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His Dark Materials
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From: Fickling, David <DFickling>
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 17:19:23 +0100
I am Philip Pullman's editor and Kathleen HornIng asked me to join in the discussion of Philip's books. My apologies to all for joining in properly but too late! The month has flown by and I am not really used to the speed of these internet conversations. Also I was dithering. I wasn't quite sure what sort of useful thing an editor might have to say or even whether it was appropriate for an editor to speak at all in this sort of discussion. There are unwritten rules of editorial discretion which I suspect I subscribe to, and an instinct that once a book is published editors should keep their own counsel and leave a book to fend for itself. That said, I must say it is fascinating and illuminating to hear everybody's views and I have been saying to myself how useful it would have been to have had recourse to such informed views and all of your collective knowledge at the time I was editing The Amber Spyglass last summer, to call you all up and say 'now what do you think of this?' or then perhaps not... With all that expectation it was sometimes a lonely business, though goodness knows what Philip must have gone through if I can say that. In any event it could only work like that in a parallel universe...
Here though are some bits and pieces: Please remember they are my thoughts and memories, are in no way to be confused with the author's. As usual with these things I am in danger of taking some things more seriously than the author intended and ignoring other things that he might have intended to be serious. Philip is not a comic storyteller, but he can be a light-hearted one. Someone, I forget who, asked about the different titles in the UK and the US of the first volume.
The Title In the UK the first book is called Northern Lights. It was renamed The Golden Compass in the US. This book was published first in the UK by Scholastic and the change of title was initiated by Knopf, the US publisher. We are all very fond of Northern Lights as a title here in the UK, especially as the book went on to win the Carnegie medal under that title and I don't think I could think of it as anything else now, but I do have a sneaking regard for the US title and sometimes wonder if it isn't stronger. The origin of that latter title is interesting because it comes from an alternative overall title to the whole work and like 'His Dark Materials' is a direct quote from Milton's Paradise Lost ( the dark materials themselves and the materials Milton refers to are of course the four original elements - earth, air, fire and water from which God makes the universe) - at one point Philip had written on the typescript the overall title - The Golden Compasses - also from Paradise Lost and we are talking about the compasses, a pair of compasses, that the creator used to plan and build the universe with (like Blake's famous painting). I thought to myself that that wouldn't really do for a title as 'compasses' of that planning sort aren't really a clear image to people and would be confused with the plural of the direction finder. It took the good and flexible thinkers at Knopf to see that if you call it the The Golden Compass why then that corresponds to the Alethiometer and makes a highly original and intriguing title. Nevertheless it is actually a title that originated from a pun on a different sort of compass altogether. In such a way do the titles for books evolve.
Dust I have been particularly struck by the concept of 'dust' ,which when I first read about it in Northern Lights I felt to be odd to say the least, very intriguing and enticing but distinctly odd. I didn't understand how particle physics could sit happily side by side with angels On finishing The Amber Spyglass I now feel I understand exactly what 'dust' is and as a metaphor for the 'consciousness' of matter think that it is unbelievably, wonderfully brilliant. Never mind the brilliance of Philip's writing and story, here is something profound, moving and visionary. I mean visionary in the sense that Philip has a visionary description and answer for that ancient philosophical conundrum, the mind/body question - the nature of
'dust' and the consciousness of matter. I don't think I have ever seen or read anything similar before (which is not to say it isn't out there). This formulation seemed to me visionary in the way that William Blake is visionary . To see something of how things might really be if only we had wider senses and to express that in art, but for that expression, as it is bound to do, to seem odd or irrational or even silly on first sight but in the end it feels right and deep and profoundly obvious. It seems to me that Philip has had a kind of vision of how matter might be conscious and spiritual as well as physical without the necessity of a higher being or anything actually separate. For that is what we all so demonstrably are, physical beings and yet conscious.
