Russell Hoban
Russell Hoban was an American author and illustrator, born on February 4, 1925, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Jewish immigrant parents from the Ukraine. His early exposure to the arts, facilitated by his father's roles in the Jewish community, influenced his creative career. Hoban served in the Army during World War II and later taught art before launching into a career as a freelance illustrator and advertising copywriter. He published his first children's book in 1959 and went on to write numerous works, including his acclaimed children's novel, "The Mouse and His Child," which was adapted into an animated film.
In addition to children's literature, Hoban's adult novels, such as "Riddley Walker," showcase his innovative use of language and deep philosophical themes, earning him notable awards. His works frequently blend elements of fantasy and mainstream literature, making them difficult to categorize strictly within the science fiction genre. Hoban spent much of his later life in London and continued to write until his death on December 13, 2011. His posthumous publication, "Soonchild," reflects his enduring literary style and ability to engage with significant ideas.
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Russell Hoban
Author
- Born: February 4, 1925
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: December 13, 2011
Biography
Russell Conwell Hoban was born February 4, 1925, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His parents were Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine. His father was advertising manager of a Jewish newspaper and director of a Philadelphia drama guild, which exposed Hoban to the arts during his childhood. Hoban enlisted in the Army at age eighteen and served as an infantry radio operator during World War II in the Philippines and Italy. Afterward, he taught classes in art in both New York and Connecticut. He later worked as a freelance illustrator (he did several covers for Time magazine) and an advertising copywriter.
In 1959 Hoban published his first children’s book, What Does It Do and How Does It Work?, and went on to publish dozens more. His first wife, Lillian Hoban, illustrated some of them. The two met at the Graphic Sketch Club in Philadelphia and they both studied at the Philadelphia Museum School. They were married in 1944, and the collaborations continued until the end of their marriage.
It was not until 1967 that Hoban published his first full-length novel, The Mouse and His Child. It was adapted as an animated film in 1977, with some of the characters voiced by actors Peter Ustinov and Cloris Leachman. Critics have referred to it as a well-regarded children’s novel, but Hoban has said he thinks of it simply as his first traditional novel.
Hoban moved to London in 1969, around the time his marriage began to break up, and he has continued to live there. He married his second wife, Gundula, in 1975, five years after they first met.
He published his first novel for adults, The Lion of Boaz-Jachin and Jachin-Boaz, in 1973. One of his most well-known novels is Riddley Walker (1980), which was a best seller in the United States. The novel is set some two thousand years in the future after a holocaust has pushed the world back to barbarism and some of the primitive tribes living in what was once southern England have rediscovered gunpowder. Even the book’s language, with its new spellings and abbreviations, help lend the story a sense of an alien culture. The novel won the John W. Campbell Memorial Award in 1982 (named for the editor who is credited with ushering in science fiction’s “golden age” in the 1940s) and the Australian Science Fiction Achievement Award in 1983.
Hoban, however, cannot be classified as a science-fiction writer. While some of his work has elements of the genre in it, his novels are closer to mainstream literature than to any single genre. His novel Turtle Diary (1975) was adapted for the screen by Harold Pinter and costarred Ben Kingsley and Glenda Jackson. Other works include Angelica’s Grotto (1999), Amryllis Night and Day (2001), and The Bat Tattoo (2002). After Come Dance with Me (2005), he also published Linger Awhile (2006) and My Tango with Barbara Strozzi (2007).
Hoban, who had struggled with a variety of illnesses throughout his life, wrote and published his final adult novel, Angelica Lost and Found, in 2010. The next year, his daughter confirmed that he had passed away in London on December 13, 2011, at the age of eighty-six. A fantasy novel that he had written for young adults, Soonchild, was published posthumously in the year following his death; it was met with critical praise for his characteristic style and commitment to tackling significant philosophical issues.
Bibliography
Clute, John. "Russell Hoban Obituary." Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 14 Dec. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
Langer, Emily. "Russell Hoban, author of Riddley Walker, dies at 86." Washington Post. Washington Post, 15 Dec. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
Martin, Tim. "Russell Hoban: Dedicated to Strangeness." Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 14 Dec. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
Miller, Laura. "Russell Hoban: The Last Cult Writer." Salon. Salon Media Group, 21 Dec. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.
Weber, Bruce. "Russell Hoban, Frances Author, Dies at 86." New York Times. New York Times, 14 Dec. 2011. Web. 26 Mar. 2016.