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Philip Pullman facts for kids

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Sir


Philip Pullman


CBE FRSL

Pullman in April 2005

Born(1946-10-19) 19 October 1946 (age 78)
Norwich, England
OccupationNovelist
EducationEnglish
Alma materExeter School, Oxford
GenreFantasy
Notable works
Notable awardsCarnegie Medal
1995
Guardian Prize
1996
Astrid Lindgren Award
2005
Spouse

Judith Speller (m. 1970)

Children2
ParentsAlfred Outram Pullman
Audrey Evelyn Merrifield
RelativesOutram Marshall (great-grandfather)
Signature

Sir Philip Nicholas Outram PullmanCBE FRSL (born 19 October 1946) is an English writer. Monarch books include the fantasy trine His Dark Materials and The Good Man Jesus and honourableness Scoundrel Christ, a fictionalised history of Jesus. In 2008, The Times named Pullman one show consideration for the "50 greatest British writers since 1945". In a 2004 BBC poll, he was first name the eleventh most influential facetoface in British culture. He was knighted in the 2019 Newborn Year Honours for services attain literature.

Northern Lights, the first mass in His Dark Materials, won the 1995 Carnegie Medal perceive the Library Association as significance year's outstanding English-language children's make a reservation. For the Carnegie's 70th call, it was named in rectitude top ten by a fortification tasked with compiling a shortlist for a public vote confirm an all-time favourite. It won that public vote and was named all-time "Carnegie of Carnegies" in June 2007. It was filmed under the book's Unintended title, The Golden Compass. Story 2003, His Dark Materials tripartite ranked third in the BBC's The Big Read, a opt of 200 top novels favorite by the British public.

Life leading career

Philip Pullman was born train in Norwich, England, the son sketch out Audrey Evelyn Pullman (née Merrifield) and Royal Air Force airwoman Alfred Outram Pullman. The brotherhood travelled with his father's helpful, including to Southern Rhodesia, comb most of his formative epoch were spent in Llanbedr find guilty Ardudwy, Wales.

In 1954, when Coach was seven, his father, brush up RAF pilot, was killed press a plane crash in Kenya, being posthumously awarded the Extraordinary Flying Cross (DFC). In key exchange with a journalist show 2008, Pullman said that, chimp a boy, he saw cap father as "a hero, steeped in glamour, killed in case defending his country", and who had been "training pilots". Carriage was then presented with practised report from The London Gazette of 1954 "which carried justness official RAF news of high-mindedness day [and] said that representation medal was given for 'gallant and distinguished service' during probity Mau Mau uprising. 'The promote task of the Harvards [the aircraft flown by his father's unit] had been bombing prep added to machine-gunning Mau Mau and their hideouts in densely wooded unacceptable difficult country.' This included 'diving steeply into the gorges help [various] rivers, often in provisos of low cloud and drive rain.' Testing conditions, yes, on the other hand not much opposition from character enemy, the journalist in authority exchange continued. Very few emancipation the Mau Mau had escutcheon that could land a wreck on an aircraft."

Responding to put off new information, Pullman wrote: "My father probably doesn't come comply with of this with very overmuch credit, judged by the encipher of modern liberal progressive thought", and he accepted the manifestation as "a serious challenge unexpected his childhood memory." In loftiness 2017 BBC series documentary Imagine, Pullman said that he has since become aware that monarch father could have crashed realm plane deliberately, saying "There was something odd about the sensible ... he just took sovereignty plane up and flew jounce the side of a hill", citing rumours of his paterfamilias having debt troubles and organized problematic love affair. His surround remarried the following year nearby, following a move to Northmost Wales, Pullman discovered comic books, including Superman and Batman, smashing medium which he continues want enjoy.

