he has created, detailing how it came about and what inspired him to write it at the time. There’s information on everything he has written in the fictional world. It’s almost like a catalogue of his work; it gives brief glimpses of all he has to offer. And it’s a great idea because his books are a random and unrelated bunch, though they are all distinctively his.
I’ve read many of them and I was surprised to find a few obscure books listed here that I’ve not even heard of. Time to add them to my list! I currently own 27 of his books (and comic books) though there will always be room on my shelf for more. So this is a great read for those that are huge fans of all his work. And I stress all because he has done so many varied things including, short stories, novels, comic-books and screenplays. It’s definitely a book for his fans.
June 2, 2014
It should first be made clear that this is not a book collecting visual art created by Neil Gaiman (as I had initially thought). Rather, it is a biography: not exactly of Neil Gaiman himself, but of his assorted works. If you have picked up one of Stephen King's short story collections and read through the section at the end where he writes a few paragraphs about the genesis of each story - it's a lot like that. Except this book covers pretty much everything Neil Gaiman has written - novels, comics, short stories, radio plays, songs - and includes reproductions of book covers, sketches, correspondence, personal notes, and more and more.
So I'll just say up front that the book is quite lovely. It's also fascinating to read, providing insights into everything from Gaiman's development process to the inner workings of Hollywood to the way comic book scripts are created. On the flip side, the view to each of Gaiman's works does feel a bit scattershot, with each approach varying in terms of detail and distance. I think this is a net positive though, as it allows each section to feel fresh and remain interesting.
There's really not much else to say. If you hate Gaiman's stories, you'll probably want to avoid this book. Personally I love them, and for me this book is definitely worth having as a supplement to one of my favorite rows on my bookshelf.
So I'll just say up front that the book is quite lovely. It's also fascinating to read, providing insights into everything from Gaiman's development process to the inner workings of Hollywood to the way comic book scripts are created. On the flip side, the view to each of Gaiman's works does feel a bit scattershot, with each approach varying in terms of detail and distance. I think this is a net positive though, as it allows each section to feel fresh and remain interesting.
There's really not much else to say. If you hate Gaiman's stories, you'll probably want to avoid this book. Personally I love them, and for me this book is definitely worth having as a supplement to one of my favorite rows on my bookshelf.
January 5, 2017
This is a biased review, because I fangirl super hard for Neil Gaiman. I suppose this book was put together with people like me in mind, and you should know that unless you really love the guy and his books, you may not find this book interesting...
When I got my first copy of "American Gods", I didn't leave my apartment for 3 days because putting that book down before I was done felt plain wrong. I read "Neverwhere" chewing nervously on the edge of my pillow, wondering what the Hell would happen to Richard and Door. I bawled my whole entire life out at the end of the "Graveyard Book". I went to see Neil do a reading and signing in 2013: he complemented me on my hair (which actually looks a lot like his inasmuch as it's a mop of uncontrollable curls - except mine is hot pink) and doodled in my copy of "The Ocean at the End of the Lane". I have a picture of that moment: I look so excited, it's kinda ridiculous. When I was sick in bed the following year, giggling at "Fortunately, the Milk" made the whole ordeal a lot easier to deal with.
That's my weird relationship with Mr. Gaiman: he's the guy who's stories fascinate, comfort and poke at my heart in the most unbelievable (and often unexpected) ways. So a big, gorgeous book about his stories, doodles and inspiration is basically a lovely, chewy candy: it satisfies a weird craving to know more about some of my favorite stories and how they came to be, it points me towards new books and graphic novels to read (sorry, credit card...) and it makes me feel completely vindicated about my opinion of the "Neverwhere" tv series...
This is for the hardcore Neil fans like me, but also for the beginners who are wondering just what the fuss is all about! The only thing missing from this book is a list of his recommended readings: I would love to know what he reads!
Thank you to the best parents-in-law ever for the lovely present! You guys know me so well!
When I got my first copy of "American Gods", I didn't leave my apartment for 3 days because putting that book down before I was done felt plain wrong. I read "Neverwhere" chewing nervously on the edge of my pillow, wondering what the Hell would happen to Richard and Door. I bawled my whole entire life out at the end of the "Graveyard Book". I went to see Neil do a reading and signing in 2013: he complemented me on my hair (which actually looks a lot like his inasmuch as it's a mop of uncontrollable curls - except mine is hot pink) and doodled in my copy of "The Ocean at the End of the Lane". I have a picture of that moment: I look so excited, it's kinda ridiculous. When I was sick in bed the following year, giggling at "Fortunately, the Milk" made the whole ordeal a lot easier to deal with.
That's my weird relationship with Mr. Gaiman: he's the guy who's stories fascinate, comfort and poke at my heart in the most unbelievable (and often unexpected) ways. So a big, gorgeous book about his stories, doodles and inspiration is basically a lovely, chewy candy: it satisfies a weird craving to know more about some of my favorite stories and how they came to be, it points me towards new books and graphic novels to read (sorry, credit card...) and it makes me feel completely vindicated about my opinion of the "Neverwhere" tv series...
This is for the hardcore Neil fans like me, but also for the beginners who are wondering just what the fuss is all about! The only thing missing from this book is a list of his recommended readings: I would love to know what he reads!
Thank you to the best parents-in-law ever for the lovely present! You guys know me so well!
March 10, 2017
Neil Gaiman seems to exist in a binary state. You either know him and all the things that he has created over the years, or you don’t. But when you talk to those that have gone ‘Who?’ it doesn’t take long for them to realise that they have come across him in one form or other, they just weren’t aware of it. He is a prolific and original tour de force who has given us some amazing creations.
So far he has written novels, non-fictions books, comics, graphic novels, articles and speeches. On top of that he has then created scripts for radio, film and TV shows and theatre, collaborated with all manner of people on all sorts of subjects and projects, sung on stage despite "no kind of singing voice", dabbled with art and is not afraid to be political for issues that he is passionate about. Somehow he manages to fit in a professorship and tours publicising his own material and with his current wife Amanda Palmer.
