Russell Hoban
Encyclopedia
Russell Conwell Hoban is an American
writer, now living in England
, of fantasy
, science fiction
, mainstream fiction
, magic realism
, poetry
, and children's books
, just outside of Philadelphia
, Pennsylvania
, the son of two Jewish Ukrainian
immigrants. He was named after Russell Conwell
.
After briefly attending Temple University
, he enlisted in the Army
at age 18 and served in the Philippines
and Italy
as a radio operator during World War II
. During his military service, he married his first wife, Lillian Hoban
(née Aberman), who later illustrated many of his books.
Hoban then worked as an illustrator
(painting several covers for TIME
, Sports Illustrated
, and The Saturday Evening Post
) and an advertising
copywriter—occupations which several of his characters later shared—before writing and illustrating his first children's book, What Does It Do and How Does It Work.
"About the Artist" in the Macmillan Classics Edition of Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
(second printing 1965), which Hoban illustrated, notes that he worked in advertising for Batten Barton Durstine & Osborn
and that later he became the art director of J. Walter Thompson
: "Heavy machinery later became subjects for his paintings, and this led him into the children's book field with the writing and illustrating of What Does It Do and How Does It Work? and The Atomic Submarine." That section on the artist points out also that at the time the book's illustrations were copyrighted, in 1964, Hoban was teaching drawing at the School of Visual Arts
, in New York
, collaborating with his first wife on their fifth children's book, and living in Connecticut
.
He wrote exclusively for children for the next decade, and was best known for his series of short books starring Frances, a temperamental badger
child, whose escapades were in part based on the experiences of his four children, Phoebe, Brom, Esmé, Julia, and their friends. The Mouse and His Child
, a dark philosophical tale for older children, appeared in 1967 and was Hoban's first full-length novel; it was later made into an animated film in 1977 by the American arm of Japan
ese company Sanrio
.
In 1969, Hoban, his wife, and their children travelled to London
, intending to stay only a short time. The marriage dissolved, and while the rest of the family returned to the United States, Hoban remained in London and has resided there ever since. In 1975 he remarried with Gundula Ahl, who worked in the fashionable London bookshop Truslove and Hanson
. All of his adult novels except Riddley Walker
, Pilgermann
and Fremder are set in whole or part in contemporary London.
In 1971, Hoban wrote a book employing concepts borrowed from "The Gift of the Magi" called Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas, which further reached fans through a 1977 special originally created for HBO by the Jim Henson Company. The book was illustrated by his then-wife, Lillian Hoban, whose drawn renditions of these characters were faithfully replicated by the Muppet creators. The story tells of a poor mother and son who do what they must to try to provide a special Christmas to one another, taking a route neither of them expected.
The 1985 film Turtle Diary
was adapted by Harold Pinter
from Hoban's novel Turtle Diary .
Hoban now lives with his second wife; they have three children, one of whom is the composer Wieland Hoban, to whom Riddley Walker is dedicated. Wieland has set one of his father's texts in his piece Night Roads (1998–99).
) began in 2002, in which Hoban enthusiasts celebrate his birthday by writing down favourite quotes from his books (invariably on sheets of yellow A4 paper, a recurring Hoban motif) and leaving them in public places. By 2004, the event had occurred three times; as of February 2009 it has since taken place each year, seeing over 350 quotes distributed around 46 towns and cities throughout 14 countries.
In 2005 fans from across the world celebrated Hoban's work in London at the first international convention for the author, entitled The Russell Hoban Some-Poasyum (a pun on symposium
from Riddley Walker). A booklet was published by the organisers to commemorate the event featuring tributes to Hoban from a variety of contributors including actor and politician Glenda Jackson
, novelist David Mitchell
, composer Harrison Birtwistle
and screenwriter Andrew Davies
.
In November 2007 Hoban's own stage adaptation of Riddley Walker was produced (for the third time) by the Red Kettle Theatre Company, in Waterford
, Ireland
, and was reviewed positively in the Irish Times
.
Hoban's most recent novel is Angelica Lost and Found, published October 2010, in which the hippogriff
from Girolamo da Carpi
's Ruggiero
Saving Angelica
breaks free from the 16th-century painting to search for Angelica in 21st-century San Francisco.
Also in October 2010 Hoban took part in Map Marathon: Maps for the 21st Century, a multimedia event in London, UK.