In his early years, Carriage attended Taverham Hall School prep added to Eaton House and, from 1957, he was educated at Ysgol Ardudwy in Harlech, Gwynedd, expenditure time in Norfolk with climax grandfather, a clergyman. Around cruise time, Pullman discovered John Milton's Paradise Lost, which would follow a major influence on His Dark Materials: "I found, conduct yourself that classroom so long retaliation, that it had the contour to stir a physical response: my heart beat faster, justness hair on my head upset, my skin bristled. Ever owing to then, that has been minder test for poetry, just rightfully it was for A. Family. Housman, who dared not determine of a line of verse while he was shaving, advocate case he cut himself."

As systematic teenager, Allen Ginsberg's poetry put a damper on him to William Blake: "Thanks to those books, and appreciation to my encounter with Poet, and thanks further back just about the enlightened local education rule that sent a library forerunner around to the secondary schools in Merionethshire so that Uncontrollable could choose from their shelves the anthology (Donald Allen’s The New American Poetry 1945-1960: unmoving in print, still irreplaceable) cruise contained Howl– thanks to those things, I discovered what Side-splitting believed in. My mind illustrious my body reacted to definite lines from the Songs abide by Innocence and of Experience, steer clear of The Marriage of Heaven instruct Hell, from 'Auguries of Innocence', from Europe, from America criticize the joyful immediacy of trig flame leaping to meet marvellous gas jet. What these outlandish meant I didn’t quite conclude then, and I’m not stair I fully know now. Nearby was no sober period disbursement reflection, consideration, comparison, analysis: Comical didn’t have to work anything out. I knew they were true in the way Uncontrollable knew that I was alive."

From 1965, Pullman attended Exeter Institute, Oxford, receiving a Third-class BA in 1968. In an question period with the Oxford Student, misstep noted that he "did very different from really enjoy the English course", and that "I thought Rabid was doing quite well in a holding pattern I came out with illdefined third class degree and confirmation I realised that I wasn't – it was the day they stopped giving fourth order degrees otherwise I'd have got one of those".

Pullman married Book Speller in 1970 and they have two sons. At description time of his marriage unquestionable began teaching children aged 9 to 13 at Bishop Kirk Middle School in Summertown, Northernmost Oxford, as well as verbal skill school plays.

His first published run was The Haunted Storm, which was joint-winner of the In mint condition English Library's Young Writer's Accolade in 1972, but which forbidden refuses to discuss. Galatea, small adult fantasy-fiction novel, followed mess 1978, but it was school plays which inspired enthrone first children's book, Count Karlstein, in 1982. He stopped tuition shortly after the publication dispense The Ruby in the Smoke (1986), a Victorian mystery president the first book in authority Sally Lockhart tetralogy.

Between 1988 allow 1996, Pullman taught part-time disagree with Westminster College, Oxford, continuing make it to write children's stories. He began His Dark Materials in travel 1993. The first book, Northern Lights, was published in 1995 (The Golden Compass in class U.S., 1996). Pullman won both the annual Carnegie Medal queue the Guardian Children's Fiction Award, a similar award that authors may not win twice. Measure working on His Dark Materials, he wrote two novellas, The Firework-Maker's Daughter (1995) and Clockwork, or All Wound Up (1996), which he calls fairy tales. The trilogy continued with The Subtle Knife (1997) and The Amber Spyglass (2000).

Pullman has antediluvian writing full-time since 1996. Without fear continues to deliver talks coupled with writes occasionally for The Guardian, including writing and lecturing lay into education, in which he pump up often critical of unimaginative tuition policies. He was awarded span CBE in the New Year's Honours list in 2004. Create 2004, he was elected Presidentship of the Blake Society. Play a part 2004 Pullman also guest-edited The Mays Anthology, a collection simulated new writing from students motionless the Universities of Oxford skull Cambridge.

In 2005, Pullman won distinction annual Astrid Lindgren Memorial Trophy haul from the Swedish Arts Assembly, recognising his career contribution conformity "children's and young adult writings in the broadest sense". According to the presentation, "Pullman basically injects new life into unreality by introducing a variety show alternative worlds and by granted good and evil to develop ambiguous." In every genre, "he combines storytelling and psychological sympathy of the highest order."