Hayley is the daughter of Eddie Campbell, a graphic novelist and long-time friends of Neil Gaiman. This friendship allowed her almost unrestricted access to the archives, notebooks, random scribblings and most importantly the mind of Gaiman to show just how he creates the things he does best. It is a lavishly illustrated book, full of scanned images of the drafts and germs of ideas, that over time became the books and graphic novels that he is best known for. There are loads of photos of him from early years when growing up and some equally dodgy ones from when he was a journalist as well. I knew he had a boundless imagination, but what came across is just how long some of his most successful books took from the initial spark of an idea to the final offering. It is not that he is a slow, jut some of these things need time and thought invested to make them as good as they are.
Campbell has given us such a good book, it is not quite a biography, but reading this feels like you are privy to the places where the magic happened. One minor flaw is that there could have been a little more on Neil, but I guess that will come one day in another book. A stunning book and one that I am going to be buying.
So far he has written novels, non-fictions books, comics, graphic novels, articles and speeches. On top of that he has then created scripts for radio, film and TV shows and theatre, collaborated with all manner of people on all sorts of subjects and projects, sung on stage despite "no kind of singing voice", dabbled with art and is not afraid to be political for issues that he is passionate about. Somehow he manages to fit in a professorship and tours publicising his own material and with his current wife Amanda Palmer.
Hayley is the daughter of Eddie Campbell, a graphic novelist and long-time friends of Neil Gaiman. This friendship allowed her almost unrestricted access to the archives, notebooks, random scribblings and most importantly the mind of Gaiman to show just how he creates the things he does best. It is a lavishly illustrated book, full of scanned images of the drafts and germs of ideas, that over time became the books and graphic novels that he is best known for. There are loads of photos of him from early years when growing up and some equally dodgy ones from when he was a journalist as well. I knew he had a boundless imagination, but what came across is just how long some of his most successful books took from the initial spark of an idea to the final offering. It is not that he is a slow, jut some of these things need time and thought invested to make them as good as they are.
Campbell has given us such a good book, it is not quite a biography, but reading this feels like you are privy to the places where the magic happened. One minor flaw is that there could have been a little more on Neil, but I guess that will come one day in another book. A stunning book and one that I am going to be buying.
June 17, 2015
I just... maybe if I had known this was actually just a biography with some pictures in, I would have enjoyed it more. But I really did expect The Art of Neil Gaiman, of which there is a lot, and it's gorgeous - but I didn't see it here, and so I am disappointed. Sorry.
Read
October 3, 2014This is a weird conundrum of a book.
The design detracts so much from the reading experience. It's big, it's heavy, and the words are so close to the margin near the binding that you really have to wrench the book open at all times to read the bloody thing. It's unwieldy, with the same size, heft and glossy colored pages of a text book. Forget about trying to read this on the bus, or in bed lying down. [These are the #1 and #2 ways I read.]
On page 18 the author admits it's a coffee table book, which forgives this awkward format, but coffee table books are mostly for looking at photos, paintings, or large illustrations. They are poorly suited to reading narrative text that continues on every page. That's why coffee table books often contain an essay at the beginning, followed by full pages of illustrations. You read the text once, you come back to view the images over and over.
What's the problem then? This book is The Art of Neil Gaiman. A coffee table book is for showing art.
That's the whole problem. Neil Gaiman is an author, not a visual artist. Sure, he writes comics, and this book has a lot of (other people's) drawings, comic book covers and panels reproduced on the pages. It also has a lot of copied ephemera: photographs, illegibly scribbled notes, type written letters, computer printouts of scripts. It even contains doodles that Neil Gaiman drew. All of this is interesting for Gaiman fans but not all that essential to reproduce at this size. Only die hard fans will spend any time trying to decipher the scribble. And I will not display this book on my coffee table and come back to look at scribble or single pages of comics over and over. If I want to enjoy the art, I'll collect the full comics.
On most pages, half of the space is dedicated to narrative text - a history of Gaiman's life and quotations about the conception, production and publication of his written work. And Neil Gaiman's biography is fascinating. I had no idea he was in a punk band, got his start as a journalist for lad magazines, and wrote a biography of Duran Duran. I want to read more. But a great biography is easy to read, usually with ephemera and photos contained to a handful of pages in the center of the book, or even spread throughout the book, but at a portable size and weight so you can read it from start to finish. Again, the size, the heft, and the actual arrangement of text vs ephemera in the book makes it so that you cannot easily sit down and read this. If Neil Gaiman's art is his words, why make it so difficult to read?
The design detracts so much from the reading experience. It's big, it's heavy, and the words are so close to the margin near the binding that you really have to wrench the book open at all times to read the bloody thing. It's unwieldy, with the same size, heft and glossy colored pages of a text book. Forget about trying to read this on the bus, or in bed lying down. [These are the #1 and #2 ways I read.]
On page 18 the author admits it's a coffee table book, which forgives this awkward format, but coffee table books are mostly for looking at photos, paintings, or large illustrations. They are poorly suited to reading narrative text that continues on every page. That's why coffee table books often contain an essay at the beginning, followed by full pages of illustrations. You read the text once, you come back to view the images over and over.
What's the problem then? This book is The Art of Neil Gaiman. A coffee table book is for showing art.
That's the whole problem. Neil Gaiman is an author, not a visual artist. Sure, he writes comics, and this book has a lot of (other people's) drawings, comic book covers and panels reproduced on the pages. It also has a lot of copied ephemera: photographs, illegibly scribbled notes, type written letters, computer printouts of scripts. It even contains doodles that Neil Gaiman drew. All of this is interesting for Gaiman fans but not all that essential to reproduce at this size. Only die hard fans will spend any time trying to decipher the scribble. And I will not display this book on my coffee table and come back to look at scribble or single pages of comics over and over. If I want to enjoy the art, I'll collect the full comics.