********************************************************************** Random House Group Ltd, Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London. SW1V 2SA. +44 (0) 207 840 8400.
info at randomhouse.co.uk. http://www.randomhouse.co.uk
"Any opinions expressed in the email are those of the individual and not necessarily the company. This email and any files transmitted with
it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient or entity to whom they are addressed. It may contain material protected by attorney-client privilege. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivering to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the IT Manager by telephone on +44 (0) 0207 840 8400"
Received on Fri 01 Jun 2001 11:19:23 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 17:19:23 +0100
I am Philip Pullman's editor and Kathleen HornIng asked me to join in the discussion of Philip's books. My apologies to all for joining in properly but too late! The month has flown by and I am not really used to the speed of these internet conversations. Also I was dithering. I wasn't quite sure what sort of useful thing an editor might have to say or even whether it was appropriate for an editor to speak at all in this sort of discussion. There are unwritten rules of editorial discretion which I suspect I subscribe to, and an instinct that once a book is published editors should keep their own counsel and leave a book to fend for itself. That said, I must say it is fascinating and illuminating to hear everybody's views and I have been saying to myself how useful it would have been to have had recourse to such informed views and all of your collective knowledge at the time I was editing The Amber Spyglass last summer, to call you all up and say 'now what do you think of this?' or then perhaps not... With all that expectation it was sometimes a lonely business, though goodness knows what Philip must have gone through if I can say that. In any event it could only work like that in a parallel universe...
Here though are some bits and pieces: Please remember they are my thoughts and memories, are in no way to be confused with the author's. As usual with these things I am in danger of taking some things more seriously than the author intended and ignoring other things that he might have intended to be serious. Philip is not a comic storyteller, but he can be a light-hearted one. Someone, I forget who, asked about the different titles in the UK and the US of the first volume.
The Title In the UK the first book is called Northern Lights. It was renamed The Golden Compass in the US. This book was published first in the UK by Scholastic and the change of title was initiated by Knopf, the US publisher. We are all very fond of Northern Lights as a title here in the UK, especially as the book went on to win the Carnegie medal under that title and I don't think I could think of it as anything else now, but I do have a sneaking regard for the US title and sometimes wonder if it isn't stronger. The origin of that latter title is interesting because it comes from an alternative overall title to the whole work and like 'His Dark Materials' is a direct quote from Milton's Paradise Lost ( the dark materials themselves and the materials Milton refers to are of course the four original elements - earth, air, fire and water from which God makes the universe) - at one point Philip had written on the typescript the overall title - The Golden Compasses - also from Paradise Lost and we are talking about the compasses, a pair of compasses, that the creator used to plan and build the universe with (like Blake's famous painting). I thought to myself that that wouldn't really do for a title as 'compasses' of that planning sort aren't really a clear image to people and would be confused with the plural of the direction finder. It took the good and flexible thinkers at Knopf to see that if you call it the The Golden Compass why then that corresponds to the Alethiometer and makes a highly original and intriguing title. Nevertheless it is actually a title that originated from a pun on a different sort of compass altogether. In such a way do the titles for books evolve.
Dust I have been particularly struck by the concept of 'dust' ,which when I first read about it in Northern Lights I felt to be odd to say the least, very intriguing and enticing but distinctly odd. I didn't understand how particle physics could sit happily side by side with angels On finishing The Amber Spyglass I now feel I understand exactly what 'dust' is and as a metaphor for the 'consciousness' of matter think that it is unbelievably, wonderfully brilliant. Never mind the brilliance of Philip's writing and story, here is something profound, moving and visionary. I mean visionary in the sense that Philip has a visionary description and answer for that ancient philosophical conundrum, the mind/body question - the nature of
'dust' and the consciousness of matter. I don't think I have ever seen or read anything similar before (which is not to say it isn't out there). This formulation seemed to me visionary in the way that William Blake is visionary . To see something of how things might really be if only we had wider senses and to express that in art, but for that expression, as it is bound to do, to seem odd or irrational or even silly on first sight but in the end it feels right and deep and profoundly obvious. It seems to me that Philip has had a kind of vision of how matter might be conscious and spiritual as well as physical without the necessity of a higher being or anything actually separate. For that is what we all so demonstrably are, physical beings and yet conscious.
********************************************************************** Random House Group Ltd, Random House, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London. SW1V 2SA. +44 (0) 207 840 8400.
info at randomhouse.co.uk. http://www.randomhouse.co.uk
"Any opinions expressed in the email are those of the individual and not necessarily the company. This email and any files transmitted with
it are confidential and solely for the use of the intended recipient or entity to whom they are addressed. It may contain material protected by attorney-client privilege. If you are not the intended recipient or the person responsible for delivering to the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this email in error and that any use is strictly prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the IT Manager by telephone on +44 (0) 0207 840 8400"
Received on Fri 01 Jun 2001 11:19:23 AM CDT