. Exceptions include Kleinzeit (a comic fantasy whose characters include Death
, Hospital
, and Underground
), Riddley Walker (generally considered science fiction because of its futuristic though primitive setting), Pilgermann (a historical novel about the Crusades), and Fremder (a more recognisably science-fiction novel).
Many of his novels could also be considered romances
, following the development of a relationship between two characters who often take turns as narrators, bonding over some common obsession or artistic interest.
There is frequent repetition of the same images and themes in different contexts: for instance, many of Hoban's works refer to lion
s, Orpheus
, Eurydice
, Persephone
, Vermeer, severed heads
, heart disease
, flickering
, Odilon Redon
, and King Kong
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer, now living in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, of fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, mainstream fiction
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
, magic realism
Magic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
, poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, and children's books
Biography
Hoban was born in LansdaleLansdale, Pennsylvania
Lansdale is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 28 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Early in the 20th century, its industries included agricultural implement works, a canning factory, foundries, brickyards, a silk mill, and manufacturers of cigars, stoves, shirts, rope, iron drain pipe,...
, just outside of Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, the son of two Jewish Ukrainian
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
immigrants. He was named after Russell Conwell
Russell Conwell
Russell Herman Conwell was an American Baptist minister, orator, philanthropist, lawyer, and writer. He is best remembered as the founder and first president of Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the Pastor of The Baptist Temple, and for his inspirational lecture Acres of Diamonds...
.
After briefly attending Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, he enlisted in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
at age 18 and served in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
as a radio operator during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. During his military service, he married his first wife, Lillian Hoban
Lillian Hoban
Lillian Hoban was a children's literature author and artist.The youngest of three children, Hoban was born Lillian Aberman in Philadelphia on May 18, 1925...
(née Aberman), who later illustrated many of his books.
Hoban then worked as an illustrator
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
(painting several covers for TIME
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
, and The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
) and an advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
copywriter—occupations which several of his characters later shared—before writing and illustrating his first children's book, What Does It Do and How Does It Work.
"About the Artist" in the Macmillan Classics Edition of Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
(second printing 1965), which Hoban illustrated, notes that he worked in advertising for Batten Barton Durstine & Osborn
BBDO
BBDO is a worldwide advertising agency network, with its headquarters in New York City. The agency began in 1891 with George Batten's Batten Company, and later in 1928, through a merger of BDO and Batten Co. the agency became BBDO...
and that later he became the art director of J. Walter Thompson
JWT
JWT is one of the largest advertising agencies in the United States and the fourth-largest in the world. It is one of the key companies of Sir Martin Sorrell's WPP Group and is headquartered in New York. The global agency is led by Worldwide Chairman and Global CEO Bob Jeffrey who took over the...
: "Heavy machinery later became subjects for his paintings, and this led him into the children's book field with the writing and illustrating of What Does It Do and How Does It Work? and The Atomic Submarine." That section on the artist points out also that at the time the book's illustrations were copyrighted, in 1964, Hoban was teaching drawing at the School of Visual Arts
School of Visual Arts
The School of Visual Arts , is a proprietary art school located in Manhattan, New York City, and is widely considered to be one of the leading art schools in the United States. It was established in 1947 by co-founders Silas H. Rhodes and Burne Hogarth as the Cartoonists and Illustrators School and...
, in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, collaborating with his first wife on their fifth children's book, and living in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
He wrote exclusively for children for the next decade, and was best known for his series of short books starring Frances, a temperamental badger
Badger
Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
child, whose escapades were in part based on the experiences of his four children, Phoebe, Brom, Esmé, Julia, and their friends. The Mouse and His Child
The Mouse and His Child
The Mouse and His Child is a 1977 animated film based on the 1967 Russell Hoban novel The Mouse and His Child. In the United States the film isalso known as The Extraordinary Adventures of the Mouse and His Child...
, a dark philosophical tale for older children, appeared in 1967 and was Hoban's first full-length novel; it was later made into an animated film in 1977 by the American arm of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese company Sanrio
Sanrio
is a Japanese company that designs, licenses and produces products focusing on the kawaii segment of Japanese popular culture. Their products include stationery, school supplies, gifts and accessories that are sold worldwide and at specialty brand retail stores in Japan...
.
In 1969, Hoban, his wife, and their children travelled to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, intending to stay only a short time. The marriage dissolved, and while the rest of the family returned to the United States, Hoban remained in London and has resided there ever since. In 1975 he remarried with Gundula Ahl, who worked in the fashionable London bookshop Truslove and Hanson
Truslove and Hanson
Truslove & Hanson was a minor independent publishing firm that ran a number of fashionable bookshops in the West End of London. They also printed personalized stationery and bookplates, offered a bookbinding service, and acted as London agents for the State Library of New South Wales...
