Book Review: The View from the Cheap Seats

Title: The View from the Cheap Seats: Selected Nonfiction
Author: Neil Gaiman
Publication Date: 2016
Publishing House: Harper Audio

I’m a fan of Neil Gailman’s writing and up until now I’d only read his fiction work. The View from the Cheap Seats is a non fiction book. I borrowed this audiobook from the library. Normally I don’t include music for a book review but this review needs its own soundtrack.

Goodreads Synopsis:

An enthralling collection of nonfiction essays on a myriad of topics—from art and artists to dreams, myths, and memories—observed in Neil Gaiman’s probing, amusing, and distinctive style.

An inquisitive observer, thoughtful commentator, and assiduous craftsman, Neil Gaiman has long been celebrated for the sharp intellect and startling imagination that informs his bestselling fiction. Now, The View from the Cheap Seats brings together for the first time ever more than sixty pieces of his outstanding nonfiction. Analytical yet playful, erudite yet accessible, this cornucopia explores a broad range of interests and topics, including (but not limited to): authors past and present; music; storytelling; comics; bookshops; travel; fairy tales; America; inspiration; libraries; ghosts; and the title piece, at turns touching and self-deprecating, which recounts the author’s experiences at the 2010 Academy Awards in Hollywood. 

Insightful, incisive, witty, and wise, The View from the Cheap Seats explores the issues and subjects that matter most to Neil Gaiman—offering a glimpse into the head and heart of one of the most acclaimed, beloved, and influential artists of our time.

Real question, who actually reads book introductions? If you read this book you will read plenty along with speeches given, sometimes decades ago. This book is about love, love and inspiration. In each piece Gaiman weaves together magic by simply writing about the things that he loves and trying to explain to others why these people and their creations inspired him. While reading this book I was actively adding books to my to-read list, including his Sandman comics. I’ve never read more prose about people that I’ve never met and come away think that I have.

Honestly, my words aren’t doing this book justice. This is not a book that you sit down and read all in one sitting. Read one piece at a time and take inspiration every day from it. Learn about artists, about writing scripts, about musicians, and about working in tandem with others.

Make good art.

– Neil Gaiman

I suggest this book for those that are fans of Neil Gaiman, for those are fans of beautiful proses, for fans of nonfiction, and for those that want to read something a bit different.

While I was reading this book I realized that Neil Gaiman had the Ask the Author feature enabled. On a whim, I asked the below question and he answered! I had to share on this post. Fan of Gaiman’s writing or not, he is good with his fans. If you would like to see other questions that he has answered recently, you can visit this page here. Happy reading.

Other Neil Gaiman Book Reviews:

• Coraline
• Smoke and Mirrors
• Norse Mythology
• Trigger Warning

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