Raymond Briggs
Personal Information
Description
Raymond Briggs was born in Wimbledon, Surrey, to parents Ernest Redvers Briggs (1900–1971), a milkman, and Ethel Bowyer (1895–1971), a former lady's maid-turned-housewife, who married in 1930. His other known relatives are: an adoptive paternal grandmother (his father's step-mother), his maternal grandparents, and two maternal uncles who died during childhood. He attended Rutlish School, at that time a grammar school, pursued cartooning from an early age and, despite his father's attempts to discourage him from this unprofitable pursuit, attended the Wimbledon School of Art from 1949 to 1953 to study painting, and Central School of Art to study typography. From 1953 to 1955, he was a National Service conscript in the Royal Corps of Signals at Catterick, where he was made a draughtsman. After this, he returned to study painting at Slade School of Fine Art at University College, London, graduating in 1957.
Books
The party
Several high school students, transferred to a new school when their old one closes, invite classmates, new and old, to a party. One of the girls is found dead. Was it suicide or murder?
The fairy tale treasury
Thirty-two of the world's best-loved fairy tales, including the The Emperor's New Clothes, The Frog Prince, Gone is Gone, The Sun and the Wind, and The Bremen Town Musicians.
Nuvolari and the Alfa Romeo
Describes the German Grand Prix of 1935 in which the driving skill of forty-two-year-old Nuvolari helped him defeat faster cars.
Jimmy Murphy and the white Duesenberg
Related the high point of the French Grand Prix in 1921 when Jimmy Murphy won the hazardous race in a Duesenberg averaging seventy-eight miles per hour.
Father Christmas
Pictures and brief text follow a rather disgruntled Santa Claus on his annual rounds.
Gentleman Jim
Imaginative toilet cleaner Jim Bloggs dreams of a more exciting career as an executive, an artist, or a cowboy, but his attempts to become a highwayman lead to troubles with various authorities.
Fungus the Bogeyman
Everyday life in Bogeydom is examined as Fungus the Bogeyman describes the skills of scaring people in the nighttime and living underground amidst slime and grime in the daytime.
UG - Wunderkind aus der Steinzeit.
To the dismay of his parents and friends, a prehistoric boy continually thinks of making things softer, warmer, and nicer, rather than being content in a world of stone.
The snowman story book
When his snowman comes to life, a little boy invites him into his home and in return is taken on a flight high above the countryside. Unlike the original edition, this version has words.
Father Christmas goes on holiday
Father Christmas visits France, Scotland, and Las Vegas while on his annual vacation.
The snowman
Heather feels cold all the time. Alone. Her guardian hates her. He'd like to see her dead. He'd like all her money. But for now he settles for controlling it, and making Heather's life miserable. Poor little rich girl, just like Cinderella... Then the gorgeous, ice-blond guy shows up at the crummy restaurant where Heather works after school. He understands about Heather. He's her Prince Charming. No one can get to Heather now. Heather feels so safe. So loved. So warm...