Russell Hoban, one of the greatest of all weird writers

I am a long-time fan of Russell Hoban (1925-2011), who began as a successful children's author (eg, the Frances series), then reinvented himself as an author of adult fiction in mid-career. Among his books: Turtle Diary, Riddley Walker, The Mouse and His Child, Fremder, and The Bat Tattoo. His books are wild, thoughtful, magical, and beautifully observed.

He called Turtle Diary his "gateway book."

His birthday, Feb 4, is celebrated every year by a close group of fans who write down notable quotations from his books on yellow paper (as A4 yellow paper figures in several of his novels), and leave them in public places to be randomly found. Weird? Maybe. But what author would not be honored by such a tribute?

There is a very good website about him:

http://www.russellhoban.org/

A Hoban quotation (Fremder):

"Dream: a rushing in the air behind the visible world."

Just finished Turtle Diary - what a wonderful piece of writing! The best thing I can think of to say about it is that, apart from trips to the nearest kettle for tea and fruitcake, I read it through at a single sitting. I'll be re-reading Riddley Walker next, but am open to suggestions beyond that.

Among his later London novels, I'm partial to The Bat Tattoo.

The Bat Tatoo it is, thanks.

In a way, The Bat Tattoo is another version of Turtle Diary. That is why I like it.