Paul Robert Spike is an American author,
editor in chief and journalist. He is best known as the author of the 1973 memoir ''Photographs of My Father'' about the murder of his father, civil rights leader
Robert W. Spike, in 1966.
Career
Spike is the author of five books. His memoir ''Photographs of My Father'' (
Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. () is an American publishing house that was founded by Alfred A. Knopf Sr. and Blanche Knopf in 1915. Blanche and Alfred traveled abroad regularly and were known for publishing European, Asian, and Latin American writers in ...
, 1973) is the most widely known; an autobiographical account of the murder of his father, civil rights leader Rev. Robert W. Spike, the book received exceptional praise and was chosen by the
New York Public Library as one of its "Ten Best Books of The Year."
His four other works include a collection of short stories, two political thrillers, and the cult
novelization of
Terry Gilliam
Terrence Vance Gilliam (; born 22 November 1940) is an American-born British filmmaker, comedian, animator, actor and former member of the Monty Python comedy troupe.
Gilliam has directed 13 feature films, including '' Time Bandits'' (1981), '' ...
's ''
Jabberwocky
"Jabberwocky" is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll about the killing of a creature named "the Jabberwock". It was included in his 1871 novel ''Through the Looking-Glass'', the sequel to '' Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'' (1865). The ...
''. (Spike composed under the pseudonym "Ralph Hoover.")
In 1997, Spike became the first American editor of the 150-year-old British humour magazine ''
Punch
Punch commonly refers to:
* Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist
* Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice
Punch may also refer to:
Places
* Pun ...
'' which he relaunched as a weekly investigative and satirical
gadfly, but soon left after falling out with its controversial owner
Mohamed Al-Fayed.
Honors
Spike has received the
Paris Review Humor Prize.
Personal
Spike graduated from
Columbia University
Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...
in 1970. He has a son and a daughter by author
Maureen Freely
Maureen Deidre Freely FRSL (born July 1952) is an American journalist, novelist, professor, and translator. She has worked on the Warwick Writing Programme since 1996.
Biography
Born in Neptune, New Jersey, she is the daughter of author John ...
, and a son by editor
Alexandra Shulman
Alexandra Shulman (born 13 November 1957) is a British journalist. She is a former Editor-in-Chief of British ''Vogue'', and became the longest serving Editor in the history of the publication. After assuming the role in 1992, she presided ov ...
, both former wives.
His brother is art historian
John Spike
John Thomas Spike (born November 8, 1951, in New York City) is an American art historian, curator, and author, specializing in the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods. He is also a contemporary art critic and past director of the Florence Bien ...
.
Bibliography
* ''Bad News'' (short fiction), Holt Rinehart and Winston, 1971.
* ''Photographs of My Father'' (autobiography), Knopf, 1973.
* ''Jabberwocky'' (as "Ralph Hoover"), Pan Books, 1976.
* ''
The Night Letter'' (novel), GP Putnams, 1978.
* ''Last Rites'' (novel), New American Library, 1980.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spike, Paul
Living people
Alumni of St Catherine's College, Oxford
American editors
American male journalists
Columbia College (New York) alumni
Writers from Greenwich Village
Punch (magazine) people
1947 births