Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman is a celebrated English author known for his impactful storytelling, particularly in the realm of young adult and children's literature. He was born in Norwich, England, and experienced a diverse upbringing, shaped by his father's military career and the loss of loved ones. Pullman's literary journey began in earnest during his time as a teacher, where he developed a passion for nurturing creativity in young minds. His works often feature strong, adventurous protagonists, such as Lyra Belacqua from the acclaimed *His Dark Materials* series, which explores profound themes through a fantastical lens.
Pullman's notable titles include *The Ruby in the Smoke* and the *His Dark Materials* trilogy, which includes *Northern Lights* (also known as *The Golden Compass* in the U.S.), *The Subtle Knife*, and *The Amber Spyglass*. His writing has garnered numerous prestigious awards, reflecting his significant contributions to literature, including the Carnegie Medal and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. In addition to his literary success, Pullman has adapted some of his works into film, though he has voiced critiques about their interpretations. His recent projects include *The Book of Dust* trilogy, which expands on the world of *His Dark Materials*, showcasing his continued relevance in contemporary literature.
Philip Pullman
Author
- Born: October 19, 1946
- Place of Birth: Norwich, England
Biography
Philip Pullman describes himself as a storyteller rather than a writer, stressing the primacy of the story and its need to be told over technical prowess or the psychological needs of the author. Praised highly for his narrative ability, Pullman has written prolifically and created a significant opus, to much critical acclaim.
Pullman was born in Norwich, England, one of two sons of Alfred Outram Pullman and Audrey Evelyn Merrifield. Pullman's father was a Royal Air Force pilot, and his family moved with him to various locations in Australia, Africa, and Europe until 1953, when he died in a plane crash in Kenya. Pullman’s mother then left him with his maternal grandparents in Norfolk for two years while she lived and worked in London. Pullman formed a deep attachment to his grandfather, an Anglican clergyman, whose storytelling left a lasting impression on the youth.
Pullman’s mother remarried, to an airman friend of his father's, and the family moved to Australia for eighteen months, where Pullman remembers discovering comic books and further developing his love of narrative. Eventually the family moved to North Wales, where Pullman attended Ysgol Ardudwy secondary school in Harlech, Gwynedd. He credits an influential teacher there, Enid Jones, with teaching him to write clearly. He would send her copies of his books throughout his career.
Pullman was the first in his family to attend college. He studied literature at Oxford University and received his bachelor of arts degree in 1968.
Pullman taught in middle schools in Oxford for the next twelve years. Less interested in rigorous standards enforced through testing than in developing his students’ creative imaginations, he recited literature, wrote plays for his students to perform, and effectively served an apprenticeship during these years for his later career as a young adult author. He continued teaching as a part-time lecturer at Westminster College, Oxford, specializing in Victorian literature and folktales.
Pullman believes that young adult audiences are more prone to demand good storytelling from an author than jaded adult audiences. After a brief and unsuccessful foray into adult fiction, he turned instead to children's literature. His second novel for young adults, The Ruby in the Smoke (1985), was also the first of his Sally Lockhart series, which features an intrepid young female investigator living in Victorian England. Often exposed to the shadowy underworld of London, she seeks information essential to her identity. Pullman continued Sally's story with The Shadow in the North (1986) and The Tiger in the Well (1990). The last book of the series, The Tin Princess (1994), is set in the same universe but focuses instead on one of Sally's friends from the previous books.
Pullman’s masterpiece, the His Dark Materials series, also was marketed for a young adult audience, although Pullman insists that he had adult readers in mind as well. These books, like the Lockhart series, focus on the adventures of an orphaned girl—in this case, Lyra Belacqua. Lyra's determination in Northern Lights (1995; released in the United States as The Golden Compass)to find her best friend leads her on a dangerous journey to save children from scientists seeking to control the universe. In the second book of the trilogy, The Subtle Knife (1997), she joins forces with Will Parry. In the third volume, The Amber Spyglass (2000), she and Will fight in a cosmic battle for supremacy in heaven. The trilogy concludes with Lyra’s coming-of-age and her romantic attraction to Will.
Pullman has won many awards and has been nominated for many more. The Ruby in the Smoke was awarded the International Reading Association Children’s Book Award in 1988. The Shadow in the Smoke was a finalist for the Mystery Writers of America's 1989 Edgar Allan Poe Award. Northern Lights won the 1995 Carnegie Medal, the 1996 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, and the 1997 National Book Award for British children’s book of the year. In 2001, The Amber Spyglass earned Pullman his second National Book Award for children's book of the year. It also won two Whitbread Awards, for best children’s book and for overall book of the year—the first children’s book to achieve the latter—and was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize, another first for children's literature. Pullman was given the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2005.
In 2007, to celebrate the Carnegie Medal's seventieth anniversary, a committee compiled a short list of the top ten medal winners from previous years and then conducted an online poll to determine the popular favorite, the “Carnegie of Carnegies.” Northern Lights won by a landslide, with 40 percent of the British vote and 36 percent of votes cast worldwide. In his acceptance speech, Pullman called the award "the most important honor I have ever received, and the one I treasure the most."
A film adaptation of Northern Lights, titled The Golden Compass (after the novel's American title) and starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, was released in 2007. It received mixed reviews and was criticized by Pullman for failing to commit to an ending. The film was lauded for its special effects, however, receiving both the Academy Award and the BAFTA Award for best visual effects in 2008.
In 2017, Pullman published Le Bell Sauvage, the first installment in his The Book of Dust trilogy. He published its sequel, The Secret Commonwealth, in 2019. Pullman then published two companion books to the His Dark Materials series: Serpentine (2020) and The Imagination Chamber (2022).w
Philip Pullman married Judith Speller in 1970. They have two sons, James and Thomas.
Bibliography
BNayley, Sian. "Pullman Records The Imagination Chamber for Bolinda with Exclusive Material." The Bookseller, 15 Aug. 2022, www.thebookseller.com/rights/pullman-records-the-imagination-chamber-for-bolinda-with-exclusive-material. Accesed 2 Oct. 2024.
Dowd, Siobhan. "Philip Pullman." Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11 Jan. 2016. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
Pauli, Michelle. "Pullman Wins 'Carnegie of Carnegies.'" Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 21 June 2007. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
"Philip Pullman." British Council Literature. British Council, 2016. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
"Philip Pullman." The Folio Society. Folio Soc., 2016. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
"Philip Pullman: How Wales Inspired His Life and Work." BBC Arts. BBC, 18 Mar. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.
Speaker-Yuan, Margaret. Philip Pullman. Philadelphia: Chelsea, 2006. Print.
Squires, Claire. Philip Pullman, Master Storyteller: A Guide to the Worlds of His Dark Materials. New York: Continuum, 2006. Print.
Walsh, John. "Michael Gove, Catholics, the Taliban—and How Hollywood Made a Mess of the Golden Compass: The Dark Side of Philip Pullman." Daily Mail Online. Assoc. Newspapers, 15 Mar. 2014. Web. 11 Mar. 2016.