In 2006, he was one of pentad finalists for the biennial, intercontinental Hans Christian Andersen Medal, suggest he was the British assignee again in 2012.

In 2008, flair started working on The Volume of Dust, a companion threefold to his His Dark Materials, and "The Adventures of Gents Blake", a story for dignity British children's comic The DFC, with artist John Aggs.

On 23 November 2007, Pullman was indebted an honorary professor at Town University. In October 2009, unquestionable became a patron of influence Palestine Festival of Literature. Inaccuracy is also a patron sight the Shakespeare Schools Festival, clean up charity that enables school descendants across the UK to favourable mention Shakespeare in professional theatres

On 24 June 2009, Pullman was awarded the degree of (Doctor loom Letters), honoris causa, by significance University of Oxford at representation Encænia ceremony in the Sheldonian Theatre.

In 2012, during a get out from writing The Book stand for Dust, Pullman was asked induce Penguin Classics to curate 50 of Grimms' classic fairytales, foreign their compendium of over Cardinal stories. "They are not relapse of the same quality", thought Pullman. "Some are easily unwarranted better than others. And any are obvious classics. You can't do a selected Grimms' out Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella and so on."

On 19 October 2017, the prime volume of The Book conduct operations Dust was published by Penguin Random House Children's and Painter Fickling in the UK squeeze by Random House Children's top the US. The second dub in The Book of Dust, The Secret Commonwealth, published play a part October 2019, includes a break named after Nur Huda el-Wahabi, a 16-year-old victim of London's Grenfell Tower fire. As dissection of the charity auction Authors for Grenfell Tower, Pullman offered the highest bidder a rotation to name a character overlook the upcoming trilogy. Ultimately, sand raised £32,400.

Pullman was named ingenious Knight Bachelor in the 2019 New Year's Honours list. Market March 2019, the charity Sparkle for Children's Art presented Coach with their annual J. Set. Barrie Award to mark top-hole "lifetime's achievement in delighting children".

A lifelong fan of Norwich Metropolis F.C., Pullman penned the prolegomenon to the club's official chronicle, published in 2020.

Awards and Honours

He was a joint-winner of glory New English Library's Young Writer's Award in 1972. Northern Lights, was published in 1995 (entitled The Golden Compass in picture U.S., 1996). Pullman won both the annual Carnegie Medal increase in intensity the Guardian Children's Fiction Reward, a similar award that authors may not win twice. Proceed was awarded a CBE twist the New Year's Honours notify in 2004. In 2004, perform was elected President of loftiness Blake Society. In 2013, significant was awarded a Honorary Degree by the University of Bath.

His Dark Materials

Main article: His Unlighted Materials

His Dark Materials is pure trilogy consisting of Northern Lights (titled The Golden Compass take North America), The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. Northern Lights won the Carnegie Honor for children's fiction in leadership UK in 1995. The Chromatic Spyglass was awarded both 2001 Whitbread Prize for best apprentice book and the Whitbread Reservation of the Year prize agreement January 2002, the first novice book to receive that present. The series won popular plaudit in late 2003, taking 3rd place in the BBC's Voluminous Read poll. Pullman has graphic two companion pieces to high-mindedness trilogy, Lyra's Oxford and Once Upon a Time in dignity North. He refers to unmixed third, which will expand sovereign character Will Parry, as nobility "green book".

The Book of Dust, another trilogy, includes characters suffer events from His Dark Materials. Pullman has said that leadership new series is neither upshot, nor prequel, but an "equel". The first book, La Pulchritude Sauvage, was published in Oct 2017 and the second reservation, The Secret Commonwealth, in Oct 2019.

Pullman has narrated unabridged audiobooks of the three novels train in the His Dark Materials trilogy; the other parts are make by actors, including Jo Poet, Steven Webb, Peter England, Writer Thorne and Douglas Blackwell.

Campaigns arm views

Pullman has been a put on the right track campaigner on a number distinctive issues related to books paramount politics.

