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Russell Hoban

ラッセル・ホーバン

Rassuru Hōban

Aliases: Russell Conwell Hoban

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1925-02-04 （Lansdale, Pennsylvania）
Died
2011-12-13 （London, England, UK） age 86
Nationality
American
Languages
English
Religion
Judaism
Residence History
Lansdale, Pennsylvania → Connecticut → London (from 1969)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Illustrator
Active Years
1959-2011

Education

Temple University
Period: 短期間在籍
Country: United States
Attended briefly, did not graduate, enlisted in Army

Awards

Whitbread Prize
1974
Work: How Tom Beat Captain Najork and His Hired Sportsmen
Category: Children's Books
Organization: Whitbread
Result: Winner
John W. Campbell Memorial Award
1982
Work: Riddley Walker
Category: Best Science Fiction Novel
Result: Winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Riddley Walker

1980 Science fiction

A post-apocalyptic novel written in a devolved English dialect exploring philosophical themes.

Nuclear warLanguage decayMyth
Adaptations
  • [Stage] Riddley Walker (1986)
  • [Stage] Riddley Walker (2007)
  • [Puppet theater] Riddley Walker / Connor Hopkins (2011)

The Mouse and His Child

1967 Children's novel

A philosophical tale of clockwork mouse father and son seeking autonomy.

AutonomyFateCommunity
Adaptations
  • [Animated film] The Mouse and His Child (1977)
  • [Stage] The Mouse and His Child (2012)

Turtle Diary

1975 Fiction

Story of two lonely people dreaming of releasing sea turtles into the ocean.

LonelinessLiberationReality
Adaptations
  • [Film] Turtle Diary / John Irvin (1985)

Bread and Jam for Frances

1964 Picture book

Adventures of temperamental badger girl Frances.

FamilyRebellionEveryday life

Kleinzeit

1974 Fantasy

Comic fantasy featuring personified Death, Hospital, and Underground.

DeathIllnessFantasy
Adaptations
  • [Stage] Kleinzeit / Peta Barker (1989)

Bibliography

  • Riddley Walker
  • The Mouse and His Child
  • Turtle Diary
  • Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas
  • The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz

Adaptations

  • Turtle Diary (film, 1985)
  • The Mouse and His Child (animated, 1977)
  • Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (TV special, 1977)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Magical realismFantasyInvented dialects
Recurring Motifs
LionsOrpheusEurydicePersephoneSevered headsHeart diseaseFlickeringOdilon RedonKing Kong

Legacy

American writer known for children's books like Frances series and adult fantasy novels like Riddley Walker. Lived in London from 1969, gained cult following, active fan community post-death.

Archives

  • Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University

In Popular Culture

  • Slickman A4 Quotation Event (SA4QE): Annual fan quotation event
  • The Kraken: International fan community
  • Russell Hoban Some-Poasyum: 2005 international convention

Quotes

  • Frances did not eat her egg. She sang a little song to it. She sang the song very softly: 'I do not like the way you slide, I do not like your soft inside, I do not like you lots of ways, And I could do for many days Without eggs.'
    Source: Bread and Jam for Frances (1964)
  • Death would be a good career move: 'People will say, 'Yes, Hoban, he seems an interesting writer, let's look at him again'.'
    Source: Interview (2002)

Trivia

  • Father died when he was 11.
  • Received Bronze Star in WWII.
  • Parents were Jewish immigrants from Ukraine.
  • Sister Tana Hoban was photographer and children's author.
  • Yellow A4 paper motif inspired SA4QE fan event.