On most pages, half of the space is dedicated to narrative text - a history of Gaiman's life and quotations about the conception, production and publication of his written work. And Neil Gaiman's biography is fascinating. I had no idea he was in a punk band, got his start as a journalist for lad magazines, and wrote a biography of Duran Duran. I want to read more. But a great biography is easy to read, usually with ephemera and photos contained to a handful of pages in the center of the book, or even spread throughout the book, but at a portable size and weight so you can read it from start to finish. Again, the size, the heft, and the actual arrangement of text vs ephemera in the book makes it so that you cannot easily sit down and read this. If Neil Gaiman's art is his words, why make it so difficult to read?
November 6, 2017
It is very inspiring to see the thought process that goes into creating works of fiction of any kind. Especially when it is Neil Gaiman himself, who has dabbled in every form of writing there is. He's done graphic novels, films, TV series, novels, children's books, middle-grade books, novellas and everything in between. I've always been a huge Neil Gaiman fan, and I honestly can't remember when or how it started, but I do know it began with his novels - American Gods, Neverwhere - the classics. Later, I started reading books targeted at younger readers, like Coraline and The Graveyard Book, and I found that I really enjoyed those as well. Then I started reading his illustrated books like A Cave in the Black Mountain and The Sleeper and the Spindle, then his children's books like Crazy Hair and Blueberry Girl, and finally...I picked up his famous graphic novels - The Sandman series.
There were things I felt 'meh' about, but the good always outweighed the bad, and soon, my bookshelf was filled with Gaiman's works. Reading this book was enlightening, because I realized that on top of all this stuff, there was a ton more stuff that Neil Gaiman worked on that I was familiar with, but had no idea he was involved in! Things like films and TV series to be specific.
He's a very talented person, very gifted writer, with a mind that baffles. The characters he produces, the stories he comes up with - his muses and inspirations are all revealed in this biography. I really enjoyed reading about him and his work, and it only made me respect him more as a writer.
There were things I felt 'meh' about, but the good always outweighed the bad, and soon, my bookshelf was filled with Gaiman's works. Reading this book was enlightening, because I realized that on top of all this stuff, there was a ton more stuff that Neil Gaiman worked on that I was familiar with, but had no idea he was involved in! Things like films and TV series to be specific.
He's a very talented person, very gifted writer, with a mind that baffles. The characters he produces, the stories he comes up with - his muses and inspirations are all revealed in this biography. I really enjoyed reading about him and his work, and it only made me respect him more as a writer.
August 1, 2021
I have to admit that Neil Gaiman has always intrigued me from the first days of reading Sandman to meeting him when he gave a talk at the Hay on Wye book festival where he was promoting his Norse book his work to me has been able to tap in to something.
And so we are presented with the Art of Neil Gaiman which to be honest I thought was exactly that - a book which explored his artistic (rather than literary) side - and I guess you were right however there is so much more.
What you have here is just as much a biography - charting Gaiman's life, the people he has met and the events that helped shape him.
I guess in hindsight that is to be expected since much of his early work was was through subtle and non-main stream channels - from how he wrote his journalist pieces to the style and design of his comic book stories, it is as if he himself is living a form of story which in turn is reflected in his art.
I think what I am trying to (rather poorly) is that this is a book which is more than just a celebration of the artistic side of Neil Gaiman - surprisingly a lot more.
And so we are presented with the Art of Neil Gaiman which to be honest I thought was exactly that - a book which explored his artistic (rather than literary) side - and I guess you were right however there is so much more.
What you have here is just as much a biography - charting Gaiman's life, the people he has met and the events that helped shape him.
I guess in hindsight that is to be expected since much of his early work was was through subtle and non-main stream channels - from how he wrote his journalist pieces to the style and design of his comic book stories, it is as if he himself is living a form of story which in turn is reflected in his art.
I think what I am trying to (rather poorly) is that this is a book which is more than just a celebration of the artistic side of Neil Gaiman - surprisingly a lot more.
February 11, 2015
This book is for hardcore fans of Neil Gaiman.
I am a very, very, very big Neil Gaiman fan. My love for his words and his big squishy brain and his characters is so intense it flows from my skin and leaves marks.
In one instance, it left marks on my sheets.
But even being a hardcore Gaiman fan, I did not like this book.
A quarter of it is the book itself. The binding on this is so badly done. I'm the kind of person who reads while doing something else. But because the wording goes so far into the binding, it really wasn't an option, unless I had something heavy enough to shove the book down enough to break the spine. And I don't break book spines.
This would be why it took me almost a full month to read a book featuring mostly material I'm already familiar with.
As for the material I'm not familiar with, this book is...I don't want to use the word dry, because so much of it is told by Neil, which is fun and lovely. But otherwise? Yes, it's dry. It's not interest holding in the least for the first half of the book. That was the reading struggle.
And all of the "fun bits", the stuff she found in his attic, the hand written pages? Well, they're unreadable. This is not a fault I'm placing on Neil, because people with bad handwriting can generally read their own handwriting, and he's writing those notes for himself, not for public consumption. But if they're illegible, there are two options. 1) Don't include them. 2) Transcribe them. We're not dealing with a long dead author here. You're sitting next to/e-mailing/smoke signaling with this man on this book, is it really that difficult to say, "Neil, what the hell is this word?"
Once we got to the parts where we talk about the origins of his books, my attention snapped back to. I didn't learn about any new works, but I learned so much about the process of the works I love, and that made everything the lovelier.
I'm giving the book 3 stars, which really sucks. Because Neil Gaiman is a treasure, and I genuinely appreciate his existence.
I am a very, very, very big Neil Gaiman fan. My love for his words and his big squishy brain and his characters is so intense it flows from my skin and leaves marks.
In one instance, it left marks on my sheets.
But even being a hardcore Gaiman fan, I did not like this book.
A quarter of it is the book itself. The binding on this is so badly done. I'm the kind of person who reads while doing something else. But because the wording goes so far into the binding, it really wasn't an option, unless I had something heavy enough to shove the book down enough to break the spine. And I don't break book spines.
This would be why it took me almost a full month to read a book featuring mostly material I'm already familiar with.
