Clive Barker biography

Clive Barker portrait image

Clive Barker was born in Liverpool in 1952. He studied English Literature and Philosophy at Liverpool before moving to London at the age of twenty-one.

By his late-twenties Barker had published Book of Blood, Volumes 1–3 which achieved modest success. Three more volumes followed (Book of Blood, Volumes 4-6).

By 1987 two of Barker’s stories (Rawhead Rex and Transmutations) were modified into films. He was not impressed with the adaptations and turned his hand to directing himself. The result was Hellraiser, based on the novella The Hellbound Heart. The film became a large cult success and he subsequently adapted his short story Cabal into the major motion film Nightbreed.

Clive Barker went on to write the epic fantasy Imajica, the illustrated children’s fable The Thief of Always and Sacrament, a dark fantasy for all ages.

He currently lives in Los Angeles.

Literary inspirations:

  • Edgar Allan Poe
  • Ray Bradbury
  • Herman Meville
  • William Blake
  • William Borroughs
  • Arthur Machen

Clive Barker books

  • The Damnation Game (1985)
  • The Hellbound Heart (1986)
  • Weaveworld (1987)
  • Cabal (1988)
  • The Great and Secret Show (1989)
  • Imajica (1991)
  • The Thief of Always (1992)
  • Everville (1994)
  • Sacrament (1996)
  • Galilee (1998)
  • Coldheart Canyon: A Hollywood Ghost Story (2001)
  • Tortured Souls (2001)
  • Abarat (2002)
  • Abarat: Days of Magic, Nights of War (2004)
  • Mister B. Gone (2007)
  • Absolute Midnight (2009)
  • Mr. Maximillian Bacchus And His Travelling Circus (2009)
  • The Candle in the Cloud
  • The Scarlet Gospels

Latest news: Clive Barker

Fantasy Book Review: The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker
Review by Bindi Lavelle A simple, yet eloquent novella, which spawned one of Barker's best known creations: Pinhead and the world of Hellraiser. The story follows Frank, who longs for pleasure. Tired of the thrills that women and drugs have to offer, Frank turns to Lemmarchand's box; a simple [...]

James Johnson interview (October 2008)
Richard ‘James Johnson’ was born in Derby, England in 1976. Having studied Graphic Design at Bedfordshire University he went on to win a prestigious D&AD first award. Developing a taste for writing early on in life, his passion for storytelling culminated in two books (he’d rather forget) at th [...]

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