Daemon Voices

Publisher's Summary

From the internationally best-selling author of the His Dark Materials trilogy, a spellbinding journey into the secrets of his art - the narratives that have shaped his vision, his experience of writing, and the keys to mastering the art of storytelling. 

One of the most highly acclaimed and best-selling authors of our time now gives us a book that charts the history of his own enchantment with story - from his own books to those of Blake, Milton, Dickens, and the Brothers Grimm, among others - and delves into the role of story in education, religion, and science. At once personal and wide-ranging, Daemon Voices is both a revelation of the writing mind and the methods of a great contemporary master and a fascinating exploration of storytelling itself.

©2018 Philip Pullman (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic Reviews

"A splendid collection. . . literary insights that will enrich and inspire." (The Wall Street Journal)

"Pullman can unwind certain dense topics as lyrically as a poet." (The Christian Science Monitor)

"A thoughtful collection.... Despite his declaration in an early piece that, outside of knowing 'what it feels like to write a story,' Pullman doesn't consider himself an authority on the subject, these smart, insightful, and often humorous essays make it clear that is exactly what he is." (Bustle)

Challenging, thoughtful literary journey

I personally loved listening the Philip Pullman reread/retell/regive his lectures and essays. He has a compelling voice that is enhanced by his thoughtful, well-read, well-crafted prose. If he read this review he'd probably cynically chide me for a gushing review, but I respectfully reserve the right to give credit where credit is due. As a lifelong reader, writer, learner and thinker, Pullman's critical, brutal honesty about and genuine love of storytelling and the craft challenge my notions of what it means to craft a story, to me, to society, to the world, to time. His references to classical literature are stark contrasts to what he's known for (children's literature) and this juxatposition challenges the listener to break out of their notions about the genre. I also ppreciated his sharp criticism of the modern education system. Although I am an American, I can see the similarities. Finally, the works chosen for this compilation are especially timely. It was eerie to hear how much of Pullman's early warning echo into current times (end of 2018).

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