Philip Pullman

Sir Philip Pullman is an English author best known for the series His Dark Materials. His other works include a fictionalized biography of Jesus Christ's brother called The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, the Sally Lockheart series, Count Karlstein, and The White Mercedes among others. Much of Pullman's work was inspired by his time at Exeter College in Oxford, England. He married Judith Speller in 1970, shortly before publishing his first novel, The Haunted Storm. Pullman has won many awards for his literary efforts, including the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, the Astrid Lindren Memorial Award, and the J.M. Barrie Award for his lifetime achievement in literature for children and young adults.

Pullman's work regularly includes themes related to theology, specifically Christianity, which has led to the removal of his books from the libraries of several religious schools. Despite this controversy, Pullman has received an honorary professorship at Bangor University and an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford. He uses his influence as a noted author to support the removal of age and gender labels from children's books. He also campaigns against the integration of the church with the government and fights against the closures of libraries across England. Pullman's other passions include the preservation of William Blake's cottage and memorial stone, part of his role as the president of the Blake Society.