Big Books of 2026
Gemma asked this question about The Golden Compass (His Dark Materials, #1):
I've read a lot of reviews on this book, and some people say it's very christian, then other people say the author was an atheist. What would you say?
Betsy It might be a good idea to explore some biographical material on Pullman. A Wall Street Journal biographical article published on 10/17/20 about him c…moreIt might be a good idea to explore some biographical material on Pullman. A Wall Street Journal biographical article published on 10/17/20 about him clearly states he's atheist and "makes plain his antipathy for religious authority." "Every church is the same: control, destroy, obliterate every good feeling." He is very critical of the "Christian underpinnings of the Chronicles of Narnia which he argues keeps its child characters artificially pure by killing them off before they can entertain any supposedly sinful desires." No doubt he is not Christian nor are the books in this series.
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The Golden Compass
by Philip Pullman
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