. All of his adult novels except Riddley Walker
Riddley Walker
Riddley Walker is a science fiction novel by Russell Hoban, first published in 1980. It won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best science fiction novel in 1982, as well as an Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award in 1983...
, Pilgermann
Pilgermann
Pilgermann is a 1983 novel by Russell Hoban, set in the Middle Ages and depicting the journey of a wandering Jew across Europe and Northern Africa on his way to the Holy Land.-Plot summary:...
and Fremder are set in whole or part in contemporary London.
In 1971, Hoban wrote a book employing concepts borrowed from "The Gift of the Magi" called Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas, which further reached fans through a 1977 special originally created for HBO by the Jim Henson Company. The book was illustrated by his then-wife, Lillian Hoban, whose drawn renditions of these characters were faithfully replicated by the Muppet creators. The story tells of a poor mother and son who do what they must to try to provide a special Christmas to one another, taking a route neither of them expected.
The 1985 film Turtle Diary
Turtle Diary
Turtle Diary is a 1985 British drama about "people rediscovering the joys of life and love," based on a screenplay adapted by Harold Pinter from Russell Hoban's novel Turtle Diary, directed by John Irvin, and starring Glenda Jackson, Ben Kingsley, and Michael Gambon.-Synopsis:Two lonely Londoners -...
was adapted by Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter
Harold Pinter, CH, CBE was a Nobel Prize–winning English playwright and screenwriter. One of the most influential modern British dramatists, his writing career spanned more than 50 years. His best-known plays include The Birthday Party , The Homecoming , and Betrayal , each of which he adapted to...
from Hoban's novel Turtle Diary .
Hoban now lives with his second wife; they have three children, one of whom is the composer Wieland Hoban, to whom Riddley Walker is dedicated. Wieland has set one of his father's texts in his piece Night Roads (1998–99).
Recent activity
An annual fan activity dubbed the Slickman A4 Quotation Event (SA4QE) (named after its founder, Diana Slickman, a member of experimental Chicago theatre troupe the Neo-FuturistsNeo-Futurists
The Neo-Futurists are an experimental theater troupe founded by Greg Allen in 1988. Neo-Futurism, inspired by the Italian Futurist movement from the early 20th century, is based on an aesthetics of honesty, speed and brevity.-Aesthetic:...
) began in 2002, in which Hoban enthusiasts celebrate his birthday by writing down favourite quotes from his books (invariably on sheets of yellow A4 paper, a recurring Hoban motif) and leaving them in public places. By 2004, the event had occurred three times; as of February 2009 it has since taken place each year, seeing over 350 quotes distributed around 46 towns and cities throughout 14 countries.
In 2005 fans from across the world celebrated Hoban's work in London at the first international convention for the author, entitled The Russell Hoban Some-Poasyum (a pun on symposium
Symposium
In ancient Greece, the symposium was a drinking party. Literary works that describe or take place at a symposium include two Socratic dialogues, Plato's Symposium and Xenophon's Symposium, as well as a number of Greek poems such as the elegies of Theognis of Megara...
from Riddley Walker). A booklet was published by the organisers to commemorate the event featuring tributes to Hoban from a variety of contributors including actor and politician Glenda Jackson
Glenda Jackson
Glenda May Jackson, CBE is a British Labour Party politician and former actress. She has been a Member of Parliament since 1992, and currently represents Hampstead and Kilburn. She previously served as MP for Hampstead and Highgate...
, novelist David Mitchell
David Mitchell (author)
David Stephen Mitchell is an English novelist. He has written five novels, two of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize.- Biography :...
, composer Harrison Birtwistle
Harrison Birtwistle
Sir Harrison Paul Birtwistle CH is a British contemporary composer.-Life:Birtwistle was born in Accrington, a mill town in Lancashire some 20 miles north of Manchester. His interest in music was encouraged by his mother, who bought him a clarinet when he was seven, and arranged for him to have...
and screenwriter Andrew Davies
Andrew Davies (writer)
Andrew Wynford Davies is a British author and screenwriter. He was made a Fellow of BAFTA in 2002.-Education and early career:...
.
