Clive Barker biography

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