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The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction Hardcover – Deckle Edge, May 31, 2016
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An enthralling collection of nonfiction essays on a myriad of topics—from art and artists to dreams, myths, and memories—observed in #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman’s probing, amusing, and distinctive style.
An inquisitive observer, thoughtful commentator, and assiduous craftsman, Neil Gaiman has long been celebrated for the sharp intellect and startling imagination that informs his bestselling fiction. Now, The View from the Cheap Seats brings together for the first time ever more than sixty pieces of his outstanding nonfiction. Analytical yet playful, erudite yet accessible, this cornucopia explores a broad range of interests and topics, including (but not limited to): authors past and present; music; storytelling; comics; bookshops; travel; fairy tales; America; inspiration; libraries; ghosts; and the title piece, at turns touching and self-deprecating, which recounts the author’s experiences at the 2010 Academy Awards in Hollywood.
Insightful, incisive, witty, and wise, The View from the Cheap Seats explores the issues and subjects that matter most to Neil Gaiman—offering a glimpse into the head and heart of one of the most acclaimed, beloved, and influential artists of our time.
- Print length544 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherWilliam Morrow
- Publication dateMay 31, 2016
- Dimensions1.9 x 6.4 x 9.3 inches
- ISBN-100062262262
- ISBN-13978-0062262264
- Lexile measure1140L
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Editorial Reviews
Review
“Gaiman’s prose reveals the relaxed intimacy of a cherished dinner partner and never loses sight of the big picture. . . . Highly recommended for readers of Gaiman’s work, specifically, and sf and fantasy generally, as well as those interested in cultural criticism and the art and craft of writing.” — Library Journal (starred review) on THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS
“Full of devotion and erudition, this is also a glorious love-letter to reading, to writing, to dreaming, to an entire genre.” — Junot Díaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of THE BRIEF WONDROUS LIFE OF OSCAR WAO on THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAP SEATS
“If this book came to you during a despairing night, by dawn you would believe in ideas and hope and humans again. This is a beautiful, beautiful book.” — Caitlin Moran, journalist and New York Times bestselling author of How to Build a Girl
From the Back Cover
An enthralling collection of nonfiction pieces on myriad topics—from art and artists to dreams, myths, and memories to comics, films, and literature—observed in award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman’s probing, amusing, and distinctive style.
As Neil explains, “This book is not ‘the complete nonfiction of Neil Gaiman.’ It is, instead, a motley bunch of speeches and articles, introductions and essays. Some of them are serious and some of them are frivolous and some of them are earnest and some of them I wrote to try and make people listen.”
Illuminating and incisive, witty and wise, The View from the Cheap Seats explores some of the issues, subjects, and people that matter most to Neil Gaiman—and offers a unique glimpse into the mind of one of the most beloved and influential writers of our time.About the Author
Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling and multi-award winning author and creator of many beloved books, graphic novels, short stories, film, television and theatre for all ages. He is the recipient of the Newbery and Carnegie Medals, and many Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner Awards. Neil has adapted many of his works to television series, including Good Omens (co-written with Terry Pratchett) and The Sandman. He is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR and Professor in the Arts at Bard College. For a lot more about his work, please visit: https://www.neilgaiman.com/
Product details
- Publisher : William Morrow; First Edition (May 31, 2016)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 544 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0062262262
- ISBN-13 : 978-0062262264
- Lexile measure : 1140L
- Item Weight : 1.5 pounds
- Dimensions : 1.9 x 6.4 x 9.3 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #446,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #78 in Literary Speeches
- #1,465 in Essays (Books)
- #22,482 in Literary Fiction (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Neil Gaiman is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty books, including Norse Mythology, Neverwhere, and The Graveyard Book. Among his numerous literary awards are the Newbery and Carnegie medals, and the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, and Will Eisner awards. He is a Professor in the Arts at Bard College.
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This was the end of his 1993 speech to a room full of comic shop owners and sellers who were experiencing an unprecedented boom in their business - comics were selling as they never had before, and were seen as great investments. Neil's speech was about tulips, and about good comics, and about history and economy. But mostly, it was about tulips.
It was a warning: Don't get complacent with the current scenario. We've seen this sort of thing before, and it didn't end well. Focus on selling good comics, the comics you love, and the future will be the brighter for it. "Remember what it is you're selling people," he implored. It was a strangely controversial speech, and was not well-received by many of those in attendance.