In November 2007 Hoban's own stage adaptation of Riddley Walker was produced (for the third time) by the Red Kettle Theatre Company, in Waterford
Waterford
Waterford is a city in the South-East Region of Ireland. It is the oldest city in the country and fifth largest by population. Waterford City Council is the local government authority for the city and its immediate hinterland...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, and was reviewed positively in the Irish Times
The Irish Times
The Irish Times is an Irish daily broadsheet newspaper launched on 29 March 1859. The editor is Kevin O'Sullivan who succeeded Geraldine Kennedy in 2011; the deputy editor is Paul O'Neill. The Irish Times is considered to be Ireland's newspaper of record, and is published every day except Sundays...
.
Hoban's most recent novel is Angelica Lost and Found, published October 2010, in which the hippogriff
Hippogriff
A Hippogriff is a legendary creature, supposedly the offspring of a griffin and a mare.- Early references :...
from Girolamo da Carpi
Girolamo da Carpi
Girolamo Da Carpi was an Italian painter and decorator who worked at the Court of the House of Este in Ferrara. He began painting in Ferrara, by report apprenticing to Benvenuto Tisi ; but by age 20, he had moved to Bologna, and is considered a figure of Early Renaissance painting of the local...
's Ruggiero
Ruggiero (character)
Ruggiero is a leading character in the Italian romantic epics Orlando innamorato by Matteo Maria Boiardo and Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto. Ruggiero had originally appeared in the twelfth-century French epic, Aspremont, reworked by Andrea da Barberino as the chivalric romance Aspramonte...
Saving Angelica
Angelica (character)
Angelica is a princess in the epic poem Orlando innamorato by Matteo Maria Boiardo. She reappears in the saga's continuation, Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto, and in various later works based on the two original Orlando pieces...
breaks free from the 16th-century painting to search for Angelica in 21st-century San Francisco.
Also in October 2010 Hoban took part in Map Marathon: Maps for the 21st Century, a multimedia event in London, UK.
Themes and genres
Hoban is often described as a fantasy writer; only two of his novels, Turtle Diary and The Bat Tattoo, are entirely devoid of supernatural elements. However, the fantasy elements are usually presented as only moderately surprising developments in an otherwise realistic contemporary story, i.e. magic realismMagic realism
Magic realism or magical realism is an aesthetic style or genre of fiction in which magical elements blend with the real world. The story explains these magical elements as real occurrences, presented in a straightforward manner that places the "real" and the "fantastic" in the same stream of...
. Exceptions include Kleinzeit (a comic fantasy whose characters include Death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, Hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
, and Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
), Riddley Walker (generally considered science fiction because of its futuristic though primitive setting), Pilgermann (a historical novel about the Crusades), and Fremder (a more recognisably science-fiction novel).
Many of his novels could also be considered romances
Romance novel
The romance novel is a literary genre developed in Western culture, mainly in English-speaking countries. Novels in this genre place their primary focus on the relationship and romantic love between two people, and must have an "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending." Through the late...
, following the development of a relationship between two characters who often take turns as narrators, bonding over some common obsession or artistic interest.
There is frequent repetition of the same images and themes in different contexts: for instance, many of Hoban's works refer to lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, Orpheus
Orpheus
Orpheus was a legendary musician, poet, and prophet in ancient Greek religion and myth. The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music; his attempt to retrieve his wife from the underworld; and his death at the hands of those who...
, Eurydice
Eurydice
Eurydice in Greek mythology, was an oak nymph or one of the daughters of Apollo . She was the wife of Orpheus, who loved her dearly; on their wedding day, he played joyful songs as his bride danced through the meadow. One day, a satyr saw and pursued Eurydice, who stepped on a venomous snake,...
, Persephone
Persephone
In Greek mythology, Persephone , also called Kore , is the daughter of Zeus and the harvest-goddess Demeter, and queen of the underworld; she was abducted by Hades, the god-king of the underworld....
, Vermeer, severed heads
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
, heart disease
Coronary heart disease
Coronary artery disease is the end result of the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the coronary arteries that supply the myocardium with oxygen and nutrients. It is sometimes also called coronary heart disease...
, flickering
Persistence of vision
Persistence of vision is the phenomenon of the eye by which an afterimage is thought to persist for approximately one twenty-fifth of a second on the retina....
, Odilon Redon
Odilon Redon
Bertrand-Jean Redon, better known as Odilon Redon was a French symbolist painter, printmaker, draughtsman and pastellist.-Life:...
, and King Kong
King Kong
King Kong is a fictional character, a giant movie monster resembling a gorilla, that has appeared in several movies since 1933. These include the groundbreaking 1933 movie, the film remakes of 1976 and 2005, as well as various sequels of the first two films...
