Driving Around With The Dream King

I got all excited today about going to use the library for the first time today in 2008! After my last post, I had a few suggestions that I read something shorter to break the monotony of this chunkster that I'm in the middle of. Then I read this wonderful review of The Diaries of Adam and Eve by Mark Twain that Becky wrote, so I was going to go get it at my library. Then I started thinking of other stuff I wanted to check out ;) Oh yes...this could just as much of a hindrance to my TBR shelf as the bookstore, but at least I'm not adding permanently to the TBR shelf. I was also going to check out Alice in Sunderland since I've been dying to read it since Nymeth's review and I've been wanting to listen to Neil Gaiman's American Gods on Audiobook for ages, so I was going to get that too! Well needless to say, I'm so disappointed with our library system here. We have 12 libraries in our parish...yes 12 libraries that I can use my card at!! Not a single one of them carries any of those three items...not even the Mark Twain book! I searched the online catalog and I called. No luck. It makes me so mad!

Well after that, I had a craving for American Gods on audiobook and I just happen to have a brand new shiny iPod that I treated myself to last weekend ;) So I went to iTunes, and of course they don't carry it. But I did find the author's preffered, complete unabridged text of Neverwhere read by Neil Gaiman and bought it! It's an audio book, so it's fair game. It's not taking up shelf room and I listen to it while I drive or walk, so it's not cutting into other reading time :p I am in love with this thing so far and I'm only 2 chapters in! I've always loved Neverwhere. It's my favorite of Gaiman's after American Gods. I've never really been sold on audio books before, but now I see how they can work. To hear an author read their own work is truly an amazing experience. I didn't want to get out of my car. It's wonderful to hear the story exactly as Gaiman intended it, exactly as he saw the scenes and created the characters. And I could just listen to Gaiman's voice for hours....as I will be because it's nearly 13 hours long. Seriously, this man has a voice that is meant for reading things aloud and you can hear his passion for his work in his voice. It makes me appreciate his work that much more. Carl has been plugging this one for quite some time and I don't know why it took me so long to buy it, but I'm so glad I did. I add my recommendation. Neverwhere is an incredibly unique, dark, eerie, quirky story and the audiobook adds a whole new dimension to it...and it's great to revisit the story again.

Hanging Out With The Dream King

If you need me, Me and Neil’ll be
Hanging out with the Dream King…
-Tori Amos, Tear In Your Hand

I’ve often felt that I should have the above quote made into a sign that I can hang on my door while I’m reading. My love affair with Neil Gaiman’s writing started about 10 years ago. I was a pseudo-depressed goth kid who dressed in all black and liked to burn patchouli incense in my room. On the recommendation of friend, I picked up a copy of Good Omens and fell in love with it instantly. I was familiar with Neil’s Sandman comics and the wonderful artistry that went along with it, but I was unaware that he had published a novel!

Good Omens had a theme of angels and devils at work after the birth of the Antichrist and the coming of the apocalypse; all done in the most humorous of fashions. What I loved about this book is that it was all set in the world around me. It was in my own backyard. Not literally, but it was in someone’s backyard. It’s a theme that travels through all of Neil’s works. It’s part of what makes his work special to me. Neverwhere, American Gods, Anansi Boys, Good Omens, and Coraline, all take place in our own towns and cities – places we travel every day.

Neil invites us to look for the fantastic in the world around us. Sure, we may not find a London Below quite like the one that Richard Mayhew finds….We may not go on quite the adventure that Shadow does in American Gods, but the fantastic awaits us in everyday life if we invite it to find us. I would love, for example, to travel the streets of London and visit London underground with a copy of Neverwhere. Or take a long road trip around America with a copy of American Gods. Gaiman has set up the experience…all we need is to suspend disbelief and a little imagination.

It is that invitation to the fantastic that I most admire about Neil Gaiman. Gaiman has a gift that I have not yet found in any other author. There’s a sense of magic in each project that he produces. That magic might be found in a house on a rock in America, or it may be found in a more mythical land such as Faerie, or even in the walls of a girl's bedroom where wolves have been hiding. That magic is always there in Neil's books. And it's portrayed so elegantly and in such a captivating way.

I keep a book of quotes; a book that I write down favorite passages in. When I’m reading Neil Gaiman books, I rarely transcribe passages into it. The reason being, I would literally copy the whole book! I felt this way most with American Gods. There was one passage in particular that gave me chills like no other ever has and I’d like to share it with you. It ends Chapter 5 of American Gods…the chapter where Shadow is in the House on the Rock:

“Shadow heard himself laugh, over the sound of music. He was happy. It was as if the last thirty-six hours had never happened, as if the last three years had not happened, as if his life had evaporated into the daydream of a small child, riding the carousel in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, on his first trip back to the States, a marathon journey by ship and by car, his mother standing there, watching him proudly, and himself sucking his melting Popsicle, holding on tightly, hoping the music would never stop, the carousel would never slow, the ride would never end. He was going around and around and around again…

Then the lights went out, and Shadow saw the gods.”

There’s magic in that passage and the scenes that follow it. There’s magic in many quotes of his.

Neil has collaborated with so many wonderful creative forces and through those collaborations has created amazing works of art. These include collaborations and inspirations with Dave McKean, Charles Vess, Terry Pratchett, Lisa Snellings-Clark, Tori Amos, Terri Windling, and a rumored collaboration now with Guillermo Del Toro to produce Death: The High Cost of Living into a motion picture!