I thought it was brilliant. As an introduction to Neil Gaiman the man, beyond the visionary author behind Sandman, it's hard to imagine a better way to come to understand how he views the world around him. Neil was charming and witty and humble, but also strangely wise. He brought an obscure historical analogy about tulips, as described in a century-old book about popular delusions, into a room full of people enjoying their success in a modern medium, and he warned them of what the tulips had to say about the comics industry. For those listening, he made his point perfectly. For those listening, he was an inspiration to do better. Sadly, not everyone was listening.
The text of Neil's 1993 speech is reprinted in 'The View from the Cheap Seats.' It's one of many such speeches, introductions, articles, and musings you'll find in these pages, and here's the thing: they're all like that. All are written with wit and with wisdom, in a voice that is similar to the one you hear in Neil's fictions, but more distinctly him. There's a natural humility and warmth that exudes each piece, and with each one, you learn a little more about the things he's seen, what he loves, and who he is. Like that 1993 speech, each piece reveals an aspect of the man behind the fiction - these pieces read like a conversation, the good kind of conversation that keeps you up until the grey hours of the morning because you don't want it to end.
We see his love of literature, of course, and get a sense of the authors who shaped him as a writer and as a reader. We hear about people he's known and people he's worked with. We experience the change of a deeply British author who moves to midwestern America. We see his love of music and musicians, films and filmmakers, art and artists, and comic books. Of course, comic books.
Often in these little glimpses of his mind and heart, Neil is unabashedly enthusiastic. He gets to expound upon and explain why he loves the tales of Lord Dunsany, the comics of Will Eisner, the experience of working with Charles Vess. And these are delightful to read. But there is also the strange melancholy of Neil in attendance at the Oscars, on the first anniversary of the death of his father, and the barely-contained rage against the impending death of old friends. For their insight into Gaiman the man, and their insights into our own brief lives, these pieces are no less valuable than the jubilant ones.
If you're already a fan of Neil Gaiman, there's a good chance you've seen (or heard) some of these pieces already, as I had. As this collection spans over 25 years of material, there's an even better chance that you'll find something new, something you'd never even known about, that will surprise and delight you. Opening these pages is a little like meeting Neil for the first time, over and over again, and that is an experience not to be missed.
25 years ago, I was fortunate to meet Neil in person, on the same night he gave his speech, and to have a few minutes to talk to him. I remember that he was wearing sunglasses, even though we were indoors, and that he smiled. I don't remember what either of us said, but I remember that he seemed kind, and more than a little surprised at all the attention he was getting. I hope I told him how much I appreciated his work on Sandman, and how much I enjoyed and was inspired by the speech he shared with us.
But, just in case I failed to do so: Neil, you were brilliant. I won't forget about the tulips.
Neil Gaiman (whose name I always misspell) is always charming, smart, interesting and wise. I did get more added to my TBR shelf from him, and I enjoyed the beginning of the book and the end of the book much more than the middle - where he picks authors and discusses them. It's funny, since I just -- like a week or two ago -- adored his introduction to Fahrenheit 451 on a reread. It was critical to me being able to get around some issues I had with the book and actually brought me much more joy on that read. Yet, on reading the same words here, it felt dull and flat. It's a book introduction, and it works best with the book. This happens to many of the introductions - especially if I hadn't read the book or wasn't familiar with the work in question. (Actually, I have started reading introductions twice: once before and once I've finished, because they always mean more to me after the book.)
I loved his writing on music, but that's because we have extremely similar taste in music, so I had some idea of what he was typing, some investment already. (In fact, I first learned of Gaiman via music circles long before I ever delved into his books.) Much as I adore Stephen King's writing, I don't know him as a person, so warm talks about personal life don't do much for me. Though I now know Terry Pratchett loved chocolate, I would have appreciated more about his work that I could relate to (instead of, because there was obviously a lot about Pratchett.) This may also be an idiosyncratic personal tic. I've recently been aware that I care far less about a celebrity's personal life than many other people.
There are some really wonderful bits in this book, and like any book of introductions, essays, speeches and other stuff collected over a lifetime of work, some less wonderful bits. Nothing is bad, and it's practical to skip things unless you have a touch of OCD like me and would feel like you "cheated."
This one is worth a read, probably more like a box of chocolates than as a cover-to-cover endeavor. Pick one, savor it, then put the box away for another time. I've got a few more of these books on my Kindle from Gaiman, so I'll know better in future.
Top reviews from other countries
Lucid and captivating
Extremely intelligent
Always a good read
I found this book on a day when I felt very low, and by the morning things had started to look up. Just like it says on the cover.