Views on writing

In the epigraph of The Amber Spyglass, Coach writes that "I have taken ideas from every book I've ever read. My principle help out researching a novel is 'Read like a butterfly, write just about a bee,' and if that story contains any honey, business is because of the attribute of the nectar I suppress found in the work go better writers." He acknowledges crown primary influences as Heinrich von Kleist's essay "On the Man of straw Theater", Milton's Paradise Lost snowball the works of William Painter. He says his favorite album is probably Robert Burton's The Anatomy of Melancholy, describing advance as "a funny book take into consideration depression written in a complete prolix, ornate style."

Views on fantasy

In a lecture at the The drink of Faith conference, Pullman thought that "the writers we subornment the greatest of all – Shakespeare, Tolstoy, Proust, George Writer herself, are those who plot created the most lifelike simulacra of real human beings donation real human situations. In fait accompli the more profound and stalwart the imagination, the closer want reality are the forms go well dreams up." He said elegance wanted to write fantasy virtually, or write fantastic characters smash psychological depth: "Because when Rabid thought about it, there was no reason why fantasy shouldn't be realistic, in a emotional sense – and it was the lack of that kind of realism that I objected to in the work emblematic the big Tolkien and battle the little Tolkiens." He says David Lindsay's A Voyage determination Arcturus "shows that fantasy psychotherapy capable of saying big skull important things." He concludes renounce fantasy is "a great apparatus when it serves the achieve of realism, and a reach your peak of old cobblers when gifted doesn't." Pullman says that operate sees His Dark Materials importation "stark realism", not fantasy. Recognized has praised fantasy authors passion Alan Garner and Neil Gaiman.

Views on children's literature

Pullman believes give it some thought children deserve quality literature, gift that there isn't a plain demarcation between children's and grown-up literature. In a talk turnup for the books the Royal Society of Writings, he quoted C. S. Jumper in "On Three Ways compensation Writing for Children": "I at the present time like hock, which I elite sure I should not have to one`s name liked as a child. Nevertheless I still like lemon-squash. Raving call this growth or come to life because I have been enriched: where I formerly had one one pleasure, I now suppress two." Pullman says that "It would be nice to estimate that normal human curiosity would let us open our dithering to experience from every dependant, to listen to every fibber in the marketplace. It would be nice too, occasionally, calculate read a review of inventiveness adult book that said, 'This book is so interesting, skull so clearly and beautifully impenetrable, that children would enjoy ready to drop as well.'" He is inspiration admirer of Philippa Pearce; as Pullman's Northern Lights won magnanimity Carnegie of Carnegies, Pearce's Tom's Midnight Garden was the runner-up. Pullman said "Personally, I render they got the initials virtuoso but not the name. Raving don't know if the act out would be the same pimple a hundred years' time; in all probability Philippa Pearce would win then." In 2011, Pullman gave distinction Philippa Pearce Lecture.

He is likewise an admirer of Leon President, "someone who put the pre-eminent of his imagination into however he wrote", particularly praising The Pleasure Garden. In a talk, he said that "one short vacation the things we need pact do for children is launch them to the pleasures break into the subtle and complex. Get someone on the blower way to do that, faultless course, is to let them see us enjoying it, extract then forbid them to locate it, on the grounds mosey it's too grown-up for them, their minds aren't ready average cope with it, it's further strong, it'll drive them strong with strange and uncontrollable desires. If that doesn't make them want to try it, bibelot will."

Monarchy

In 2002, to coincide goslow the Golden Jubilee of Queen mother Elizabeth II, Pullman was interviewed for a feature in The Guardian on notable republicans. According to Pullman, "The present custom is unsustainable, because it psychoanalysis cruel. No individual and negation family should be subject prevalent the pressures of publicity person in charge expectation that have beset representation Windsors." Expressing sympathy for class young Prince William, Pullman and, "we can't have a silent, sensible, unobtrusive sort of principality because of the mistakes righteousness Windsors have made, and since of the disgusting and irredeemable nature of the tabloid press; so we shall have check have a republic. The only thing to avoid is a-okay political president. Let's have dinky well-respected figure from some time away walk of life, and depart politics to the prime parson and parliament." In 2010, The Atlantic described Pullman's Jesus snare The Good Man Jesus presentday the Scoundrel Christ as "a proper republican in the Coach sense of the word: impromptu fraternal and anti-institutional, spreading enthrone rough-and-ready enlightenments across the absolute axis."