As for the material I'm not familiar with, this book is...I don't want to use the word dry, because so much of it is told by Neil, which is fun and lovely. But otherwise? Yes, it's dry. It's not interest holding in the least for the first half of the book. That was the reading struggle.
And all of the "fun bits", the stuff she found in his attic, the hand written pages? Well, they're unreadable. This is not a fault I'm placing on Neil, because people with bad handwriting can generally read their own handwriting, and he's writing those notes for himself, not for public consumption. But if they're illegible, there are two options. 1) Don't include them. 2) Transcribe them. We're not dealing with a long dead author here. You're sitting next to/e-mailing/smoke signaling with this man on this book, is it really that difficult to say, "Neil, what the hell is this word?"
Once we got to the parts where we talk about the origins of his books, my attention snapped back to. I didn't learn about any new works, but I learned so much about the process of the works I love, and that made everything the lovelier.
I'm giving the book 3 stars, which really sucks. Because Neil Gaiman is a treasure, and I genuinely appreciate his existence.
October 3, 2015
Ever since I discovered Neil Gaiman I have become infatuated with most of his work. He even got me interested in short stories. But there is so much more to this man as everyone will discover upon following him on any social media site.
This book was written by a friend of Neil Gaiman's called Hayley Campbell and puts everything NG has done so far together. The first special thing about this: Neil Gaiman is only 55 and this book is already so big! Seriously, I knew he was involved in a lot of stuff but I had no idea of the true scale of things - he even worked on Princess Mononoke!
Moreover, the author of this compendium makes an excellent point (actually IS an excellent example of said point herself) of how well-connected Neil Gaiman is across all art forms.
The chapters in this book give great insight into how comic books, screenplays, short stories, novels, picture books, movies and many other projects came into existence. However, it's always funny while being packed with information so it never gets boring.
The comic book chapters weren't all up my alley but I still wanted to know how Sandman was connected to Black Orchid and all the rest.
We also get to know young Neil Gaiman and his motivation for writing poems before he was 10 years old, his love for Punk, his frustration with Hollywood and his geekiness over Doctor Who. All that rounded off with hand-written notes, comic panels drawn on napkins, scribbles and sketches and photographs.
I would have wished for a little more family background (after all he is married the second time now and has several children, most of which seem to be very creative themselves) but maybe he just wanted to keep that part private - or we get more of that in the 2nd volume. After all, I sincerely hope Neil Gaiman isn't done making me laugh, cry, pull my hair and scare me half to death!
What I like the most about NG is his passion for freedom of speech (I learned quite a lot about the UK's law system and was very negatively astounded when reading how bad the legal situation there is compared to the US), his advocacy for it and everything he does against censorship. Not to mention his commitment to help children around the world and refugees from Syria!
This book was written by a friend of Neil Gaiman's called Hayley Campbell and puts everything NG has done so far together. The first special thing about this: Neil Gaiman is only 55 and this book is already so big! Seriously, I knew he was involved in a lot of stuff but I had no idea of the true scale of things - he even worked on Princess Mononoke!
Moreover, the author of this compendium makes an excellent point (actually IS an excellent example of said point herself) of how well-connected Neil Gaiman is across all art forms.
The chapters in this book give great insight into how comic books, screenplays, short stories, novels, picture books, movies and many other projects came into existence. However, it's always funny while being packed with information so it never gets boring.
The comic book chapters weren't all up my alley but I still wanted to know how Sandman was connected to Black Orchid and all the rest.
We also get to know young Neil Gaiman and his motivation for writing poems before he was 10 years old, his love for Punk, his frustration with Hollywood and his geekiness over Doctor Who. All that rounded off with hand-written notes, comic panels drawn on napkins, scribbles and sketches and photographs.
I would have wished for a little more family background (after all he is married the second time now and has several children, most of which seem to be very creative themselves) but maybe he just wanted to keep that part private - or we get more of that in the 2nd volume. After all, I sincerely hope Neil Gaiman isn't done making me laugh, cry, pull my hair and scare me half to death!
What I like the most about NG is his passion for freedom of speech (I learned quite a lot about the UK's law system and was very negatively astounded when reading how bad the legal situation there is compared to the US), his advocacy for it and everything he does against censorship. Not to mention his commitment to help children around the world and refugees from Syria!
July 20, 2015
If you love toned arms as much as you love Neil Gaiman (and even if you don't), than this is the book for you! The content is so FANTASTIC that I sacrificed two days of my life to it. However, my love for its content will not stop me from joining the chorus of complaints regarding its design. I can forgive that it is a big and heavy book (I'm into those), but I really disliked how close to the binding the words are; particularly the written content on the left. I found it to be most annoying in the first half of the book, as you are literally forcing it open the whole time in order to read it (the tension eases a bit as the book concludes). Design flaws aside, this is a fascinating book about a fascinating man, which also happens to double as a light strength and toning exercise. Biceps from books, anyone?
September 5, 2016
I liked this book quite a bit, but there is this nagging sense that it's not quite the book it could be. Or, perhaps, that one day we'll get another book like it or an expanded new edition that will be even better. I admire Neil Gaiman a huge amount, of course. I'd count him as my favorite writer, on most days. And usually I do not care much about the personal lives of my favorite creators. It's not so much that I'm disinterested, just that I'm more interested in what they are creating versus their lives. So, even though I was a big fan, a lot of this was new to me. I'd just read his non-fiction articles book, which meant that I knew a bit more than I would have going into this one. But, even still, there was a lot of new stuff, and the photos and bits of notes and pieces of art here and there were great to look at.
The problem is, the book is ascribed to "Hayley Campbell in conversation with Neil Gaiman" and there is a little of that. But I wish there was so much more. The book starts off really promisingly, but towards the end there's a feeling it's running out of steam. The detail becomes more sparse about the creation of various works, for one thing. But, the worst thing is that Neil is almost always only present through quotes from older articles. I really would have loved to get his perspective on, say, Mirrormask after 10 years have passed. Or, even what he feels about things like his Doctor Who episodes. You get more insight the further back in his career he goes, mostly because he's talked about it in some other interview. Maybe we'll have to wait to get more insight into those things, but it does make the back half of the book less interesting.