.
Adult novels
- The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz (1973), ISBN 0-8128-1624-2
- KleinzeitKleinzeit-Plot introduction:Hoban's second novel for adults, Kleinzeit is a story detailing the eponymous title character's brush with illness and creativity. When Kleinzeit is fired from his job as an advertising copy-writer, he ends up in hospital with a ‘skewed hypotenuse’, being tended by the healthy...
(1974), ISBN 0-670-41458-1 - Turtle Diary (1975), ISBN 0-394-40199-9
- Riddley WalkerRiddley WalkerRiddley Walker is a science fiction novel by Russell Hoban, first published in 1980. It won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award for best science fiction novel in 1982, as well as an Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award in 1983...
(1980), ISBN 0-671-42147-6 - PilgermannPilgermannPilgermann is a 1983 novel by Russell Hoban, set in the Middle Ages and depicting the journey of a wandering Jew across Europe and Northern Africa on his way to the Holy Land.-Plot summary:...
(1983), ISBN 0-671-45968-6 - The Medusa FrequencyThe Medusa FrequencyThe Medusa Frequency is a 1987 novel by Russell Hoban. Written in a lyrical, often magic realist style, it crosses a number of genres including comedy and fantasy without fitting easily into any. Its themes include loss, fidelity, mythology, perception and creativity.-Plot summary:Narrator Herman...
(1987), ISBN 0-87113-165-X - Fremder (1996), ISBN 0-224-04370-6
- Mr. Rinyo-Clacton's Offer (1998), ISBN 0-224-05121-0
- Angelica's Grotto (1999), ISBN 0-7475-4611-8
- Amaryllis Night and DayAmaryllis Night and DayAmaryllis Night and Day is a 2001 novel by Russell Hoban, incorporating elements of magic realism and romance.-Plot introduction:Peter Diggs has a vivid dream in which he meets a woman called Amaryllis. When he later encounters the same woman in real life, he discovers that the two of them have...
(2001), ISBN 0-7475-5285-1 - The Bat Tattoo (2002), ISBN 0-7475-6022-6
- Her Name Was Lola (2003), ISBN 0-7475-7024-8
- Come Dance with Me (2005), ISBN 0-7475-7452-9
- Linger Awhile (2006), ISBN 0-7475-7984-9
- My Tango with Barbara Strozzi (2007), ISBN 0-7475-9028-6
- Angelica Lost and Found (2010), ISBN 978-1-4088-0660-9
Selected children's books
- "Frances the Badger" series: Bedtime for Frances, Bread and Jam for Frances, etc. (1960–1970)
- The Mouse and His ChildThe Mouse and His ChildThe Mouse and His Child is a 1977 animated film based on the 1967 Russell Hoban novel The Mouse and His Child. In the United States the film isalso known as The Extraordinary Adventures of the Mouse and His Child...
(1968, republished 1990), ISBN 0-06-022378-2 (also filmed) - Emmet Otter's Jug-Band ChristmasEmmet Otter's Jug-Band ChristmasEmmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas is a children's storybook by Russell Hoban which was first published in 1971. In 1977 it was adapted into a television special by Jim Henson with songs by Paul Williams...
(1971, republished 1992), ISBN 0-89966-951-4 (also televised) - Egg Thoughts and Other Frances Songs (1972) (poetry), ISBN 0-06-022331-6
- How Tom Beat Captain Najork and his Hired Sportsmen (1974), ISBN 0-224-00999-0
- A Near Thing for Captain Najork (1975), ISBN 0-224-01197-9
- La Corona and the Tin Frog (1979), ISBN 0-224-01397-1
- The Marzipan PigThe Marzipan PigThe Marzipan Pig is a children's book by Russell Hoban. The plot involves a candy pig that has somehow fallen behind a couch. The pig laments being forgotten and as dust begins to cover him, he remains hopeful about someone discovering him. When he is eventually found by a mouse, parts of his...
(1986), ISBN 0-224-01687-3 - The Trokeville Way (1996), ISBN 0-224-04631-4
- The Last of the Wallendas (1997) (poetry), ISBN 0-340-66766-4
Other works
- The Carrier Frequency (1984) (stage play)
- Under the heading "Deadtime Stories for Big Folk": Deadsy and the Sexo-Chanjo and Door (1989, 1990) (text and narration for animated films by David Anderson)
- The Second Mrs KongThe Second Mrs KongThe Second Mrs Kong is an opera in two acts, with music by Sir Harrison Birtwistle to a libretto by Russell Hoban. Glyndebourne Touring Opera first staged the opera on 24 October 1994. The cast included Philip Langridge, Helen Field and Michael Chance. Tom Cairns designed and directed the...
