Philip Pullman made Society of Authors’ new president

Exonian Philip Pullman (1965, English) is to succeed PD James as president of the Society of Authors – a position first held by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

Mr Pullman, the award-winning author of the children’s fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials and the fictionalised biography of Jesus, The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ, will take over from PD James in August.

He described himself as “both honoured and excited” to be taking on the role. “The Society of Authors has been representing and supporting the work of writers for 130 years, and now that we’re in the middle of one of the greatest revolutions in printing and publishing and reading there has ever been, the society’s experience will be needed more than ever,” he said.

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