The problem is, the book is ascribed to "Hayley Campbell in conversation with Neil Gaiman" and there is a little of that. But I wish there was so much more. The book starts off really promisingly, but towards the end there's a feeling it's running out of steam. The detail becomes more sparse about the creation of various works, for one thing. But, the worst thing is that Neil is almost always only present through quotes from older articles. I really would have loved to get his perspective on, say, Mirrormask after 10 years have passed. Or, even what he feels about things like his Doctor Who episodes. You get more insight the further back in his career he goes, mostly because he's talked about it in some other interview. Maybe we'll have to wait to get more insight into those things, but it does make the back half of the book less interesting.
July 22, 2014
I'm not a die-hard, huge Neil Gaiman fan but I've enjoyed Sandman and various other works. I didn't realize until reading this book that he wrote the 'Don't Panic' book about Douglas Adams and The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, which I now have the itch to go and re-read. Hayley Campbell managed to find the right voice for this book, informative but casual, and there's the right mix of text and image. I felt it lagged a little toward the end - possibly because of the inherent structure, where the last few chapters cover random odds and ends and more recent work that don't have the support of time passing to give them the weight you find with the earlier chapters. I enjoyed it, though.
August 13, 2014
Now I want to reread all his books...
September 24, 2021
4/5 Stars (%80/100)
It was a really fun book to read. Campbell's is Gaiman's goddaughter and I loved their relationship. The book felt really sincere and warm which I would say reflects their relationship. You also learn a variety of things about Gaiman (well that's the goal). Apart from the joy, I also found the book quite useful for my master's thesis. I highlighted many parts and decided to use it as one of my sources. Compared to similar books I've read on Gaiman, this one manages to stand out mainly because of the relationship between Campbell and Gaiman. It is also a great book to introduce yourself to the amazing world of Gaiman.
It was a really fun book to read. Campbell's is Gaiman's goddaughter and I loved their relationship. The book felt really sincere and warm which I would say reflects their relationship. You also learn a variety of things about Gaiman (well that's the goal). Apart from the joy, I also found the book quite useful for my master's thesis. I highlighted many parts and decided to use it as one of my sources. Compared to similar books I've read on Gaiman, this one manages to stand out mainly because of the relationship between Campbell and Gaiman. It is also a great book to introduce yourself to the amazing world of Gaiman.
August 3, 2018
Jostain kumman syystä olen vältellyt tätä kirjaa, selvästi syyttä. Gaimanin monipuolinen ura käydään läpi ilahduttavan ylellisen kuvituksen kera. Campbell sanoi haastattelussa, että pystyi itsekin fanina huomioimaan, mitä fanit yleensä jo entuudestaan tietävät ja tuomaan uutta kulmaa. Etenkin uran alku kirjoittajana miestenlehtiin oli hykerryttävä. Kertomukset kohtaamisista Harvey Weinsteinin kanssa saivat lisäbuustia ajankohtaisista tapahtumista.
June 12, 2019
I love this man. I'd love to meet him. I didn't realize he was this cool. I mean I knew it when I had listened to his speeches but he just got to a whole other level of cool. I'm completely enamored.
July 2, 2016
Presupposto fondamentale: se non conoscete o non amate Neil Gaiman, potete fermarvi qui, dato che questo libro nasce a uso e consumo di chi, invece, adora quel piccolo grande genio inglese.
Hayley Campbell è la figlia di Eddie Campbell, disegnatore (per dirne uno) di From Hell e amico di lunga data di Gaiman stesso, che a 24 anni ha pensato bene di chiedere all'amico Neil di darle libero accesso alla sua soffitta, piena di memorabilia provenienti da ogni momento della sua vita artistica.
Basandosi su questi, su mille conversazioni con Gaiman, sulla sua stessa esperienza, sui contatti con altri collaboratori e su innumerevoli fonti, ha creato questa biografia dell'opera di Neil.
Non, quindi, una biografia completa dell'autore, ma la storia di praticamente ogni cosa lui abbia prodotto, a partire dal suo primo libro sui Duran Duran (sic) fino brevi film, romanzi, serie tv in divenire, spettacoli teatrali, il tutto carico di immagini di appunti, disegni, screenplay, fotografie (ho amato quella di Gaiman e Miyazaki insieme allo Studio Ghibli) e condito con aneddoti, citazioni di interviste, fatti curiosi e chi più ne ha, più ne metta.
Diviso per sezioni (fumetti, libri per adulti, libri per ragazzi, ecc...) e con un capitolo per ogni opera, il volume è scritto bene, si legge scorrevolmente e con piacere e ha la sottovalutata peculiarità di non eccedere nel nozionismo e nelle informazioni messe tanto per fare.
Lo stile della Campbell ricorda in qualche modo quello del Gaiman divulgativo e la cosa, lungi dall'essere fastidiosa, permette di immergersi ulteriormente nel Gaiman-universe.
Leggere un libro del genere fa sentire, necessariamente, piccoli: la quantità di cose che ha prodotto quell'uomo, la sua fertilità creativa, la sua capacità di scrivere in qualunque momento e situazione, rendono un wannabe come me ancora più modesto e umiliato, con la sola consolazione di scoprire che il processo creativo del buon Neil può essere immediato, ma può anche richiedere anni, con libri che attendono nel cassetto in attesa che giungo il momento per ritirarli fuori.
"Ora sapevo come proseguiva la storia" è una frase che più volte capita nel libro ed è una di quelle che più mi ha colpito: come se quelle storie già esistessero, ma semplicemente lui non le conoscesse ancora fino in fondo, come se fosse solo un tramite di qualcosa che, al momento giusto, avverrà indipendentemente dalla sua volontà.
Affascinante e ispirante.