(1994) (librettoLibrettoA libretto is the text used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata, or musical. The term "libretto" is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major liturgical works, such as mass, requiem, and sacred cantata, or even the story line of a...
for operaOperaOpera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
composed by Harrison BirtwistleHarrison BirtwistleSir Harrison Paul Birtwistle CH is a British contemporary composer.-Life:Birtwistle was born in Accrington, a mill town in Lancashire some 20 miles north of Manchester. His interest in music was encouraged by his mother, who bought him a clarinet when he was seven, and arranged for him to have...
) - The Moment under The Moment (1992) (stories, a libretto, essays and sketches)
Further reading
- Hoban, Russell. "Writers' Rooms: Russell Hoban". GuardianGuardian.co.ukguardian.co.uk, formerly known as Guardian Unlimited, is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. Georgina Henry is the editor...
, Books (Writers' Rooms Series). Guardian Media GroupGuardian Media GroupGuardian Media Group plc is a company of the United Kingdom owning various mass media operations including The Guardian and The Observer. The Group is owned by the Scott Trust. It was founded as the Manchester Guardian Ltd in 1907 when C. P. Scott bought the Manchester Guardian from the estate of...
, 2008. WebWorld Wide WebThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
. 22 Mar. 2009.
- Martin, Tim. "Russell Hoban: Odd, and Getting Odder". Independent on SundayThe IndependentThe Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
22 Jan. 2006. WebWorld Wide WebThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
. ("Russell Hoban should be putting his feet up, but his novels are as passionate and perplexing as ever. Tim Martin finds out what keeps the writer firing on all cylinders into his eighties, as he grants us a rare interview.")
- McCalmont, Katie. "Interview: Russell Hoban". untitledbooks.com. Untitled Books, 6 Nov. 2008. WebWorld Wide WebThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
. 22 Mar. 2009. ("Russell Hoban talks to Katie McCalmont about his forthcoming novel and why at 83 years old he's proud of what he's done.")
- Wroe, Nicholas. "Russell Hoban: Life at a Glance", in "Secrets of the Yellow Pages". GuardianGuardian.co.ukguardian.co.uk, formerly known as Guardian Unlimited, is a British website owned by the Guardian Media Group. Georgina Henry is the editor...
. Guardian Media GroupGuardian Media GroupGuardian Media Group plc is a company of the United Kingdom owning various mass media operations including The Guardian and The Observer. The Group is owned by the Scott Trust. It was founded as the Manchester Guardian Ltd in 1907 when C. P. Scott bought the Manchester Guardian from the estate of...
, 23 Nov. 2002. WebWorld Wide WebThe World Wide Web is a system of interlinked hypertext documents accessed via the Internet...
. 22 Mar. 2009. ("Russell Hoban, an illustrator and would-be artist, was decorated for bravery against the Nazis. After returning to New York he found success with stories for children. He then moved to England and achieved cult status with his novel Riddley Walker. Now 77, he aims to write a book each year.)
External links
- Russell Hoban – Entry in The Literary EncyclopediaThe Literary EncyclopediaThe Literary Encyclopedia is an online reference work first published in October 2000 which, as of May 2008, offers freely available content together with full content and services for subscribing members. Articles are written by "nearly 2000 named scholars, most of whom are current university...
. - The Russell Hoban Some-Poasyum, London, 11-13 February 2005 - Report on an international fan convention celebrating the work of Russell Hoban on the occasion of his 80th birthday hosted by The Kraken ("the worldwide community of Russell Hoban fans").
- Slickman A4 Quotation Event (SA4QE): Spreading the Word of Russell Hoban Since 2002 – Website of annual fan event hosted at BlogspotBlogger (service)Blogger is a blog-publishing service that allows private or multi-user blogs with time-stamped entries. It was created by Pyra Labs, which was bought by Google in 2003. Generally, the blogs are hosted by Google at a subdomain of blogspot.com. Up until May 1, 2010 Blogger allowed users to publish...
. - Russell Hoban's page on his publisher Bloomsbury's website
- Russell Hoban's page on his literary agent David Higham's website
- Discussion of 'Pilgermann' at ICA, 1983