Gaim-an for a laugh
Sci-fi and fantasy polymath Neil Gaiman made a rare UK appearance at the Centre at the end of October, when he read from his new story The Graveyard Book. The event was a unique one for the Literature Live series as it included not one but two support bands, as the writer's friends Paul and Storm and Jonathan Coulton, who were playing at the University the same night, each performed a song at the beginning of the proceedings.
Neil then read half a chapter from The Graveyard Book, the idea for which first came to him over 20 years ago when his son was very young. Living in a tall house with no garden, his son would happlily ride his tricycle in the graveyard opposite; giving Neil the inspiration for an alternative Jungle Book in which the orphaned boy is raised by dead people.
In the extract concerned, the boy, Bod, has been looked after by a ghost called Silas who is now going away. He entrusts Bod's care to the school ma'am-like Miss Loupescou, who forces him to learn obsure lessons and eat her home-cooked meals.
In discussion with the event's chair Jerome de Groot, the writer agreed that the book was about the creation and development of extended families, but said that he had only realised the existence of this theme and his own feelings about it as part of the writing process. He saw the book as being both bleak and hopeful, and conceded that it very much drew on traditions of English writing and gothic tropes.
Neil then answered questions from the audience, describing his Sandman as "the first sexually-transmitted comic" and attributing the diversity of genres and audiences his work relates to to his desire to avoid pigeonholes and background in the 'anything goes' world of comics.
The evening ended with much dedication and commitment on both sides as the audience queued for two and a half hours to have their hero sign his books. But the night wasn't over for Mr Gaiman, who headed off to the Students' Union to return the favour at his pals' concert!