Literature Matters: Philip Pullman in Conversation

Following the publication of the first volume of the long-awaited The Book of Dust, Philip Pullman talks about his writing life and on why and how literature matters to him with Erica Wagner.

Philip Pullman is one of the best-loved and most highly acclaimed children's authors in the world. He has been shortlisted for numerous major children's book awards, and has won the Carnegie Medal and Astrid Lindgren Award. He has also become known for his voicing his opinions on the church, our education system and the role of the author in public life. 

Erica Wagner was born in New York City. Her most recent book is Chief Engineer: Washington Roebling, the Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge (Bloomsbury). Twice a judge of the Man Booker Prize, she was literary editor of The Times for 17 years and is now contributing literary editor for Harper’s Bazaar and a contributing writer for the New Statesman. She was the recipient of the Eccles British Library Writer’s Award in 2014, and she is a Lecturer in Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Here he is in conversation about returning to the world of His Dark Materials for his new trilogy, as well as in discussion on why literature remains relevant and his relationship with the written word.

In partnership with The Royal Society of Literature

Image: Philip Pullman, by Michael Leckie