The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction

I didn't realize it was possibly to be simultaneously deeply self-indulgent and also selfless, but that's what we have here. I just can't in good conscience recommend this book. It's selections of introductions to other works, speeches, verbal introductions and other miscellany. Two objections stand out: firstly, few readers will be familiar with all of the works discussed (or even a majority). It's quite dull to read an introduction to a book that you have never read and don't have access to, quality of writing notwithstanding. Secondly, in general, a collection of essays always wants for strong editing, especially when the topics of the essays are overlapping. In one case this was done, but in the others there are numerous redundancies – sometimes entire paragraphs lifted from one to the other.

That said, if you look at this as an encyclopedia of Stuff Neil Gaiman Recommends, it becomes more useful – I know I will seek out several of the introduced books here.

Finally an extra star entirely for the moving essays about Diana Wynne Jones. I have long found their friendship extremely touching. Gaiman has never wavered in his admiration of her and even when his fame far outstripped hers he advocated for her.

It says a lot of good about Neil Gaiman that he used this fame-backed ploy to talk up his own favorite books, regardless of their own fame. Nonetheless, it is a fame-backed ploy.

Neil Gaiman is like a best friend that you've never met, but will one day, and I fully intend to soon. He has a heart that gazes on life with sheer fascination, and an imagination that is nothing short of magic. In this collection of non-fictions from Neil, you'll be given a glimpse into the mind of imaginative perspective. Everything from his thoughts on writing, making art, and why creators create is here. Plus you get glimpses into people that have impacted his life in significant ways, such as Terry Pratchett and his wife Amanda Palmer. You'll travel with him to the rich and famous Oscars and the most destitute of the poor in Syrian refugee camps. You'll laugh and you'll cry, and if you really pay attention to his stories you'll be a better person for having done so. I would say that's true of all his stories, whether fact or fiction. Neil is a good man to have for a friend, because he makes good art.

The un-essential Neil Gaiman.

I'm not trying to be mean; this is by the author's own admission a collection of odds and ends. The problem is really that there are few essays or critiques and most of the works therein are the intros to other people's books. Okay, but not particularly engaging. An interesting read for fans, but I doubt you'll take it cover to cover.

This is really a mixed bag, there are good moments, boring moments, repetitive moments, and sad moments and if, like me, you dislike Amanda Palmer you'll probably get annoyed at how much talk of her there is in this collection.
Gaiman writes decent fiction but his philosophy isn't all that deep and I can't say that I found it all that interesting to step into the mind of someone who will excuse having awful people listed as their favourite writers (I get it you can enjoy things written by bad people but listing them as a favourite is another pair of shorts altogether). I enjoyed his questioning on the distinction between adult fiction and children's fiction and his pieces on grief and loss which were quite poignant.

Oh Neil, I never get tired of hearing your voice in my head. This collection of Neil's non-fiction is not exactly what I was hoping for, but I still enjoyed spending time hearing his thoughts. This issue was that I only had a frame of reference for some of his thoughts because so many of these articles are very out of context. When I was familiar with the book or person he was discussing, I really enjoyed reading; when I wasn't, I had a harder time getting into it. It does provide a handy reading/viewing/listening list for anyone who wants slowly absorb all the Gaiman knoweldge and references in existence. I may or may not attempt that.

I should not have read this book in one go..

This is a lovely book, truly. But with the release of Norse Mythology, the author's new book, I found myself wanting to get through it. I should have just put it aside after the first part - about libraries, reading and youth - and picked it back up later. I think I would have appreciated it a lot more then.

The work is sorted wonderfully, providing more insight into the author's thoughts and world views. There are funny bits and odd bits and heartfelt, painful bits. Neil Gaiman is my favorite author and I believe that I will be coming back to some of these nonfiction works later. It has introduced me to authors unknown (or well known, but unread to me) and provided me with background to some of my favorite books. All in all, I have nothing but praise for this book. But I shouldn't have read it in one go :)