Così come mi colpisce sempre la modestia dell'autore, che pur essendo conscio di quanto ha raggiunto, tende sempre a sottolineare ciò che ancora non sa fare; è il caso della poesia: in un capitolo dedicato, Gaiman (che ha più volte composto testi poetici) afferma di invidiare i veri poeti, quelli che riescono a scrivere poesie capaci di pennellare immagini ed emozioni senza raccontare storie; lui è un narratore e, pertanto, anche le sue poesie raccontano storie con un inizio, uno svolgimento e una fine.
Effettivamente, riguardando la sua produzione, questa caratteristica è evidente, ma personalmente l'ho sempre vissuta come tale, una caratteristica appunto, piuttosto che come un limite.
Curiosi di conoscere il gruppo rock in cui suonava Gaiman, il contenuto della sua causa legale decennale con Todd MacFarlane, ciò che pensava di Neverwhere e del suo primo episodio di Doctor Who o di com'è nato il suo episodio di Battlestar Galactica? Comprate questo libro (solo in inglese, sorry).
Non vi pentirete.
Hayley Campbell è la figlia di Eddie Campbell, disegnatore (per dirne uno) di From Hell e amico di lunga data di Gaiman stesso, che a 24 anni ha pensato bene di chiedere all'amico Neil di darle libero accesso alla sua soffitta, piena di memorabilia provenienti da ogni momento della sua vita artistica.
Basandosi su questi, su mille conversazioni con Gaiman, sulla sua stessa esperienza, sui contatti con altri collaboratori e su innumerevoli fonti, ha creato questa biografia dell'opera di Neil.
Non, quindi, una biografia completa dell'autore, ma la storia di praticamente ogni cosa lui abbia prodotto, a partire dal suo primo libro sui Duran Duran (sic) fino brevi film, romanzi, serie tv in divenire, spettacoli teatrali, il tutto carico di immagini di appunti, disegni, screenplay, fotografie (ho amato quella di Gaiman e Miyazaki insieme allo Studio Ghibli) e condito con aneddoti, citazioni di interviste, fatti curiosi e chi più ne ha, più ne metta.
Diviso per sezioni (fumetti, libri per adulti, libri per ragazzi, ecc...) e con un capitolo per ogni opera, il volume è scritto bene, si legge scorrevolmente e con piacere e ha la sottovalutata peculiarità di non eccedere nel nozionismo e nelle informazioni messe tanto per fare.
Lo stile della Campbell ricorda in qualche modo quello del Gaiman divulgativo e la cosa, lungi dall'essere fastidiosa, permette di immergersi ulteriormente nel Gaiman-universe.
Leggere un libro del genere fa sentire, necessariamente, piccoli: la quantità di cose che ha prodotto quell'uomo, la sua fertilità creativa, la sua capacità di scrivere in qualunque momento e situazione, rendono un wannabe come me ancora più modesto e umiliato, con la sola consolazione di scoprire che il processo creativo del buon Neil può essere immediato, ma può anche richiedere anni, con libri che attendono nel cassetto in attesa che giungo il momento per ritirarli fuori.
"Ora sapevo come proseguiva la storia" è una frase che più volte capita nel libro ed è una di quelle che più mi ha colpito: come se quelle storie già esistessero, ma semplicemente lui non le conoscesse ancora fino in fondo, come se fosse solo un tramite di qualcosa che, al momento giusto, avverrà indipendentemente dalla sua volontà.
Affascinante e ispirante.
Così come mi colpisce sempre la modestia dell'autore, che pur essendo conscio di quanto ha raggiunto, tende sempre a sottolineare ciò che ancora non sa fare; è il caso della poesia: in un capitolo dedicato, Gaiman (che ha più volte composto testi poetici) afferma di invidiare i veri poeti, quelli che riescono a scrivere poesie capaci di pennellare immagini ed emozioni senza raccontare storie; lui è un narratore e, pertanto, anche le sue poesie raccontano storie con un inizio, uno svolgimento e una fine.
Effettivamente, riguardando la sua produzione, questa caratteristica è evidente, ma personalmente l'ho sempre vissuta come tale, una caratteristica appunto, piuttosto che come un limite.
Curiosi di conoscere il gruppo rock in cui suonava Gaiman, il contenuto della sua causa legale decennale con Todd MacFarlane, ciò che pensava di Neverwhere e del suo primo episodio di Doctor Who o di com'è nato il suo episodio di Battlestar Galactica? Comprate questo libro (solo in inglese, sorry).
Non vi pentirete.
April 22, 2015
This book should have been called "the life and work of Neil Gaiman," as the title was somewhat misleading. Of course, this book is all about the art of Neil Gaiman, but it contains so much more that has to do with the overall performance of his art, his rise to fame, the work it took to become the literary juggernaut that he is today, and his process collaborating with artists, writers, agents, Hollywood, and his own life. Full of illustrations and original notebook pages, this book is an incredibly beautiful compendium of the man's life and work, obsessively compiled and beautifully presented by Hayley Campbell and ILEX.
Highly recommended to anyone planning on being (or who is) a writer. The ins and outs of his professional career, insights into his technique, and his navigation of the business side of all things writing were illuminating and honest. Campbell brings the audience on the inside to see what Gaiman does, and how that has helped Neil Gaiman to be Neil Gaiman.
Perhaps the major thing I couldn't stand about this book was the fact that i saw it in the bookstore when it had come out and had no interest in it, thinking that it was about his visual art (which is messy and hotel-napkin-y, something the book honestly reiterates) and the visual art of his collaborators. Of course, it has nothing to do with that (well, partially, yes), and the simple marketing of the title choice made me ignore it until I literally read a review of it that stated it was about what I had already mentioned.
What I really liked about the book was learning about how he became who he is today, and the work and methodology of his life where he literally said that he was going to drop everything one day and become a writer no matter the cost. That said, with the series of events that follow, it is no wonder he has become successful - hard work and networking is what everyone says begins a successful career, and Gaiman has nailed. I also enjoyed reading about his relationships with some of my beloved literary figures such as Terry Pratchett (and how they came to collaborate), Douglas Adams, and many others. I probably was most bored with some of the more minutiae of the comics business, being more a fan of his written work (with the huge exception of Sandman), but I understand how necessary that is in discussing his career and work. In terms of that, I even found a sliver of useful information in reading about his methods of writing the comic scripts.