Neil’s latest collaboration, and the original reason for this post, is with Michael Reaves, a writer for Star Trek: TNG and the author of the upcoming Star Wars: Death Star. The result of the collaboration is the new novel, Interworld. Interworld revisits Neil’s idea of duality in existence. It is the story of Joey Harker, a young boy who is particularly skilled at getting lost. He soon finds himself more lost than he’s ever been as he soon exists in more than one dimension…more than one world…and there are more than one versions of himself. Joey is a Walker, a person who is able to walk in and out of different planes of existence, and he's one of the best around, totally unbeknown to himself. He soon finds himself in worlds that are fascinating, new, and dangerous. There are forces out there though that could use a skilled Walker...it is the job of Interworld to keep these forces at bay and to keep the altiverse balanced. This is for sure the most Sci-fi of Gaiman's books and feels a little different than his books normally do. The story is told from a first person point of view which was also different…but I enjoyed it. Overall, I liked this book! It’s not my favorite Gaiman, it took awhile to get into, and I think the collaboration was a little strange; but once I finally got into it (about 100 pages in), it really grabbed me and kept hold! I think this may have been more of a Michael Reaves’ book due to the amount of sci-fi, though I’m not certain on that, so don't quote me. It's no American Gods or Neverwhere, but it's a fun read and it kept my interest. The cover art is wonderful and is done by James Jean. Oh...and I'd love to have a pet Hue!

Gaiman has proved himself to be quite a force in literature, comics, and now in cinema! I’m so happy for both him and Charles Vess for the upcoming release of the Stardust film and am extremely excited about the new illustrated hardback being released. Also on the way are Neil’s adaptation of Beowulf and in 2008 we will see Coraline brought to the screen. Interworld has also been optioned by Dreamworks animation to be made into a film. Neil has also done the English adaptation of Princess Mononoke and of course there was the beautiful collaboration between him and Dave McKean, Mirrormask in 2005.

Where the road will lead him in the future…who knows? But we can be sure the journey will be filled with beautiful words and realized dreams.

Sushi Pillows, Door, and Borderline Personality Disorder

While reading Neil Gaiman's latest blog post, I discovered Sushi Pillows! These are so cool that I think I may treat myself to a couple. They sell pillows shaped like sushi rolls, nigiri, and edamame. How cool. They all look and sound like they're great quality and they are apparently hand painted. So though they are a little bit pricey, they seem well worth it. And come on, where else are you ever going to find something like this.

I've started watching Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere. It is a miniseries that was written by Neil before he wrote the book and aired on A&E. I watched episode number 1 entitled "door". My first impression from the beginning was that it was going to be pretty bad. The quality of the film is just not what one is used to and it looks sort of low budget. Get past all that though, and it's not half bad. In fact, it's quite good. Though I'm glad I read the book first. Certain parts so far look like what I thought they would and certain parts do not. I love the actor that plays Richard Mayhew. He's quite good so far. Door is interesting, though the actress that plays her seems to overact a little bit. Croup and Vandemar are EXACTLY what I pictured and every bit as disgusting and sleazy as they seemed in the book. The Marquis de Carabas looked nothing like I pictured him and also overacts a little bit, although this is suiting to his character. I might have totally missed this in the book, but I always pictured the Marquis as an old white man, and in the show he is a young black man. Interesting, but it works. The storyline is exactly as the book so far, which is very cool. I can't wait to see what the angel looks like...his name slips my mind right now...Islington? maybe...I had a very vivid image of him while reading the book and I'm looking forward to seeing how that image translates on screen. A more thorough review to come as I finish the series.

Finally, I had my first experience with borderline personality disorder today. um...very interesting. I encountered said patient in a family session today and this person just broke during the session. I've never seen anybody snap like that. I feel kind of guilty for saying this, but I was just fascinated by it. At the same time, I felt horrible for the kid. I'd like to know a little bit more about Borderline personality disorder though, so I was wondering if anyone in the field *cough* Carl *cough* could recommend a good book on the subject. There are lots out there, just wondering if someone could point me to one of the many. My library's going to grow ridiculously with this internship. I can see it now.

Oh one other thing. While surfing through my daily reads in blog land, I found a great post about book covers and their appeals or lack their of over on Quixotic's blog along with a wonderful review of Pan's Labyrinth on Carl V.'s blog. I can't wait to see that movie!

A Hodgepodge post

First thing on the list is that I got Neverwhere in the mail today which made me very happy after a very sad day. I don't know when I'll have a chance to watch it, but I'm very much looking forward to it. I can't wait to see if what the novel looked like in my head compares with the mini series. Review to come whenever I get a chance to watch it.

Second thing is sort of a question to the general public. I've learned that identity crises/disorders are alot more common in children than I thought. I've seen a couple of children with identity issues pertaining to gender. I was wondering if anyone knows a good book that explains gender identity in children so that I can read up on it a bit. I know that it can come from many things, but a book may aid in helping me help others with these issues. What frustrates me is when the parent thinks that their child has something wrong with them and makes their child feel guilty when the child is just trying to figure out who he or she is. My guess is that sometimes, the parent(s) may actually be the cause of a child's identity crisis. If I could find a good book on the topic, it would also be able to give me something to suggest to the parents of a child with an identity crisis so that the parent can understand it a little bit better.

In a somewhat related topic, I was told by one of the social workers that a good book to recommend for effective parenting and disciplinary actions is 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 by Thomas Phelan.

And as a reward for your efforts, here is a beautiful painting by one of my favorite artists, Yoshitaka Amano: