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