this post was submitted on 13 Jan 2025
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So, the Vulture article about Neil Gaiman...
Question: what would you do with his books after reading it? I have American Gods, Norse Mythology, and two short story collections Smoke and Mirrors and Fragile Things. They were my safe books when I was a teen, read them religiously, to shreds.
After reading that article... I... Just... What would you do with those books? They mean so much to me... But... Gaiman is monstrous.
If you've experienced SA and abuse, be warned, the article is extremely graphic and detailed. I'm so mad and upset.
Opinions/suggestions welcome.
I think its important to separate the art from the artist. For example: Starship is humanity's best hope for a brighter future in space right now regardless of how you feel about Elon. And I love the harry potter books despite her take on things. At the end of the day he already won in the sense that he has your money. Throwing the books out serves only to deprive you of something you enjoy.
I'm not saying forgive. And I wouldnt give them any more money (though i brought hogwats legacy when it was like 20 bucks). But whats done is done in the sense of purchasing them.
Never meet your heroes rings very true these days hey.
This is my view as well. You've already paid for the books. You've already supported him. Putting them in the bin doesn't unsupport him. Although if it's only going to bring you sadness seeing them on your bookshelf, or you don't think you'll be able to read them again knowing what sort of person he is, maybe a donation to an op shop might be an option.
I dunno. Donating the books is the option I'd choose, but it depends on your own beliefs, values, and moral compass. Personally, I don't see it as supporting his work, because no money goes from the resale back to him or his agents in any form. And I'm pro preservation, and see destroying works created by awful people as throwing the baby out with the bathwater. But there's also the angle that you could be introducing and enabling the spread of his works