23/1/2008

Philip Pullman, internationally known
author of the
His Dark Materials novels, one of which has just been filmed as The
Golden Compass, will be joining other writers and academics at Bangor University,
9 February, for a celebration of literature at Bangor, entitled Upon My Word! This will be Philip Pullman's
first engagement at Bangor since his recent appointment as an Honorary Professor at the
University.

Professor Tony Brown of the University School of English
said: "We are delighted to have Philip Pullman with us again. He will be speaking about the writing of narrative, and who better to do so?"

Professor Brown explained: "We have had a number of new professorial appointments in the School in the last year
or two and a lot of exciting new things are happening. So we are inviting both past and current students, former colleagues and members of the public to come along and join us to celebrate a very successful period in the study of English literature at Bangor. It
will be an informal day: the programme will include a series of short talks and readings, with plenty of opportunities to greet old friends and meet new ones."

For two of the speakers this will be a special day. Professor Helen Wilcox, who joined the School of English at Bangor last year from the University of Groningen in Holland, will be speaking about Shakespeare's Sisters while her
father, Professor James Boulton, will be speaking on
Eighteenth-Century Spin. It is the first time for them both to appear at the same event. Professor Boulton, an internationally-known expert on D.H. Lawrence and editor of Lawrence letters, inow living in the area and has recently been appointed Honorary Professor in the School.

Other speakers will be Prof. Justin Edwards, a Canadian who has recently been teaching in Denmark, on Fictions of Being a Poet and Critic in Wales, and the Welsh
theme will be continued when Professor Brown speaks on The Strange World of Dylan Thomas. Two of the University's creative writing teachers will read from their own work: Prof. Graeme Harper from his latest novel Moon Dance and the
internationally-known poet Carol Rumens from her recent poetry.

All are welcome: the day begins at 11 am on February 9am, finishing at 4.45 pm,