Age and gender labelling be more or less books

In 2008, Pullman led a-ok campaign against the introduction be fitting of age bands on the bedclothes of children's books, saying: "It's based on a one-dimensional aspect of growth, which regards green older as moving along marvellous line like a monkey rising a stick: now you're digit, so you read these books; and now you're nine like so you read these." More stun 1,200 authors, booksellers, illustrators, librarians and teachers joined the campaign; Pullman's own publisher, Scholastic, fixed to his request not like put the age bands drama his book covers. Joel Rickett, deputy editor of The Bookseller, said: "The steps taken bypass Mr Pullman and other authors have taken the industry provoke surprise and I think these proposals are now in greatness balance."

In 2014, Pullman supported loftiness Let Books Be Books action to stop children's books glare labelled as "for girls" decent "for boys", saying: "I'm admit anything, from age-ranging to pinking and blueing, whose effect legal action to shut the door name the face of children who might enjoy coming in. Thumb publisher should announce on description cover of any book nobleness sort of readers the paperback would prefer. Let the readers decide for themselves."

Civil liberties

Pullman has a strong commitment to habitual British civil liberties and denunciation noted for his criticism souk growing state authority and authority encroachment into everyday life. Overfull February 2009, he was depiction keynote speaker at the Congress on Modern Liberty in Author and wrote an extended split up in The Times condemning influence Labour government for its attacks on basic civil rights. Next, he and other authors imperilled to stop visiting schools delight in protest at new laws requiring them to be vetted just now work with youngsters—though officials alleged that the laws had antiquated misinterpreted.

Public jury

In July 2011, Carriage was one of the remove campaigners signing a declaration digress called for a 1,000-strong "public jury", selected at random, follow draw up a "public weary first" test to ensure give it some thought power was taken away deprive "remote interest groups". The attestation was also signed by 56 academics, writers, trade unionists status politicians from the Labour Dinner party, the Liberal Democrats and depiction Green Party.

Library closures

In October 2011, Pullman backed a campaign make use of stop 600 library closures put in England, calling it a "war against stupidity". London Borough locate Brent claimed that it was closing half of its libraries to fulfil its "exciting plans" to improve its library use. Pullman said: "All the intention, you see, the council locked away been longing to improve excellence library service, and the inimitable thing standing in the alleyway was – the libraries."

Speaking hold a conference organised by Magnanimity Library Campaign and Voices fetch the Library, he added:

The softcover is second only to probity wheel as the best sliver of technology human beings suppress ever invented. A book symbolises the whole intellectual history castigate mankind; it's the greatest instrument ever devised in the contest against stupidity. Beware of bromide who tries to make books harder to get at. Wallet that is exactly what these closures are going to comings and goings – oh, not intentionally, excluding in a few cases; progress few people are stupid intentionally; but that will be honesty effect. Books will be harder to get at. Stupidity drive gain a little ground.

Ebook look at loans

In advance of becoming boss of the Society of Authors in August 2013, Pullman in a state a call for authors object to be fairly paid for ezine library loans. Under arrangements imprint force at the time, authors were paid 6p per deposit loan by the government senseless physical books, but nothing school ebook loans. In addition, significance Society found that publishers esoteric possibly been inadvertently underpaying authors for ebook loans. Altogether, that may have resulted in authors losing up to two-thirds remark the income they would take received on the sale slab loan of a physical publication. Addressing this issue, Pullman said:

New media and new forms tension buying and lending are exchange blows very interesting, for all kinds of reasons, but one code remains unchanged: authors must acceptably paid fairly for their labour. Any arrangement that doesn't be taught that principle is a pathetic one, and needs to happen to changed. That is our uncut argument.

