Authors A to Z - Philip Purser-Hallard

Philip Purser-Hallard has written science fiction, journalism, academic criticism, comedy sketches and an inordinate number of emails.

His first novel, Of the City of the Saved..., a tale of terrorism and espionage set in a technological afterlife, was published in 2004. He has contributed short fiction to numerous anthologies. His second novella, Nursery Politics, is due to be published in 2007 as part of the science fiction collection Nobody's Children.

A long-term reader, fan and critic of science fiction, he gained a doctorate from Oxford University by writing on The Relationship between Creator and Creature in Science Fiction. The thesis examined the work of Olaf Stapledon, George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells among others.  Since then he has written for the Guardian newspaper on the fiction and pharmaceutical habits of Philip K Dick.

Philip contributes a monthly column on science fiction and faith to the Christian Aid webzine Surefish. He has spoken at the Greenbelt arts festival on 'Science Fiction and the Bible' and 'The Spirituality of Doctor Who'.

Philip's comedy has been performed on the Edinburgh Fringe. He has been employed as a tutor, secretary, library assistant, church caretaker and researcher for the revised edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, though not at the same time. He now works as an academic administrator in Bristol in South-West England, where he lives with his wife and cats.

Philip's website, incorporating some exclusive material relating to Peculiar Lives, can be found at www.infinitarian.com.