Who is Neil Gaiman?
Like many of his fans, I was first introduced to Neil Gaiman through
his comic book Sandman several years ago. I picked
up the Death
miniseries before the regular Sandman series, but by then I was
hooked. He remains one of my favorite authors, and I particularly enjoy
his short stories.
Since finishing Sandman, an epic comic that lasted 75 issues,
Gaiman has been involved in an absurd number of projects, from other graphic
novels to prose novels and children's books. He has a distinct sensibility
and uses recurring themes that blend mythology,
history, horror, and magic.
Gaiman's frequent collaborator is Dave McKean. Many of his graphic
novels have been illustrated by McKean, as well as the painted covers
of every Sandman-related comic. Coraline is a great collaboration of theirs, which later became a graphic novle illustrated by another of my favorite artists, P. Craig Russell.
Guess what? Gaiman guest-starred as the book reviewer for this week's The Week's "The List," where authors pick their favorite
books. Here's what he chose:
- Dangerous Visions edited by Harlan
Ellison
- The Man Who Was Thursday by G.K. Chesterton
- Archer's Goon by Diana Wynne Jones
- Lud-in-the-Mist by Hope Mirrlees
- Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
- Peace by Gene Wolfe
