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Nina Antonia

{{Short description|English author}}

{{Multiple issues|

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{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}

{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Nina Antonia

| image = Nina Antonia.JPG

| caption = Antonia in 2014

| birth_name = Nina Antonia Benjamin

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1960}}

| nationality = English

| occupation = Author

}}

Nina Antonia (born Nina Antonia Benjamin in 1960) is an English author who has chronicled the lives and misadventures of Johnny Thunders, the New York Dolls, Peter Perrett, and Brett Smiley. Antonia's later work explored decadent and supernatural themes, which led to the novel, The Greenwood Faun, as well as the editorship of "Incurable"- The Haunted Writings of Lionel Johnson, the Decadent Era's Dark Angel.

Background

Antonia is featured in the Sundance nominated documentary New York Doll alongside Morrissey, Mick Jones and Iggy Pop and can be seen in Danny Garcia's poignant documentary Looking For Johnny. Nina also appears in Garcia's 2019 documentary, Stiv – No Compromise, No Regrets about Stiv Bators. As well as appearing on Radio One and Radio Six, Nina has performed at spoken word events and enjoyed a retrospective of her work at the [https://www.barbican.org.uk/film/event-detail.asp?ID=9159 Barbican] curated by Jay Clifton. Clifton commented: "The special value of Nina's oeuvre lies not so much in her subjects but in her personal commitment to both the documentation of them and a search for the truth about both their character and their cultural significance. Like the best writers, she begins with personal fascinations. But with a balance of personal feelings and objective contemplation, combined with a fluid literary style, she writes books that resonate beyond the parameters of the surface material." In 2013, Antonia lectured on Glam at Tate Liverpool.{{Cite web |date=2013-03-15 |title=GLAMORAMA! |url=http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-liverpool-other-venues/conference/glamorama}}

Antonia was born in Liverpool. Her first book, Johnny Thunders... In Cold Blood (Jungle Records, 1987), which has been in print for over 25 years, was hailed by the New Musical Express as "gorgeously sordid". In 2012, the book was optioned by a Hollywood production company.{{Cite web |last=Brokenmouth |first=Robert |date=2015-11-26 |title=LOOKING OUT FOR JOHNNY: AUTHOR NINA ANTONIA ON THUNDERS, THE DOLLS AND THE ONLY ONES |url=http://i94bar.com/interviews/looking-for-johnny-nina-antonia-on-writing-about-thunders-the-dolls-and-the-only-ones |website=I-94 Bar}} A deluxe Italian translation of the Thunders book appeared in late 2015 from Pipeline Books.

In March 2015, Antonia's The One and Only: Peter Perrett, Homme Fatale was re-published by Thin Man Press. The new, expanded edition was hailed as "a ravishing read"{{Cite web |last=Ironside |first=Gus |date=2015-04-08 |title=The One and Only: Peter Perrett, Homme Fatale by Nina Antonia – book review |url=http://louderthanwar.com/peter-perrett-homme-fatale-nina-antonia}} and "an engrossing account".{{Cite web |title=Review: Peter Perrett and Nina Antonia |url=http://internationaltimes.it/review-peter-perrett-and-nina-antonia |website=International Times}} Reviewer Gus Ironside, writing in Louder than War suggested that Nina Antonia merits a far higher media profile but has been "excluded from the 'Boys' Club' of mainstream rock journalism". Antonia appeared in conversation with Perrett at the Albert Hall to coincide with the new edition.

Nina's debut supernatural novel The Greenwood Faun published by Egaeus Press in December 2017 received glowing reviews. Acutely described by cult musician and author David Tibet of Current 93 as "Shot through with decadence, poetry, opium and incense ... this is a beautifully written poem: witty, crepuscular, enchanting, surprising."

Em Chuter—Pagan Dawn{{Cite web |title=Pagan Dawn |url=https://www.paganfed.org/pagan-dawn}} wrote, "This book is pure magic. The style of the writing is complex and intricate. Weaving a heady dream like path through Romantic poets, aristocratic London, Pan and the old Pagan covens of the New Forest—supplemented with a hefty dose of whiskey and absinthe—this is a glorious indulgence for all the senses. If you want to lose yourself for a couple of days The Greenwood Faun is nothing short of an intoxicating swirl of incense for the mind." Also reviewed by Mark Andresen in Pan Review and Michael Dirda for the Washington Post.{{Cite news |last=Dirda |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Dirda |date=2018-04-25 |title=Stories that are strange, fantastical – and utterly engrossing |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/stories-that-are-strange-fantastical--and-utterly-engrossing/2018/04/25/8baf4250-4706-11e8-8b5a-3b1697adcc2a_story.html}}

Released by Strange Attractor Press in October 2018, 'Incurable': The Haunted Writings of Lionel Johnson, the Decadent Era's Dark Angel was edited by Nina Antonia and includes her detailed biographical essay of Johnson.{{Cite web |title=The Haunted Writings of Lionel Johnson, the Decadent Era's Dark Angel |date=12 September 2018 |url=http://strangeattractor.co.uk/shoppe/incurable}}

"Like a glimmering of a votive candle in one of Johnson's dream churches, Incurable sheds new light on one of the most gifted, if reclusive, poets of the fin-de-siecle. Incurable pays tribute to this enchanting and eccentric poet while providing fresh insight into an era that continues to fascinate," wrote Cathleen Mair (The Idler).

