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Considering the Fall of Neil Gaiman
I would read other books, of course, but in my heart I knew that I read them only because there wasn’t an infinite number of Narnia books to read … C.S. Lewis was the first person to make me want to be a writer. (Neil Gaiman, keynote speech, “Mythcon 35”) The celebrated English fantasy author, Neil Gaiman, has been shot out of the sky. In August, a podcast began to detail allegations of sexual abuse made against him by five different women. Last week, New York Magazine published a longer and more horrifically detailed catalogue, partly supported by testimonies from new victims. The new article is convincing and compelling (also…
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The Consolations of Fantasy
Hobbits, notes J.R.R. Tolkien at the start of their eponymous story, are easily forgotten, largely overlooked, and have little or no magic about them. Or not. In the 75 years since he penned those words, The Hobbit has sold more than 100 million copies. In its opening weekend, Peter Jackson’s first instalment of the movie version broke records around the world. Clearly there is something a little magical about hobbits after all. The interesting question, however, is what that magic is. Why should an English boffin’s fairytale of elves, wizards and dragons continue to command such devotion? What craving does it satisfy? The interesting question is what that magic is. What craving…
