From the Archive: Philip Pullman, “His Dark Materials”

Philip Pullman, author of the “His Dark Materials” trilogy, “The Golden Compass,” “The Subtle Knife” and “The Amber Spyglass” in conversation with Richard Wolinsky. Recorded November 30, 2000.

Philip Pullman is the acclaimed author of a series of three  tantasy novels, titled collectively, “His Dark Materials” (there’s also a novella, a short story and a graphic novel in the series). Originally marketed as young adult novels, these books take on Judeo-Christian notions of morality as well as the way belief systems are manipulated by organized religion — all in the guise of a coming of age fantasy taking place on a world like, and very unlike, our own.

A failed 2007 version of “The Golden Compass” opened in theaters, and was not followed by sequels. Currently HBO is running a series based on the trilogy.

In 2017, Philip Pullman began a prequel series, “The Book of Dust,” with “La Belle Sauvage,” and dealing with the events where Lyra, as a baby, is brought to Oxford. The second volume in that series, “The Secret Commonwealth,” was published in October, 2019.

This interview was conducted during Philip Pullman’s only author tour through the United States. The program has been remastered and reedited in 2019 by Richard Wolinsky.

(featured image, 2008, Anna via Flickr, Creative Commons)

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