American Gods by Neil Gaiman Essay Example
American Gods by Neil Gaiman
"Neil Gaiman is a messy-haired white male author trapped in the body of an identical white male author with perhaps even less tidy hair. He thanks you for your offer of a comb but does not believe it would do any good."
This is how fifty-year old Neil Richard Gaiman describes himself. Despite being English, he lives more in America than he does anywhere else in the world. Gaiman was born on the 10th of November 1960 in a small city called Portchester in Hampshire county.
Neil Gaiman wrote his first novel in co-operation with Terry Pratchett. Since his début he has been recognised as one of the best authors of our generation.
In 1999 Neil Gaiman released the first edition of his fantasy novel "Stardust". In 2007 Stardust was made into a movie with the same title.
June 19, 2001, Neil Gaiman published "American Gods". The book is 480 pages in its normal version. The "Author's preferred text" edition (which I read) is 635 pages (+ extra material). The book has received many awards, including the Hugo and Nebula awards. It also won the Bram Stoker, SFX and Locus awards.
Shadow is a minor criminal serving his last few remaining days in jail. He is looking forward to meeting his wife and getting back his old life. His life is in ruins when he finds out that his wife and best friend have died in a car crash. Seeing his life crumbling before his eyes Shadow starts working for a man who calls himself "Mr. Wednesday". It soon becomes clear to Shadow that Mr. Wednesday is a god from Norse mythology and that he is actually Odin "the wanderer". He finds out that a war is coming. The old mythology gods are going to war against "the new gods". The new gods are those who made TV, Highways, Fast Foods and many more indulgences we share in our society.
The book takes place in the present and the plot of the book develops over the course of one long bitter winter. In that winter Shadow and Wednesday travel all
"Neil Gaiman is a messy-haired white male author trapped in the body of an identical white male author with perhaps even less tidy hair. He thanks you for your offer of a comb but does not believe it would do any good."
This is how fifty-year old Neil Richard Gaiman describes himself. Despite being English, he lives more in America than he does anywhere else in the world. Gaiman was born on the 10th of November 1960 in a small city called Portchester in Hampshire county.
Neil Gaiman wrote his first novel in co-operation with Terry Pratchett. Since his début he has been recognised as one of the best authors of our generation.
In 1999 Neil Gaiman released the first edition of his fantasy novel "Stardust". In 2007 Stardust was made into a movie with the same title.
June 19, 2001, Neil Gaiman published "American Gods". The book is 480 pages in its normal version. The "Author's preferred text" edition (which I read) is 635 pages (+ extra material). The book has received many awards, including the Hugo and Nebula awards. It also won the Bram Stoker, SFX and Locus awards.
Shadow is a minor criminal serving his last few remaining days in jail. He is looking forward to meeting his wife and getting back his old life. His life is in ruins when he finds out that his wife and best friend have died in a car crash. Seeing his life crumbling before his eyes Shadow starts working for a man who calls himself "Mr. Wednesday". It soon becomes clear to Shadow that Mr. Wednesday is a god from Norse mythology and that he is actually Odin "the wanderer". He finds out that a war is coming. The old mythology gods are going to war against "the new gods". The new gods are those who made TV, Highways, Fast Foods and many more indulgences we share in our society.
The book takes place in the present and the plot of the book develops over the course of one long bitter winter. In that winter Shadow and Wednesday travel all