Incurable also has been included in articles by Michael Dirda for the Washington Post, Duncan Fallowell of The Spectator, and Eric Hoffman of the Fortean Times.{{Cite news |last=Dirda |first=Michael |author-link=Michael Dirda |date=2018-04-25 |title=The '90s are having a literary moment. That is, the 1890s ... |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/books/the-90s-is-having-a-literary-moment-that-is-the-1890s/2018/12/05/18460eec-f724-11e8-8d64-4e79db33382f_story.html}}{{Cite web |date=2018-11-10 |title=Books of the year – part one |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/2018/11/books-of-the-year-part-one}}

Nina Antonia's book, Dancing With Salomé – Courting the Uncanny with Oscar Wilde & Friends{{cite web | url=https://ninaantoniaauthor.com/books/dancing-with-salome-courting-the-uncanny-with-oscar-wilde-friends/ | title=Dancing with Salomé: Courting the Uncanny with Oscar Wilde & Friends | date=24 November 2021 }} (Trapart Press 2021), unmasks the occult aspects of Oscar Wilde's celebrated tome The Picture of Dorian Gray, whilst exploring how the unseen is manifested not just in the famous author's life but in the life of his love interest, Lord Alfred Douglas.

"A fateful destiny: Uncanny happenings and anecdotes: this portrait of Oscar Wilde and his troubled friends is a decadent delight," says Christopher Josiffe in Fortean Times.

Talking to BBC News Online, Nina explained in folkloric terms why the killing of a white deer is considered unlucky, as they are considered messengers from the Faery realm. In Christian tracts they are perceived as creatures of divinity and, in Celtic myths, of enchantment.{{Cite news|date=2021-09-29|title=Police defend shooting white deer in Bootle street after backlash|language=en-GB|publisher=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-merseyside-58731168|access-date=2021-10-03}}

Nina has been a regular contributor to Fortean Times since 2017. Her articles on Lionel Johnson (2017){{cite web | url=https://ninaantoniaauthor.com/tag/incurable-lionel-johnson-the-disconsolate-decadent/ | title=Incurable: Lionel Johnson: The Disconsolate Decadent | date=18 September 2023 }} and 'Postcards from Fairyland' (June 2023){{cite web | url=https://ninaantoniaauthor.com/2023/07/31/new-words/ | title=New Worlds | date=31 July 2023 }} were both featured cover stories. A shorter feature on the uncanny elements of Oscar Wilde's life appeared in the run up to the release of Dancing With Salome (Trapart Press).

Selected works

  • {{Cite book |title=Johnny Thunders...In Cold Blood |publisher=Jungle Books |year=1987}}
  • {{Cite book |title=The One and Only: Peter Perrett, Homme Fatale |publisher=SAF Publishing |year=1996}}
  • {{Cite book |title=The New York Dolls – Too Much Too Soon |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2005}}
  • {{Cite book |title=The Prettiest Star: Whatever Happened to Brett Smiley |publisher=SAF Publishing |year=2006}}
  • {{Cite book |title=13 Knots - Collected Poetry and Prose |publisher=TBMr Records |year=2013}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Doherty |first=Peter |title=From Albion to Shangri-La |publisher=Thin Man Press |year=2014 |editor-last=Nina Antonia |quote=Transcribed}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Antonia |first=Nina |title=The One & Only: Peter Perrett, Homme Fatale |publisher=Thin Man Press |year=2015}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Antonia |first=Nina |url=http://www.egaeuspress.com/The_Greenwood_Faun.html |title=The Greenwood Faun |publisher=Egaeus Press |year=2017}}
  • {{Cite book |url=http://strangeattractor.co.uk/shoppe/incurable |title=Incurable The Haunted Writings of Lionel Johnson, the Decadent Era's Dark Angel |publisher=Strange Attractor Press |year=2018 |editor-last=Nina Antonia}}
  • {{Cite book |last=Antonia |first=Nina |url=https://ninaantoniaauthor.com/2023/07/27/the-doom-of-oscar-wilde-fortean-times/ |title=The Doom of Oscar Wilde |work=Fortean Times|year=2022}}

Movies

  • New York Doll (Documentary on Arthur Kane, 2005){{Cite web |title=New York Doll |url=https://nymag.com/movies/listings/rv_48418.htm}}
  • Looking for Johnny (Documentary on Johnny Thunders, 2014){{Cite web |date=2013-11-09 |title=Johnny Thunders – The Movie (An Interview With Nina Antonia) |url=https://formalcontentsonly.wordpress.com/2013/11/09/johnny-thunders-the-movie-an-interview-with-nina-antonia}}
  • Stiv - No Compromise, No Regrets (Documentary on Stiv Bators, 2019)

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Cite web |title=Official Nina Antonia |url=https://ninaantoniaauthor.com |website=Official Website}}
  • {{Cite web |title=Official Nina Antonia |url=https://twitter.com/NinaAntonia13 |website=Twitter}}
  • {{Cite web |title=Official Nina Antonia |url=https://www.instagram.com/ninaantoniaauthor |via=Instagram}}
  • {{Cite web |title=Writers, Nina Antonia |url=http://www.rocksbackpages.com/writer.html?WriterID=antonia |website=Rock's Back Pages}}
  • {{Cite web |date=August 2014 |title=Interview |url=http://louderthanwar.com/louder-than-war-interview-nina-antonia-we-talk-to-the-person-who-transcribed-and-edited-peter-dohertys-journals-and-tour-diaries-2008-2013 |website=Louder Than War}}
  • "[https://glreview.org/article/short-reviews-28/ Review of Incurable: The Haunted Writings of Lionel Johnson, the Decadent Era's Dark Angel]". The Gay & Lesbian Review.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonia, Nina}}

Category:Living people

Category:1960 births

Category:English journalists

Category:English women journalists

Category:Journalists from Liverpool

Category:20th-century English women writers

Category:20th-century English writers

Category:21st-century English women writers