Clive Barker Books

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Clive Barker is an English artist best known for the ‘Hellraiser’ series. He has written plays, novels, short stories, directed films, and dabbled in visual art. Born in 1952 in Liverpool, England, Barker grew up in a desolate place.

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The war had ended less than a decade earlier, and the city was heavily scarred by the violence. You could find bomb sites everywhere, which frightened the young boy. Surrounded as he was by poverty and racial problems, Barker wanted an escape, and he found it in his imagination.

The family’s primary source of entertainment was a radio. They did not have the luxury of owning a TV. Unfortunately, his mother and father monopolized the radio. And even if they hadn’t, the music of that era did not appeal to Barker.

So he sought refuge in the public library. At thirteen, the author was too young to venture into the adult section. But he spoke to the powers that be and proved to them that he had outgrown the children’s section.

Fortunately, they saw reason and allowed him access to the adult section, which wasn’t that large compared to the public libraries 21st Century kids have at their disposal. But it still placed thousands of books at his fingertips, which was more than enough to keep the young boy occupied.

The pantomime was another vital component of Barker’s upbringing. He remembers walking in at six or seven and being blown away by the colors, the actors in their bizarre costumes, and, most importantly, the stories.

The only other extravaganza that could match the panto for Barker was the puppet theater. The boy would visit St. George’s Hall on Saturday mornings to watch the Punch and Judy show. The show lasted a mere fifteen minutes, but it was enough to whet the boy’s appetite.

Unlike the pantomime, he could do his own puppet show. That one thought was vital to the boy’s development because it made Barker aware of his desire to entertain other people. And he did just that. The author would spend his Saturdays and Sundays in the back alley behind his house, entertaining the other kids in the neighborhood with his puppet show.

As an adult, life was challenging. Barker remembers signing on to the social security system and classifying himself as a poet. Because jobs for poets were non-existent, the government paid him the equivalent of 25 dollars a week to live on.

The Department of Health and Social Security probably thought he was taking advantage of the system because they eventually called him in and asked Barker to explain himself. To his credit, the author presented a solid case for his lifestyle, arguing that he would repay every cent the government had ever given him through taxes once his literary works found an audience.

He even presented some of the plays he had written. Mr. Flint, the man interrogating him, understood Barker’s struggles because he had written a play in previous years. But the BBC rejected it. Flint promised to protect Barker from his superiors until his hard work paid off. Two years later, Barker signed a book deal.

Clive Barker Awards

Barker has received several nominations and won a World Fantasy Award.

Clive Barker Books into Movies

Many renowned horror movies originated from Clive Barker books, comics, and short stories, including Dread (2009), Book of Blood (2009), the various Hellraiser and Candyman films, Quicksilver Highway (1997), Saint Sinner (2002), Books of Blood (2020), Lords of Illusions (1995), Rawhead Rex (1986), The Midnight Meat Train (2008), and Nightbreed.

Best Clive Barker Books

Besides publishing novels, short stories, and comics, the author creates paintings and illustrations, many of which have appeared in galleries. Barker’s best books include:

The Hellbound Heart: Frank opened Lemarchand’s box in search of pleasure. And the cenobites answered. But there’s was a world of eternal torment. Now, Frank sits in an empty room, waiting for his brother’s wife to satisfy his desire for flesh and blood.

The Thief of Always: 10-year-old Harvey was bored. The boy’s life revolved around school and homework, and that was no longer enough. He needed more, which is why Harvey did not hesitate to accept an invitation to the Holiday House, a place where his wildest dreams would come true.

When Does The Next Clive Barker book come out?

Clive Barker doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Adventures of Mr. Maximillian Bacchus and His Travelling Circus and was released on June, 13th 2020. It is the newest book in the Clive Barker Short Stories/Novellas.

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