Overall a very interesting, totally mistitled book. Fans of Gaiman, comics, hollywood adaptation, and writers in general must read it. Hilariously, fans looking for an art book will probably be disappointed.The book is gorgeous, and incredibly well made, though. As a writer, artist, and fan, I enjoyed it.
Highly recommended to anyone planning on being (or who is) a writer. The ins and outs of his professional career, insights into his technique, and his navigation of the business side of all things writing were illuminating and honest. Campbell brings the audience on the inside to see what Gaiman does, and how that has helped Neil Gaiman to be Neil Gaiman.
Perhaps the major thing I couldn't stand about this book was the fact that i saw it in the bookstore when it had come out and had no interest in it, thinking that it was about his visual art (which is messy and hotel-napkin-y, something the book honestly reiterates) and the visual art of his collaborators. Of course, it has nothing to do with that (well, partially, yes), and the simple marketing of the title choice made me ignore it until I literally read a review of it that stated it was about what I had already mentioned.
What I really liked about the book was learning about how he became who he is today, and the work and methodology of his life where he literally said that he was going to drop everything one day and become a writer no matter the cost. That said, with the series of events that follow, it is no wonder he has become successful - hard work and networking is what everyone says begins a successful career, and Gaiman has nailed. I also enjoyed reading about his relationships with some of my beloved literary figures such as Terry Pratchett (and how they came to collaborate), Douglas Adams, and many others. I probably was most bored with some of the more minutiae of the comics business, being more a fan of his written work (with the huge exception of Sandman), but I understand how necessary that is in discussing his career and work. In terms of that, I even found a sliver of useful information in reading about his methods of writing the comic scripts.
Overall a very interesting, totally mistitled book. Fans of Gaiman, comics, hollywood adaptation, and writers in general must read it. Hilariously, fans looking for an art book will probably be disappointed.The book is gorgeous, and incredibly well made, though. As a writer, artist, and fan, I enjoyed it.
Read
June 10, 2016The summer I turned 19, I made it my mission to read everything Neil Gaiman had ever written. I had just finished my first year of college, and I had just finished reading The Sandman, excavated from one of my older brother's multitude of long boxes containing comics he intended to get around to reading, someday. What that usually meant is I ended up devouring everything in those boxes before he was sure what some of them were even about. Sandman was one of those series, and one of the only ones I can remember from that time. I remember reading the entirety of Preludes & Nocturnes sitting on the floor of the hottest room in the house in a California summer, quietly sweating, only a few feet away from the box I pulled it out of, because I flipped it open to see if I wanted to read it and couldn't stop long enough to walk away before I was done.
That was nearly ten years ago, and though that's a time of life when you're always running into books and movies and music that seem amazing and mind-blowing simply because you haven't lived very long, I can safely say that that day, and in fact that summer, changed my life. I've read the entirety of Sandman a few more times since then. I never really succeeded in reading (or watching, or listening to, or...) everything Neil Gaiman had ever done, thankfully, because he never stops making stuff, and a lot of that stuff isn't necessarily something that can be read, but has to be watched, or listened to, or experienced, as fans of his will attest to. In fact, it brings me back to one of my favorite things about Sandman, which is that when you explain it to people, you kind of can't explain it, really. It has to be experienced, felt, lived and dreamed inside of, in order to understand what makes it what it is. In the words of Gaiman quoted in this book about his work, it has to be "sub-created" separately, uniquely, by everyone who reads it.
This is recommended, obviously, to fans of any or all of Gaiman's work. And also for people who seek advice about making good art. A wonderful thing about Neil Gaiman is that he is very generous with his thoughts on that subject, and there aren't very many people who I would want to hear speak about that more.
That was nearly ten years ago, and though that's a time of life when you're always running into books and movies and music that seem amazing and mind-blowing simply because you haven't lived very long, I can safely say that that day, and in fact that summer, changed my life. I've read the entirety of Sandman a few more times since then. I never really succeeded in reading (or watching, or listening to, or...) everything Neil Gaiman had ever done, thankfully, because he never stops making stuff, and a lot of that stuff isn't necessarily something that can be read, but has to be watched, or listened to, or experienced, as fans of his will attest to. In fact, it brings me back to one of my favorite things about Sandman, which is that when you explain it to people, you kind of can't explain it, really. It has to be experienced, felt, lived and dreamed inside of, in order to understand what makes it what it is. In the words of Gaiman quoted in this book about his work, it has to be "sub-created" separately, uniquely, by everyone who reads it.
This is recommended, obviously, to fans of any or all of Gaiman's work. And also for people who seek advice about making good art. A wonderful thing about Neil Gaiman is that he is very generous with his thoughts on that subject, and there aren't very many people who I would want to hear speak about that more.
August 4, 2014
I'll say right up front that I am a Neil Gaiman fanboy. A Gaimaniac, if you will. So this book hit my squee buttons before I even opened it up. But, oh, what a beauty it is.
Much of the fact-based stuff here I already knew, from following Gaiman throughout his career, but the thing that sets this volume apart is the incredible access that Hayley Campbell had to both his papers and miscellaneous notes, and to the man himself. The fact that she has known him as a family friend (or honorary eccentric uncle) for much of her life lends the book an authoritative air that could not have been accomplished in any other way except if Gaiman had written it himself.
Campbell's choice to organize the book thematically by medium rather than chronologically occasionally irked me, as I would have been much more interested to see how one piece of writing influenced or was influenced by another by dint of temporal proximity, but the whole thing holds together so well that I got over my gripes fairly quickly. Her insertion of anecdotes within each section helped to accentuate the feeling that we're really getting a behind the scenes look into Gaiman's work (with some peeks into his private life as well).
This is a book that I will very likely come back to again and again for inspiration, in terms of both creativity and work ethic. It's a must-have for Gaiman fans anywhere.
