New to The Golden Compass? Donat feel lost--or alone This accessible, illustrated guide is the only passport youall need to Philip Pullmanas imaginative world of His Dark Materials. Written especially for newcomers, Discovering The Golden Compass tells you everything youad want to know in reader-friendly prose, supplemented with dozens of photographs and illustrations.Book highlights: Pullmanas 10,000-word autobiographical essay talking about his life and work; a 16-page full color insert of new photos showing Oxford, the "city of dreaming spires," in all its glory; 15 new pen-and-ink illustrations and a full color painting by former Disney artist and Imagineer, Tim Kirk; and complete coverage of Pullmanas talk at the Oxford Literary Festival, in which he and The Golden Compass film producer, Deborah Forte, talk about the considerable challenges in bringing the book to film.Newcomers will especially welcome the book-by-book look at Pullmanas trilogy--The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Minimizing spoilers, Beahm explains what each book is about, discusses the key characters, places, and things, and also quotes Pullman, his fans, and critics on the work itself. Plus extensive information about Lyraas Oxford and an advance peek at The Book of Dust.With information about the various adaptations of The Golden Compass (film, theatrical, and audio), illuminating essays on daemons, the alethiometer, and Dust, and a section devoted to additional resources for readers who want to know where to go for more information, Beahmas book is your ticket to Pullmanas imaginative universe.