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American Gods

Gaiman, Neil. Book - 2001 None on shelf No requests on this item Community Rating: 4.8 out of 5

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COMMUNITY REVIEWS

Ideas submitted by robertstokkel on March 31, 2009, 2:32am I've heard Neil Gaiman say once that he has enough ideas to last 3 lifetimes. It makes you kind of jealous especially after reading this book. Full of ideas this is a tale of a man called Shadow, just released from prison, who takes on a journey through the US, inspired by a man called Wednesday. Wednesday appears to be Odin , the old Norwegian god. Shadow takes on a quest unlike any quest in fantasy-fiction. The United States of America turns into The United States of Gods from all over the world. In a great finale where imagination and belief fight a battle against the domination of computers, Shadow finally furfills his part in the story. Great reading, with some criticism on American society.

Excellent read submitted by mdbowen on June 17, 2012, 12:53am If you're interested in reading Neil Gaiman but are unsure as to where to begin, this is a good book to start with. It was my first Gaiman book and led me to want to read more. It is a well crafted story, and perfect for anyone who enjoys and is familiar with various mythologies and pantheons of gods. Added to this is an astute view of small-town America. Gaiman is a an Englishman and perhaps it is because he was an outsider to this country that allowed him to make keen observations about the United States. A great modern fantasy.

Good Start! submitted by rwright on August 3, 2012, 1:47pm Shadow feels like a bit of a weak protagonist, but his journey is a classical mythic landscape and the characters he encounters along his way enchant and amaze. I am a big Gaiman fan and would recommend this book to those looking for a way into his large body of work.

Thought Provoking Gods submitted by David Marshall on August 23, 2012, 2:29pm At the beginning of the book I had favorite gods, and the idea of these myths walking in real life was exciting. Gaiman shattered my modern ideas of the old gods by depicting them as they were first imagined: powerful and petty. The ancient gods of Rome, Ireland, and Africa are human, and as such they are messed up. They are as likely to be helpful as they are to be cruel; they are caricatures of the humanity, afflicted with the human condition.

American Gods also paints a startling portrait of culture in the United States. Just as old world gods are real in Gaiman’s novel, the new gods of convenience and technology are real as well. They look silly next to the old gods, but are ultimately just as powerful and no more or less corrupt or corrupting. They hit closer to home. I know no one who has ever sacrificed a child to an old god. We all know of friendships that have been sacrificed to ambition, lust, or selfishness. These modern gods are real. In Gaiman’s world, and also in ours, anything that a person worships with time, attention, and energy becomes a god.

The whole thing books is exciting and thought provoking. Read it.

A serious but fictious look Paganism submitted by Jen Chapin-Smith on August 23, 2012, 4:45pm A fascinating tale about the Old Gods directly connecting, communicating and affecting the life of one modern-day man. It is fiction, but it provides much food for thought about sprituality and takes modern Paganism seriously.

Gods, Old and New submitted by JonesaL on June 15, 2015, 4:04pm American Gods was my first Neil Gaiman book and I have been absolutely entangled in his stories ever since. We follow Shadow and his employer, Mr. Wednesday, as they travel across America to parlay with old gods and gods of the new generations. I love how Neil Gaiman addresses the decline in followers for the old religions and beliefs; how this decline would effect the survival of the old gods. I think he captures the essence of these gods beautifully, especially the fragility of the new gods. This book also contains one of my all time favorite monologues. I recommend this book to all of my friends and anyone who loves modern day fantasy.

Makes You Want to Read it Over Again submitted by Judeyblu on August 31, 2015, 9:31pm I've not only read and enjoyed this, but I've nudged several other to as well just so we can talk about it.
Get the author's preferred edition!

An Excellent Start for Gaiman Novels submitted by crankycrack on June 19, 2016, 8:50am This was my first foray into non Sandman or children's books penned by Gaiman and it was a treat. The confluence of ideas came off as a bit jumbled at times but that narrative drive was present throughout allowing the story carry through those brief bits of slog. I look forward to reading more of his books and I hope that you are too. Sandman forever!

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PUBLISHED
New York : W. Morrow, 2001.
Year Published: 2001
Description: 465 p.
Language: English
Format: Book

ISBN/STANDARD NUMBER
0060558121 (softcover)
0380789035 (pbk.)
0380973650 :

SUBJECTS
National characteristics, American -- Fiction.
Spiritual warfare -- Fiction.
Ex-convicts -- Fiction.
Bodyguards -- Fiction.
Widowers -- Fiction.