Exeter College to Welcome Sir Philip Pullman (1965, English) to Celebrate Final ‘Book of Dust’ Novel

Exeter College alumnus Sir Philip Pullman (1965, English) sees his latest novel, The Rose Field: The Book of Dust Volume Three, published today, 23rd October 2025. This new novel is the highly anticipated conclusion to his bestselling The Book of Dust sequence, which also includes La Belle Sauvage and The Secret Commonwealth. 

The publication is a significant literary event, marking thirty years since Sir Philip first introduced the world to his heroine Lyra Belacqua in Northern Lights (1995). His works, including the His Dark Materials trilogy, have achieved notable global cultural impact, selling more than 49 million copies worldwide and inspiring numerous adaptations for stage and screen. The new hardback edition will feature illustrations from Chris Wormell, and the audiobook will be narrated by actor Michael Sheen. Sir Philip describes the novel as “partly a thriller and partly a bildungsroman: a story of psychological, moral and emotional growth”. 

To celebrate this publication, Exeter College will host “In Conversation with Philip Pullman and Dr Margaret Kean” on Tuesday 28th October 2025. The event, which is now fully booked, will take place in the Exeter College Hall and will be followed by tea and coffee. 

Sir Philip will be interviewed by fellow Exeter alumna Dr Margaret Kean (1985, English). Dr Kean is the Dame Helen Gardner Fellow at St Hilda’s College, and her current research focuses specifically on the work of Philip Pullman, making her an ideal interlocutor. The College is delighted to welcome Sir Philip back to Exeter—the place that famously inspired Lyra’s first home, Jordan College—to discuss his work. 

You can purchase your copy of The Rose Field from Blackwells and other booksellers.  

The Rose Field -The Book of Dust, Volume Three