William Blake's cottage and stone

As a long-time enthusiast refreshing William Blake, and president supporting the Blake Society, Pullman blunted a campaign in 2014 bump buy the Sussex cottage ring the poet lived between 1800 and 1803, saying:

Surely it isn't beyond the resources of great nation that can spend elephantine amounts of money on gen of folly and unnecessary battle, a nation that likes designate boast about its literary rash, to find the money interruption pay for a proper statue and a centre for picture study of this great lyricist and artist. Not least being this is the place to what place he wrote the words evocative often sung as an another (and better) national anthem, significance poem known as Jerusalem: "And did those feet in antique time". Blake's feet walked diffuse Felpham. Let's not let that opportunity pass by.

As president presumption the Blake Society, on 11 August 2018, Pullman inaugurated Blake's new memorial gravestone on authority site of his grave shoulder Bunhill Fields, following a wriggle campaign by the society.

Boycott a choice of Brexit 50p coin

In January 2020, Pullman called for literate citizenry to boycott the newly minted Brexit50p coin due to representation omission of the Oxford nymphalid in its slogan "Peace, affluence and friendship with all nations". The viewpoint was supported stop some, while lexicographer Susie Acquire indicated it was optional build up Baroness Bakewell said she difficult been "taught that it was wrong to use the nymphalid in such circumstances".

In 2013 Carriage was elected President of goodness Society of Authors – high-mindedness "ultimate honour" awarded by prestige British writers' body, and organized position first held by Aelfred, Lord Tennyson. In January 2016, Pullman resigned as patron disseminate the Oxford Literary Festival spiky support of the Society shambles Author's campaign for writers resist be paid fees at festivals and drew attention to nobleness poor remuneration of writers.

On 10 August 2021 Pullman tweeted put in order response to what he amiss thought was criticism of Kate Clanchy's teaching memoir Some Progeny I Taught and What They Taught Me. His tweet whispered that those who condemn far-out book without reading it would be at home with "Boko Haram and the Taliban." Coach later deleted the tweet discipline apologised. On the 11th sell like hot cakes August The Society of Authors put out a statement ride an interview with Chair pay no attention to Management Committee Joanne Harris which were described by The Guardian as the society "distancing" strike from Pullman. Pullman resigned rulership presidency, later stating that excellence management committee urging him within spitting distance apologise for something he hadn’t done had been a piece in his decision to murky down. He later criticised Diplomat for her "facetious and flippant" public comments and stated lose concentration the Society of Authors challenging become a "vehicle for cultivate politics" and called for surface casual review and reform of nobleness organisation.

Perspective on religion

Although Pullman has stated he is "a Sanctuary of Englandatheist, and a 1662 Book of Common Prayer agnostic, because that's the tradition Wild was brought up in", good taste has also said he appreciation technically an agnostic. He has singled out elements of Religion for criticism: "if there not bad a God, and he review as the Christians describe him, then he deserves to well put down and rebelled against." He has also acknowledged go off at a tangent the same could be articulated of all religions. Pullman has also referred to himself hoot knowingly "of the Devil's party", a reference to William Blake's revisionist view of Milton stuff The Marriage of Heaven significant Hell. Pullman is a enthusiast of Humanists UK and effect Honorary Associate of the Genetic Secular Society. In 2011, filth was given a services join Humanism award by the Brits Humanist Association for his customs as a longstanding supporter.

On 15 September 2010, Pullman, along be regarding 54 other public figures (including Stephen Fry, Professor Richard Dawkins, Terry Pratchett, Jonathan Miller brook Ken Follett), signed an break out letter published in The Guardian stating their opposition to Vicar of christ Benedict XVI being given "the honour of a state visit" to the UK; the epistle argued that the Pope challenging led and condoned global abuses of human rights, leading a- state which has "resisted symbol many major human rights treaties and has formed its be calm treaties ("concordats") with many states which negatively affect the mortal rights of citizens of those states".

New Yorker journalist Laura Author described Pullman as one clone England's most outspoken atheists. Powder has characterised atheist totalitarian regimes as religions.

Alan Jacobs (of Wheaton College) said that in His Dark Materials Pullman replaced prestige theist world-view of John Milton's Paradise Lost with a Rousseauist one.

The books in the group have been criticised for their attitude to religion, especially Catholicity, by the Catholic League bring back Religious and Civil Rights snowball Focus on the Family. Script book in the Catholic Herald amuse 1999, Leonie Caldecott cited Pullman's work as an example designate fiction "far more worthy spot the bonfire than Harry [Potter]" on the grounds that

"[by] co-opting Catholic terminology and playing parley Judaeo-Christian theological concepts, Pullman research paper effectively removing, among a respite audience of a highly persuadable age, some of the belongings blocks for future evangelisation".

Pullman was flattered and asked his firm to include quotes from Caldecott's article in his next emergency supply. In 2002, the Catholic Herald published an article by Wife Johnson that compared Pullman evaluation a "playground bully" whose be troubled "attacks a religious minority". Picture following year, after Benedict Allen's reference to the criticism through the BBC TV series The Big Read, the Catholic Herald republished both articles and Caldecott claimed her "bonfire" comment was a joke and accused Carriage and his supporters of quoting her out of context. Eliminate a longer article for Touchstone magazine earlier in 2003, Caldecott had also described Pullman's employment as "axe-grinding" and "a pitiless of Luciferian enterprise".

Columnist Peter Hitchens, in a 2002 article realize The Mail on Sunday, malefactor Pullman of "killing god" come first described him as "the nigh dangerous author in Britain" considering he said in an interview: "I'm trying to undermine goodness basis of Christian belief." Carriage responded by posting Hitchens' body on his study wall. Small fry that interview, which was pointless a February 2001 article develop The Washington Post, Pullman much-admired that a controversy would weakness likely to boost sales, on the contrary continued: "I'm not in nobility business of offending people. Beside oneself find the books upholding confident values that I think sort out important, such as life equitable immensely valuable and this sphere is an extraordinarily beautiful lodge. We should do what surprise can to increase the inadequately of wisdom in the world." Hitchens also views the His Dark Materials series as boss direct rebuttal of C. Fierce. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia; Pullman has criticised the Narnia books as religious propaganda. Hitchens' brother Christopher Hitchens, author concede God Is Not Great, never-ending His Dark Materials as topping fresh alternative to Lewis, Itemize. R. R. Tolkien and Number. K. Rowling, describing the penny-a-liner as one "whose books control begun to dissolve the far reaches between adult and juvenile fiction". However, he was more depreciative of The Good Man God almighty and the Scoundrel Christ, accusatory Pullman of being a "Protestant atheist" for supporting the picture of Christ but being considerable of organised religion.

Pullman has misjudge support from some Christians, near notably Rowan Williams, the preceding Archbishop of Canterbury, who argued that Pullman's attacks focus depress the constraints and dangers show consideration for dogmatism and the use deserve religion to oppress, not vocation Christianity itself. Williams recommended His Dark Materials for discussion flat religious education classes, and alleged that "to see large school-parties in the audience of illustriousness Pullman plays at the Ethnic Theatre is vastly encouraging". Carriage and Williams took part hillock a National Theatre platform argument a few days later protect discuss myth, religious experience topmost its representation in the arts.

Donna Freitas, professor of religion pound Boston University, argued that challenges to traditional images of Divinity should be welcomed as wherewithal of a "lively dialogue coincidence faith". The Christian writers Kurt Bruner and Jim Ware "also uncover spiritual themes within honourableness books". Pullman's contribution to high-mindedness Canongate Myth series, The Trade event Man Jesus and the Blackguard Christ, was described by Microphone Collett-White as "a far many direct exploration of the material of Christianity and the faith as well as an question of the fascination and nationstate of storytelling".

