Person
Neil Gaiman's book recommendations
Key facts
- Neil Gaiman has recommended or discussed 11 books on podcasts, as of June 27, 2024.
- Neil Gaiman has talked about books on 2 podcasts, as of June 27, 2024.
- Those books came up in 3 episodes, as of June 27, 2024.
- The 3 books Neil Gaiman has mentioned in the most episodes, not counting Neil Gaiman's own, as of June 27, 2024: Johnny and the Dead, The 13 Clocks and The Colour of Magic.
- The latest episode with a book mention from Neil Gaiman aired on June 27, 2024.
Updated
Across 2 podcasts. Every show Neil Gaiman appears on, in one place — not just one.
Neil Gaiman’s most recommended books
- Johnny and the Dead by Terry Pratchett
- The 13 Clocks by James Thurber
- The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett
- The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling
- The myths of the Norsemen by Roger Lancelyn Green
Neil Richard MacKinnon Gaiman is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, audio theatre, and screenplays, best known for acclaimed works such as the comic series The Sandman and novels including Good Omens, American Gods, and Coraline. Appearing on podcasts to discuss his creative life, Gaiman recommended reading the novel Good Omens, which he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett. He described discovering Roger Lancelyn Green's Myths of the Norsemen during his childhood and falling in love with it. He also spoke extensively about his writing process and the specific notebooks used for his projects, discussing the American draft of Neverwhere, the large notebooks utilized while writing Stardust and American Gods, and special leatherbound notebooks bought in Venice where he composed The Graveyard Book. Additionally, Gaiman discussed writing The Ocean at the End of the Lane while staying at Tori Amos's house in Florida, and reflected on the joy of collaborating on Good Omens while having Terry Pratchett as an immediate audience for his humor.
Books recommended by Neil Gaiman
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Good Omens
Good Omens is a humorous fantasy novel about the birth of the Antichrist and the coming apocalypse, co-written by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Discussed“so the joy of good Omens really I mean the best thing about good Omens was having Terry pret as an audience cuz if I could make Terry Love laugh it's like hitting the thing in the circus with the hammer”
Where to get it
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American Gods
American Gods by Neil Gaiman is a fantasy novel published in 2001 that explores the conflict between traditional mythological deities and modern American manifestations of technology and consumerism.
Discussed“those were the ones I wrote Stardust and American Gods in sort of big size but they weren't terribly portable”
Where to get it
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Johnny and the Dead
Discussed“He took he wrote a book called Johnny and the dead which was sort of taking some of the stuff but it wasn't close enough that I couldn't then still do my story”
Where to get it
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Neverwhere
Neverwhere is an urban fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman that explores a secret, magical underworld hidden beneath the streets of London.
Discussed“I did it with the American draft of neverware that was the first one I ever tried and I did the entire sort of American draft which was a big second draft”
Where to get it
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Stardust
Stardust is a whimsical fantasy novel by Neil Gaiman that follows a young man's journey into a magical realm to retrieve a fallen star.
Discussed“those were the ones I wrote Stardust and American Gods in sort of big size but they weren't terribly portable”
Where to get it
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The 13 Clocks
Discussed“Then sometimes, you know James Thurber I was told I could bring you know that that they would bring them the 13 clocks back in the print if I wrote an introduction to it”
Where to get it
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The Colour of Magic
The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett is the comedic and wildly imaginative first installment in the bestselling Discworld fantasy series.
Discussed“Terry and I met when his first book first Discworld book the colour of magic was due to come out in paperback”
Where to get it
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The Graveyard Book
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is an imaginative fantasy novel that follows a human boy raised by ghosts in a graveyard after his family is murdered.
Discussed“I wrote the graveyard book and I'm writing the current novel in these beautiful books that I bought in a stationary shop in Venice built into a bridge somewhere in Venice”
Where to get it
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The Jungle Book
The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling is a classic collection of stories featuring a human boy raised by wild animals in the Indian jungle, exploring themes of nature, society, and anthropomorphism.
Discussed“Actually Kipling already kind of did that once with the jungle book which is a kid in a jungle being brought up by wild animals”
Where to get it
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The myths of the Norsemen
Discussed“so the time there was an English writer named Roger leling green and he had done myths of the Norse men and I had a friend who had a copy so I grabbed it read it fell in love with it”
Where to get it
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The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane is a slim, deeply atmospheric fantasy novel that explores childhood memories, ancient magic, and the shadows of the past.
Discussed“and you know couple of months later looked up and they had the ocean at the end of the lane which was only meant to have been a short story anyway it just kept going that I think works really really well”
Where to get it
Books by Neil Gaiman
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Coraline
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Good Omens
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American Gods
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Stardust
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The Ocean at the End of the Lane
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Neverwhere
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Anansi Boys
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The Graveyard Book
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Fragile Things
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Norse Mythology
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Selections from Fragile Things
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InterWorld
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Trigger Warning
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M Is for Magic
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Dream Country
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The knight and knave of swords
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Fortunately, the Milk
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Preludes & Nocturnes
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Season of Mists
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Odd and the Frost Giants
Appearances
| Episode | Podcast | Date | Books |
|---|---|---|---|
| #750: Neil Gaiman and Debbie Millman | The Tim Ferriss Show | 2024-06-27 | 6 |
| #366: Neil Gaiman — The Interview I've Waited 20 Years To Do | The Tim Ferriss Show | 2019-03-28 | 5 |
| Neil Gaiman's Myths | The Book Review | 2017-02-17 | 1 |
Other mentions (7: passing, ad reads, own books)
“And I have tried it a couple of times, I did it with the American draft of never where, that was the first one I ever tried”
“And I also have been writing, I wrote the graveyard book and I'm writing the current novel in a these beautiful books that I bought in a stationery shop in Venice”
“I signed through ocean at the end of the lane, you know before the book had come out I'd already pre signed you know written my signature 20,000 times with this pen”
“It's why it felt wonderful to follow American gods up with Coraline, nobody even knew that I wanted to be a kids author”
“It's why it felt wonderful to follow American gods up with Coraline, nobody even knew that I wanted to be a kids author”
“also bought his his tales of ancient Egypt”
“he did Tales of Troy”