btts_net | Entries tagged with philip pullman

dolorosa-12.livejournal.com

Philip Pullman has recently shown his support for a scheme to raise a new interest in the works of Charles Dickens. The Dickens International Drama Challenge, set up by author Peter Mieville, was officially started on the 7th of February, the 199th anniversary of the author’s birth, at his grave in Westminster Abbey.

The idea behind the challenge is for groups of schoolchildren to re-imagine a scene from any of Dickens’ works and put it on stage.

“It will be a opportunity for  school children to look at Dickens’s work and interpret it in their own ways,” Mr Mieville said.

To contact Mr Mieville about the Dickens International Drama Challenge email dmprods@yahoo.co.uk.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/what-the-dickens/

dolorosa-12.livejournal.com

Philip Pullman is scheduled to appear at World Book Night on the 4th of March in Trafalgar Square. The event, which will be presented by Graham Norton, was inspired by World Book Day, which distributes book tokens around schools for specially written books.

Over a million books will be given away at the event including Northern Lights. Other authors attending include Derek Walcott, Margaret Atwood and Alan Bennett.

About the event, Pullman said this: “I love this idea. There’s something primeval about it: to think of my story being passed on from one person to another makes me feel a connection with the earliest storytellers in their caves, or crouching around a fire on the dark savannah. The relationship between the storyteller, the story, and the audience is an ancient one that long predates things like bestseller lists and royalty statements, or even money itself. It’s really a form of enchantment. The gift idea is just as old and just as potent, and to see them combined in this brilliant and simple way is a delight. I’m very privileged to be part of it.”

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/world-book-night-2/

dolorosa-12.livejournal.com

Philip Pullman has exclusively revealed to BridgeToTheStars.Net that the long-awaited Book of Dust may be written in two parts. He told BTTS that “I’m now thinking in terms of two volumes, one to go before HDM, as it were a prequel, and the other to follow it.”

Pullman has been working on The Book of Dust since 2004 and has described it as a “big, big book.” He mentioned his continuing work on it in a speech he gave recently defending Oxfordshire’s Libraries. “I was trying to find out where all the rivers and streams ran in Oxford, for a book I’m writing called The Book of Dust. [...] I managed to find some old maps that showed me exactly what I wanted to know.”

Sraffies have been waiting with bated breath for news of The Book of Dust and what it might contain. This snippet of information might just be enough to tide us over for another year or so.

You can discuss The Book of Dust and what you hope to see in it here at our forum.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/the-book-of-dust-in-two-parts/

Current Mood: happy

dolorosa-12.livejournal.com

Philip Pullman’s award-winning book Spring-Heeled Jack is being made into an animated film by Paul Dutton, director of The Illusionist.

Dutton is a self-confessed fan of Pullman, saying that “I’ve read almost everything Pullman has written and enjoyed it, and so has my family. Of course, the Golden Compass, Northern Lights, and those books are fantastic. He really evokes something that I would like to capture.”

Thanks to Skye for giving us the heads up!

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/895/

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thelxiepia.livejournal.com

Philip Pullman was present at the Central Library in Oxford on the fifth of February, Save Our Libraries Day. He took part in a read-in and read an extract from his children’s novel, Clockwork. Below is video and pictures from the event.

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thelxiepia.livejournal.com

It’s Save Our Libraries Day tomorrow, where fans of books and reading are stepping up to show their support of British Libraries. Philip Pullman, who is one of the many famous names involved in the campaign, has described it as “one of the first great shots across the bows of the cuts battleship.”

Councils all over the country plan on axing their Library services to save money during the budget cuts, claiming that the dwindling numbers of people visiting them means that they won’t be missed.

At least eighty events will take place up and down the country tomorrow, with famous figures such as Kate Mosse, GP Taylor, and Julia Donaldson appearing at protests. Philip Pullman will be joining Mark Haddon at a read-in in Oxfordshire.

If you would like to get involved with the Campaign, visit this website.

dolorosa-12.livejournal.com

Philip Pullman's January 20 speech defending public libraries against government cuts (first reported on BridgetotheStars here has met with a rousing reception online. An article published in The Guardian today notes that an online version of the speech has been read 20,000 times in the past two days.

News was spread mainly via Twitter and other social media, with comments on The Guardian's article and the posted speech being mainly supportive and positive.

A French translation of the speech can be found here at Cittàgazze.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/enthusiastic-reception-for-pullmans-library-speech/

thelxiepia.livejournal.com

Blogger Book Maven reports that Philip Pullman was amongst several speakers at a meeting of the Oxfordshire Anti-Cuts Alliance (OACA) last week specifically about libraries and the threat they are under. A number of libraries in Oxfordshire are to have funding withdrawn but the public are to be offered the chance to run them as volunteers; in effect they are earmarked for closure. Pullman apparently gave a corker of a speech, dealing well with a heckler and pointing out that it is the council’s duty to fight against cuts and preserve library services. He went on to say that his interest in libraries was simply through love. Philip Pullman will be reading at a read-in at Oxford Central Library on February 5th at 12 noon. Read all about last week’s meeting here. Article on this matter found in the Cherwell.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/pullman-speaks-out-against-library-closures/

thelxiepia.livejournal.com

The Firework Maker’s Daughter, I was a Rat! Or the Scarlet Slippers, Clockwork or All Wound Up and The Scarecrow and His Servant, four of Philip Pullman’s most beloved children’s books have been published in a beautiful gift edition, illustrated by Peter Bailey. Four Tales is available in hardback on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/new-pullman-compliation/

thelxiepia.livejournal.com

In a recent interview with the Guardian, Philip Pullman comments on the use of CGI as a possible reason for the failures of many film adaptions of fantasy books.

“We don’t believe it any more.” He said. “Or we know that it’s only computers.”

He also addressed the ever present question: Will there ever be a Subtle Knife movie?

“They would have to recast [Lyra]. It’s lost really. It’s gone.”

Maybe one day a movie executive will stumble upon His Dark Materials again and they might have the chance to re-imagine it in a way that will please the sraffies worldwide, as well as Pullman himself. However, Pullman said that it would have to be an antirely different film.

“I would rather it was made in someone’s shed with tin cans and bits of rope. I think it would be more involving – to be made for about 10 quid, rather than $200m.”

So, anyone have any tin cans or rope lying about?

http://www.bridgetothestars.net/news/pullman-blames-cgi-for-lack-of-movie-success/