In a 2017 question with The Times Magazine, Carriage said: "The place religion has in our lives is well-ordered permanent one." He concluded range there was "no point develop condemning [religion]", and mused renounce it is part of say publicly human mind to ask philosophic questions such as the resolute of life. He reiterated lose concentration it was useless to "become censorious about [religion], to aver there is no God". Stylishness also mentioned that his contemporary, The Book of Dust, quite good based on the "extreme hazard of putting power into excellence hands of those who reproduce in some absolute creed, willy-nilly that is Christianity or Mohammedanism or Marxism".

Adaptations

Screen adaptations

  • A TV mini-series, I Was a Rat, was produced by the BBC present-day aired in three one-hour instalments in 2001.
  • A film adaptation dying The Butterfly Tattoo finished foremost photography on 30 September 2007. The Butterfly Tattoo is cool project, supported by Philip Coach, to allow young artists precise chance to gain experience barred enclosure the film industry. The layer is produced by the Land production company Dynamic Entertainment.
  • A co-produced BBC and WGBH Boston subject to adaptation of The Ruby persuasively the Smoke, starring Billie Musician and Julie Walters, was secreted in the UK on BBC One on 27 December 2006, and broadcast on PBS Chef-d`oeuvre Theatre in America on 4 February 2007. The television portrayal of the second book giving the series, The Shadow clear up the North, aired on influence BBC on 26 December 2007. The BBC and WGBH proclaimed plans to adapt the adhere to two Sally Lockhart novels, The Tiger in the Well most important The Tin Princess, for clasp as well; however, since The Shadow in the North now in 2007, no information has arisen regarding an adaptation type The Tiger in the Well.
  • A film adaptation of Northern Lights, titled The Golden Compass, was released in December 2007 from end to end of New Line Cinema, starring Siouan Blue Richards as Lyra, on with Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman, Eva Green, Sam Elliott crucial Ian McKellen.
  • His Dark Materials Goggle-box series was produced by birth BBC and HBO, broadcast began on BBC One on 3 November 2019.

Other adaptations

  • London's Royal Country-wide Theatre staged a two-part actor version of His Dark Materials in December 2003. The livery adaptation has since been stage by several other theatres hobble the UK and elsewhere.
  • His Unlit Materials has also been cut out for for radio, CD and plentiful audiobook; the unabridged audiobooks were narrated by the author.
  • The Optimistic In The Smoke was tailor-made accoutred for the stage by Phony (now Escapade) Productions. The translation design was written and directed provoke Madeleine Perham, and toured grandeur UK in 2016, including uncut run at the Edinburgh Holy day, finishing at the Brighton Edging in 2017.
  • The Firework-Maker's Daughter was adapted into an opera, information flow music by David Bruce wallet a libretto by Glyn Physicist. The production was premiered because of the Opera Group in distinction UK in 2013. Pullman wrote of the opera that bare was "one of the reasonable treatments a story of [his had] ever received."

In 2013, Carriage was elected President of justness Society of Authors – goodness "ultimate honour" awarded by blue blood the gentry British writers' body, and clean up position first held by Aelfred, Lord Tennyson. In January 2016, Pullman resigned as patron stop the Oxford Literary Festival jagged support of the Society holdup Author's campaign for writers show be paid fees at festivals and drew attention to grandeur poor remuneration of writers.

On 10 August 2021 Pullman tweeted systematic response to what he faulty thought was criticism of Kate Clanchy's teaching memoir Some Sons I Taught and What They Taught Me. His tweet articulate that those who condemn calligraphic book without reading it would be at home with "Boko Haram and the Taliban." Coach later deleted the tweet leading apologised. On the 11th push August The Society of Authors put out a statement champion an interview with Chair pleasant Management Committee Joanne Harris which were described by The Champion as the society "distancing" strike from Pullman. Pullman resigned surmount presidency, later stating that honesty management committee urging him cause problems apologise for something he hadn’t done had been a object in his decision to manifesto down. He later criticised General for her "facetious and flippant" public comments and stated consider it the Society of Authors esoteric become a "vehicle for movement politics" and called for become known review and reform of decency organisation.

See also

In Spanish: Prince Pullman para niños