An Introduction to Neil Gaiman from Annalisa Timbrell of Surrey Libraries

When I see the words ‘Neil’ and Gaiman’ written next to each other on the spine of a book I know I'm in for something special. I’m about to enter a new and magical world that I might never want to leave. I hold his books in my hands and ponder how he writes with such poetry and imagination, like no other author I know.

If you asked me my favourite Neil Gaiman book, I would struggle to answer. Some, perhaps more life changing than others. Which did I enjoy the most? The enchanting nature of ‘Stardust’? Or the darkness of ‘Anansi Boys’? Perhaps the masterful storytelling of ‘American Gods?’ Right now, my brain calls out that of course, my favourite of his books must be ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane.’ The story and the characters are so fresh in my mind and I remember longing to hear more of the unnamed narrator and Lettie Hempstock’s story as I turned the final page. It felt like only Gaiman could write such a moving, beautiful book with the voice of a being who remained an enigma throughout. We learn so much depth about the narrator, yet major details remain a secret without dampening the story. What is the narrators name or gender? These normally vital pieces of information are kept from the reader, and remind us that we do not need to label characters in order for them to have an impact on a story. Tomorrow, however, my favourite Gaiman book will be something completely different as I remember the characters and depth of another of his works.

I have one unread Gaiman book sitting on my shelves. ‘Coraline’ still remains a mystery to me and I almost want to leave it that way as long as possible. I’m almost scared to read it. Then none of his books will be new to me anymore. I often wish I could go back to a state of not having known the joy his books can bring, so I can experience his writing for the first time again. How incredible that there are people exploring library shelves and picking out his books for the first time; not knowing the journey they are about to embark on.

Gaiman isn’t just an author. He’s a library advocate who would do anything to show his support for librarians across the world, and understands the vital role we play in shaping the minds of the generations of the future, not just through books, but through information. What is a generation who haven’t known the joy of books and libraries?

So how would I get other people excited about Neil Gaiman’s books? For me, it’s a pretty simple answer. If you like to imagine and dream and escape from reality, I believe you’ll love his books from the outset. And who doesn’t love to dream? If not, well, there are plenty of other books in the world that can provide that escapism for you. But I’d always choose Gaiman, for pure magic and joy. Once you open up his story in your hand, you might never be able to stop. I find that one of the many beauties of books is the division in interpretation and opinion. It’s fair to say that not everyone will understand the passion people feel for Gaiman’s books, but as the great man himself said, ‘Fiction can show you a different world. It can take you somewhere you've never been.’