Folio Society Publishes Neil Gaiman's "American Gods," Illustrated by Dave McKean
Winner of multiple awards, including the Hugo and the Nebula, American Gods is Neil Gaiman’s sweeping exploration of story, myth and the shifting nature of belief itself. According to Mr Wednesday, gods travelled to the new world with their immigrant worshippers only to flounder in a land both too strange and too modern to nurture them. Although the story is rooted in the familiar - Gaiman gives us Egyptian deities who run funeral parlours, and gods who drive cabs to make a living - it tears back the veil to reveal the pulsing supernatural heart of America. Crammed with unconventional yet wholly engaging characters, this story of coin tricks, cons and misdirection is considered by many to be Gaiman’s masterpiece.
For this special collector’s edition, the only colour illustrated hardback volume currently available, award-winning artist and illustrator, and Gaiman’s longtime creative partner, Dave McKean has created 12 extraordinary illustrations, including three double-page spread and a frontispiece, as well as designs for the binding and slipcase that complement and mirror each other. Like Gaiman’s stories, McKean’s multimedia pieces, with their layered meanings and half-monstrous creatures, capture the uneasy relationship between the real and the unreal.
The text is the author’s preferred version and includes new revisions approved by the author. This edition also features both Gaiman’s original introduction and an afterword titled ‘How Dare You?’ on the particular challenges faced by an Englishman writing a novel about America. McKean has provided a revealing introduction on his approach to illustration - an essay exclusive to this edition - making this an essential volume for any enthusiast of the work of this legendary creative team.
Product information
Bound in cloth blocked with a design by the artist. Set in Maxime with Wicked Grit display. 560 pages. 12 colour illustrations, including 3 double-page spreads.
Printed slipcase. 10" x 63??4".
UK £75.00 US $120.00 Can $155.00 Aus $160.00