Much of the fact-based stuff here I already knew, from following Gaiman throughout his career, but the thing that sets this volume apart is the incredible access that Hayley Campbell had to both his papers and miscellaneous notes, and to the man himself. The fact that she has known him as a family friend (or honorary eccentric uncle) for much of her life lends the book an authoritative air that could not have been accomplished in any other way except if Gaiman had written it himself.
Campbell's choice to organize the book thematically by medium rather than chronologically occasionally irked me, as I would have been much more interested to see how one piece of writing influenced or was influenced by another by dint of temporal proximity, but the whole thing holds together so well that I got over my gripes fairly quickly. Her insertion of anecdotes within each section helped to accentuate the feeling that we're really getting a behind the scenes look into Gaiman's work (with some peeks into his private life as well).
This is a book that I will very likely come back to again and again for inspiration, in terms of both creativity and work ethic. It's a must-have for Gaiman fans anywhere.
October 12, 2016
Part biography, part exploration of the creative process of the incredibly talented Neil Gaiman.
Divided into chapters that trace his evolution as a writer; from teen journalist, through comics, short stories, novels, poetry, screen-and radioplays, even to his first attempts as a movie director, this is a thorough exploration of Mr. Gaiman's work.
Copiously illustrated with photos, drawings and hand-written notes, Ms. Campbell shows how Gaiman's worldview was shaped, and how he has been able to tap into the common mythos so many of have ingrained in us, and tell it in his own unique voice.
Divided into chapters that trace his evolution as a writer; from teen journalist, through comics, short stories, novels, poetry, screen-and radioplays, even to his first attempts as a movie director, this is a thorough exploration of Mr. Gaiman's work.
Copiously illustrated with photos, drawings and hand-written notes, Ms. Campbell shows how Gaiman's worldview was shaped, and how he has been able to tap into the common mythos so many of have ingrained in us, and tell it in his own unique voice.
Read
December 21, 2014I cannot see that subtitle anywhere on the copy I read, which is a blessing. Lovely coffee table survey of his vast and variegated oeuvre, plus a bit of biography. Errs a little on the side of tactfulness - so there's plenty on 'The Doctor's Wife', for instance, and then a bit about the plan for 'Nightmare in Silver' but nothing on the unlovely result. Still, it's packed with insights and oddities, and Neil does seem like a very nice man so the politeness is wholly understandable.
February 21, 2016
More of a scrapbook and collection of anecdotes and behind the scenes stories of an interesting and successful career than either art book or biography. This is a coffee table book that needs to be read in short bursts. Entertaining, but ultimately shallow. I liked it but, unless you are a fan, I’d say pass on this.
November 17, 2014
Anything you ever wanted to know about Neil Gaiman but were afraid to ask. This is everything and man is it comprehensive. There is plenty to just look at let alone read all that's there as well. Perfect addition to your Neil Gaiman collection - or someone else's.
October 20, 2015
Sempre tive receio ao procurar saber demais sobre meus ídolos. Costumava acabar me decepcionando. Com Neil Gaiman aconteceu o extremo oposto. Aconteceu e continua a acontecer a cada nova publicação que leio.
Ele é genial...
Ele é genial...
February 19, 2015
5 estrellas a una biografía. Pero es que esta muy bien hecha. Menos mal que la he disfrutado porque si no me dolería demasiado (mas aun quiero decir) haberme dejado 30 pavis.
June 21, 2020
I was beyond excited when I found a hardcover copy of this for $10. For multiple reasons, the first of which is that I really like Hayley Campbell.
Honestly, that is my number one reason. Her website has some of her freelance articles on it. She's genuine and engaging and I love her writing, give it a shot.
I also quite like some Neil Gaiman. I love his blogging. I love stardust and oceans at the end of the lane, although now I come to think of it I can't remember what happens in the latter. I loved the tv adaptation of American Gods which made me appreciate the book more - I think the show is better.
So I was very excited for this book, but in a lot of ways it wasn't what I was after. Because I was looking for Hayley, and I found Neil. Surprise, right? *headdesk*
This book is a breakdown of things Neil got up to on the way to becoming Neil Himself. He was always driven. He worked incessantly at many things and had gumption and put himself out there and it's very inspiring for a young person to read and feel like, yeah, I could do that.
Also his handwriting is atrocious and I can't read a word of it. My son says the same thing about mine.
All in all the book is fine. But I'm not hugely interested in Neil, or learning more about his works, and it didn't have a heap of aha moments for me. So it was fine. Just fine. And I'll keep my eye out for more of Hayley's work in the future.
Honestly, that is my number one reason. Her website has some of her freelance articles on it. She's genuine and engaging and I love her writing, give it a shot.
I also quite like some Neil Gaiman. I love his blogging. I love stardust and oceans at the end of the lane, although now I come to think of it I can't remember what happens in the latter. I loved the tv adaptation of American Gods which made me appreciate the book more - I think the show is better.
So I was very excited for this book, but in a lot of ways it wasn't what I was after. Because I was looking for Hayley, and I found Neil. Surprise, right? *headdesk*
This book is a breakdown of things Neil got up to on the way to becoming Neil Himself. He was always driven. He worked incessantly at many things and had gumption and put himself out there and it's very inspiring for a young person to read and feel like, yeah, I could do that.
Also his handwriting is atrocious and I can't read a word of it. My son says the same thing about mine.
All in all the book is fine. But I'm not hugely interested in Neil, or learning more about his works, and it didn't have a heap of aha moments for me. So it was fine. Just fine. And I'll keep my eye out for more of Hayley's work in the future.
January 14, 2025
This is basically a collection detailing all the works Gaiman has done from the start of his career and telling the story of how they came to be. There were a few interesting stories, and others that I didn't really care about. There were a few things from his early career that I haven't read. Unfortunately, as I went to research one of them the day I finished reading this book, more and increasing disturbing allegations about Gaiman were being reported. I'll probably pass on the few things I haven't read. The descriptions of Hollywood meetings with Harvey Weinstein may well be just an uncomfortable coincidence, but they don't exactly help getting through the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews