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Author Profiles: Philip Pullman - Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Author Name: Philip Pullman

Brief Biography:

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich in 1946, and educated in England, Zimbabwe, and Australia, before his family put down roots in North Wales where he received his secondary education. He studied English at Oxford University, from whence he graduated in 1968 and became a teacher in middle schools. During this period he wrote plays on which some of his later novels were based. He then became a part-time senior lecturer in English at Westminster College, Oxford, where he specialised in oral storytelling. Philip Pullman now lives in Oxford.

Much of Philip Pullman’s work was originally considered to be fiction for young adults, however this reviewer enjoyed his ‘Dark Materials’ series as a more mature adult and considers them to be suitable for all ages.

Philip Pullman: Book Author.

He wrote The Ruby in the Smoke in 1986, the first in a quartet of books featuring a young Victorian adventurer, Sally Lockhart. This book has been adapted for television by the BBC, starring Billie Piper and Julie Walters. The author says that he did a great deal of research whilst writing this quartet (which is evident when you read the books), so there will almost certainly be more of them!

However, Philip Pullman’s most well known work is the ‘Dark Materials’ trilogy, which began with Northern Lights in 1995 (known as The Golden Compass in the USA, also the name of the film released in 2007 starring such big names as Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig), continued with The Subtle Knife in 1997, and concluded with The Amber Spyglass in 2000. This is a very exciting and imaginative trilogy, which brings to life beautifully the idea of parallel existence. It did attract considerable criticism from the religious corner, with some critics arguing that it takes an anti-Christian stance. However, others argue that Philip Pullman is critical of oppressive religious dogma, rather than Christianity itself. Personally I think that like all good fantasy fiction it explores the boundaries of conventional existence and creates worlds that are different whilst at the same time drawing parallels. I love the concept of one’s soul manifesting itself as an animal familiar (called a daemon) external to oneself but inseparable, which changes constantly in childhood but becomes fixed in adulthood.

Philip Pullman also enjoys writing short stories, which he calls fairy tales, examples of which are The Firework Maker’s Daughter, I Was a Rat!, and Clockwork.

When not writing books Philip Pullman likes to draw and make things out of wood. He also likes to play the piano, not well so he says.

Bibliography:

Novels:
The Haunted Storm, 1972, published by New English Library
Galatea, 1978, published by Gollancz
Using ‘The Oxford Junior Dictionary’: A Book of Exercises and Games, 1979, published by Oxford University Press. Co-edited and illustrated by Ivan Ripley, and re-published a ‘Using the Oxford Illustrated Junior Dictionary’ in 1995.
Ancient Civilisations, 1981, published by Wheaton. Illustrated by Gary Long.
Count Karlstein, 1982, published by Chatto & Windus
Detective Stories (Editor), 1985, published by Kingfisher Books
The Ruby in the Smoke, 1985, published by Oxford University Press. Book 1 of the Sally Lockhart quartet.
The Shadow in the Plate, 1986, published by Oxford University Press. Re-published as ‘The Shadow in the North’ in 1988, book 2 of the Sally Lockhart quartet.
How to be Cool, 1987, published by Heinemann.
Spring-Heeled Jack, 1989, published by Doubleday. Illustrated by David Mostyn.
Frankenstein (play adaptation), 1990, published by Oxford University Press.
The Broken Bridge, 1990, published by Macmillan Children’s Books.
The Tiger in the Well, 1991, Viking Children’s Books. Book 3 of the Sally Lockhart quartet.
Sherlock Holmes and the Limehouse Horror (play adaptation), 1992, published by Nelson.
The White Mercedes, 1992, published by Pam Macmillan.
The Wonderful Story of Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp, 1993, published by Scholastic. Illustrated by David Wyatt.
The New Cut Gang: Thunderbolt’s Waxwork, 1994, published by Viking. Illustrated by Mark Thomas.
The Tin Princess, 1994, published by Puffin. Book 4 of the Sally Lockhart quartet.
Northern Lights, 1995, published by Scholastic Children’s Books. Book 1 of the Dark Materials trilogy.
The Firework Maker’s Daughter, 1995, published by Doubleday. A fairytale.
The New Cut Gang: The Gas-Fitter’s Ball, 1995, published by Viking. Illustrated by Mark Thomas.
Clockwork, 1996, published by Doubleday. A fairytale illustrated by Peter Bailey.
The Subtle Knife, 1997, published by Scholastic. Book 2 of the Dark Materials Trilogy.
Mossycoat, 1998, published by Scholastic Hippo. Illustrated by Peter Bailey.
The Butterfly Tattoo, 1998, published by Macmillan Children’s Books. Re-issue of ‘The White Mercedes’.
I was a Rat!, aka The Scarlet Slippers, 1999, published by Knopf (USA). A fairytale illustrated by Peter Bailey.
Puss in Boots, 2000, published by Doubleday. Illustrated by Ian Beck.
The Amber Spyglass, 2000, published by Scholastic. Book 3 of the Dark Materials Trilogy.
Lyra’s Oxford, 2003, published by Scholastic. Engravings by John Lawrence. A short story spin-off from the Dark Materials trilogy.
The Scarecrow and his Servant, 2004, published by Doubleday. Illustrated by Peter Bailey.
Once Upon a Time in the North, 2008, published by David Fickling Books. Another spin-off from the Dark Materials trilogy, engravings by John Lawrence.

Prizes and Awards:

1995 British Fantasy Award (shortlist) for Northern Lights
1996 British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year for Northern Lights
1996 Carnegie Medal for Northern Lights
1996 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize (joint winner) for Northern Lights
1996 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (Gold Award, 9-11 years) for The Firework Maker's Daughter
1997 Carnegie Medal (shortlist) for Clockwork
1997 Whitbread Children's Book Award (shortlist) for Clockwork
2000 British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year for The Amber Spyglass
2001 British Book Awards Author of the Year
2001 Whitbread Book of the Year for The Amber Spyglass
2001 World Fantasy Award for Best Novel (shortlist) for The Amber Spyglass
2002 Eleanor Farjeon Award
2003 British Book Awards Audiobook of the Year (shortlist) for Dark Materials Trilogy
2003 British Book Awards Author of the Year (shortlist)
2003 British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year (shortlist) for Lyra's Oxford
2005 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award (Sweden) (joint winner)
2005 Carnegie Medal (shortlist) for The Scarecrow and his Servant
2005 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (shortlist, 9-11 years) for The Scarecrow and his Servant
2007 Carnegie of Carnegies for Northern Lights

 
 
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