Philip Pullman

Philip Pullman was born in Norwich on 19th October 1946. The early part of his life was spent travelling all over the world, because his father and then his stepfather were both in the Royal Air Force. He spent part of his childhood in Australia, where he first met the wonders of comics, and grew to love Superman and Batman in particular. From the age of 11, he lived in North Wales, having moved back to Britain.. After he left school he went to Exeter College, Oxford, to read English. He did a number of odd jobs for a while, and then moved back to Oxford to become a teacher. He taught at various middle schools for twelve years, and then moved to Westminster College, Oxford, to be a part-time lecturer. His first published novel was for adults, but he began writing for children when he was a teacher. Some of his novels were based on plays he wrote for his school pupils, such as The Ruby In The Smoke. Philip still lives in Oxford, and he writes in a shed at the bottom of his garden. The shed contains two comfortable chairs (one for writing in, one for sitting at the computer in), several hundred books, a six-foot-long stuffed rat which took a part in his play Sherlock Holmes and the Limehouse Horror, a guitar, a saxophone, as well as the computer, decorated with dozens of brightly coloured artificial flowers attached to it by Blu-Tack. He is married to Jude. Their son Jamie is a viola player, and their younger son Tom studies music at university. As far as he can tell, Philip Pullman is moderately harmless and useful. He would like to carry on doing what he's doing now, and there seems no reason why he shouldn't, but if it suddenly became against the law to write stories, he would break the law without a second's hesitation.

 

---

Featured Books, with extracts by Philip Pullman

Once Upon A Time In The North
Philip Pullman
A wonderful tale from a master storyteller, giving us, just as Lyra’s Oxford did, more extraordinary insight into the world of Pullman’s ‘Dark Materials’. This one tells the story of the very first meeting in the far frozen Arctic...
Format: Hardback - Released: 03/04/2008

Price: £7.49- Saving £2.50 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

Once Upon A Time In The North CD
Philip Pullman
This is the CD audio version of the wonderful tale from the master storyteller, giving us, just as Lyra’s Oxford did, more extraordinary insight into the world of Pullman’s ‘Dark Materials’. This one tells the story of the very...
Format: Cd-audio - Released: 03/04/2008

Price: £9.54- Saving £3.18 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

Count Karlstein
Philip Pullman
This stunning spoof melodrama relates the dramatic and scary tale of how the evil Count Karlstein strikes a bargain with the Demon Huntsman. The price of the bargain? His nieces, Lucy and Charlotte, who look as if they will be...
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/11/2007

Price: £4.49- Saving £1.50 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

Lyra's Oxford
Philip Pullman
This is a beguiling new episode from the universe of Philip Pullman's Dark Material trilogy, a story which opens in Oxford some two years after the conclusion of The Amber Spyglass. It's gripping and funny and is Pullman at his...
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/11/2007

Price: £3.74- Saving £1.25 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

Northern Lights - Filmed As The Golden Compass
Philip Pullman
The film tie-in version. Part one of Philip Pullman’s magnificent trilogy. His ‘Dark Materials’, is the story of Lyra, a young girl with an exceptional destiny. Brought up in Jordan College, Oxford Lyra uncovers a secret about her mysterious guardian...
Format: Paperback - Released: 06/08/2007

Price: £5.24- Saving £1.75 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

Amber Spyglass
Philip Pullman
Film tie-in version. The third in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. His ‘Dark Materials’, is the story of Lyra, a young girl with an exceptional destiny. Brought up in Jordan College, Oxford Lyra uncovers a secret about...
Format: Paperback - Released: 06/08/2007

Price: £6.74- Saving £2.25 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

The Subtle Knife
Philip Pullman
Film tie-in version. The second in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. His ‘Dark Materials’, is the story of Lyra, a young girl with an exceptional destiny. Brought up in Jordan College, Oxford Lyra uncovers a secret about...
Format: Paperback - Released: 06/08/2007

Price: £5.24- Saving £1.75 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp
Philip Pullman
5-7 years. Sophy Williams’s painterly illustrations evoke a mysterious eastern past in rich tones of purple and emerald as an engrossing background to Philip Pullman’s equally full-blooded retelling. This is Pullman relishing storytelling. Lots of jokes pay tribute to Aladdin’s...
Format: Paperback - Released: 21/11/2005

Price: £5.99- Saving £2.00 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

I Was A Rat!
Philip Pullman
Acclaimed author Philip Pullman turns his hand to a stunning and original story for younger readers. Who is Roger? He says he was a rat - and some of the time he behaves like a rat. But, he is also...
Format: Paperback - Released: 04/11/2004

Price: £3.74- Saving £1.25 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

The Firework-maker's Daughter
Philip Pullman
Full of hilarious and likeable characters, this is a book that will be read over and over again.  It’s one of those rare books with a confident magic and quality all of its own. Children will find Lila wonderfully inspirational...
Format: Paperback - Released: 04/11/2004

Price: £3.74- Saving £1.25 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

His Dark Materials. Northern Lights, Subtle Knife, Amber Spyglass (gift set)
Philip Pullman
Chosen by the public through a survey to coincide with the 10th birthday celebrations of World Book Day 2007, this title is one of ‘the ten books the nation can’t live without’.  Have you read them all? Below are...
Format: Hardback - Released: 19/10/2001

Price: £18.75- Saving £6.25 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy

Northern Lights
Philip Pullman
Winner of the Carnegie of Carnegies in 2007 and Carnegie winner in 1995. Part one of Philip Pullman’s magnificent trilogy. His ‘Dark Materials’, is the story of Lyra, a young girl with an exceptional destiny. Brought up in...
Format: Paperback - Released: 16/10/1998

Price: £5.99- Saving £2.00 (25%)

Info   Extract   Wishlist   Compare Price   Buy