George MacDonald
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"Lilith is equal if not superior to the best of Poe," raved poet W. H. Auden about this classic Victorian novel. Known as the father of fantasy literature, George MacDonald was a Scottish minister who later turned to writing poetry and novels, gaining acclaim for his children's books and influencing J. R. R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis. Lilith is considered to be one of the most important visionary novels of the nineteenth century. Written in 1895, Lilith...
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"The Light Princess" is George MacDonald's 1864 fairy tale inspired by "Sleeping Beauty". It is the story of a young girl, the daughter of the King and Queen, who at her christening is cursed to have no gravity by the uninvited Princess Makemnoit, sister to the King, and a spiteful bitter woman. As a result of the curse, the princess is in constant danger of being carried away by the wind and grows up never taking anything seriously. The only time...
4) Phantastes
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George MacDonald's first major fiction work, in MacDonald's words "a sort of fairy tale for grown people," Phantastes was published in 1858. This unusual fantasy, subtitled a "fairie romance," is one of MacDonald's most mysterious and esoteric titles. The book's narrator, Anodos, enters Fairy Land through a mysterious old wooden secretary. From that beginning, he embarks on a dream-like series of encounters that follow the form of an epic quest, though...
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Phantastes tells the story of Anodos and his magical journey through a Fairy Land that hints at but always eludes allegory. Anodos discovers that "self will come to life even in the slaying of self, but there is ever something deeper and stronger than it, which will emerge from the unknown abysses of the soul." Published in 1858, this is the earliest novel by George MacDonald, who is generally considered the grandfather of modern fantasy. Our rejuvenated...
6) Lilith
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"Lilith" is the 1895 fantasy novel by George MacDonald, the pioneering and widely influential Scottish writer and Christian minister. It is the story of Mr. Vane, the owner of a library that seems to be haunted by a former librarian, a spirit that resembles a raven. When Vane finally encounters the wraith, called Mr. Raven, he comes to discover that it knew his father, who now resides in "the region of the seven dimensions". Vane follows the apparition...
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The Wise Woman tells the double story of two spoiled girls and the parents who spoiled them. A mysterious and powerful wise woman steps in to help the girls escape their destinies, but with little success. The great beauty of this short novel is graceful portrayal of how parents can harm their children by raising them without care and how difficult it is for children (and wise women) to find restoration to their true selves.
Considered the grandfather...
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The Diary of an Old Soul is a book of poems written by George MacDonald that can be read as daily devotionals. George MacDonald was a Scottish author and Christian minister who is considered to be one of the main pioneers of the fantasy genre of fiction. MacDonald's books influenced many great authors that followed such as C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Edith Nesbit. MacDonald wrote many classics such as Lilith, Phantastes, The Princess and the Goblin,...
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This 1882 story of a dysfunctional family features another of MacDonald's memorable female protagonists. Reminiscent of Mary St. John of Robert Falconer, Hester Raymount chooses a single life of ministry among London's downtrodden (whose character and work were inspired by MacDonald friend and social activist Octavia Hill), and, like Mary Marston, uses her musical gifts to further that ministry. The poignant character of Hester's brother Mark brings...
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A king and queen have a daughter and invite everyone to the christening except the king's sister Princess Makemnoit, a spiteful and sour woman. She arrives without an invitation and curses the princess to have no gravity. Whenever the princess accidentally moves up in the air, she has to be, brought, down, and the wind is capable of carrying her off. As she grows, she never cries, and never can be, brought to see the serious side of anything. She...
11) Sir Gibbie
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One of the true high marks in George MacDonald's literary career was reached with the publication in 1879 of Sir Gibbie, the captivating story of a mute orphan with an angel's heart set in the highlands of Scotland. Every MacDonald reader has his or her favorite, but it is safe to say that Sir Gibbie is near the top of the list for lovers of fairy tale, poetry, and novels alike. The character of "wee Sir Gibbie" mysteriously embodies hints from the...
12) A Double Story
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When two girls, a princess and a shepherd's daughter, are captured by a mysterious woman, they must face the ugly truth about their harmful behavior. Despite drastically different backgrounds, both girls have become cruel and disobedient youths.
Rosamond is a young princess who shares a birthday with Agnes, a shepherd's daughter. They grew up with contrasting lifestyles but manage to develop the same negative habits. Both girls are spoiled by their...
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This dark realistic novel is somewhat puzzling in MacDonald's corpus of more uplifting works. Some of its disconcerting themes grew out of George and Louisa MacDonald's friendship with author John Ruskin during a troubled time in the latter's life. Some of the descriptive portions contained within this narrative, especially of the Swiss Alps, are among MacDonald's finest.
14) The Elect Lady
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Although one of MacDonald's lesser-known books, The Elect Lady, published in 1888, stands out for the memorable relationship of godliness, trust, honesty, and humility between three children-Andrew and Sandy Ingram and their friend Dawtie-whose growth into adulthood MacDonald follows with simple yet moving power. Their relationships provide the foundation for MacDonald's wisdom to shine forth on the nature and purpose of the church, climaxing in the...
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While still editing the magazine Good Words for the Young, MacDonald wrote this second "boy's novel," unconnected with but written for a similar audience as Ranald Bannerman's story. Inventive young Willie Macmichael turns everything about him to creative uses, hungrily learning from the grown-ups around him, prompting MacDonald's subtitle, "The Working Genius." Though one of MacDonald's lesser-known titles, editor Michael Phillips comments, "MacDonald's...
16) Mary Marston
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One of MacDonald's lengthy and powerful, but not widely studied, novels, Mary Marston is the only book in the MacDonald corpus with a woman featured in the title role. As one of MacDonald's many strong and memorable leading ladies, Mary exemplifies a life of dedication to Christ, self-sacrifice, and obedience to parents. We encounter here a touching portrayal of that earthly relationship so dear to MacDonald's heart, because it so embodied man's relationship...
17) A Rough Shaking
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In George MacDonald's most well-known novel, published in 1868, the quest of young Robert Falconer for his father becomes a parallel quest to break free from the oppressive Calvinist theology of his grandmother. As he struggles to come to terms with the strict orthodoxy prevalent in Scotland for two centuries, the doctrine of hell looms as the great stumbling block in Robert's mind. His lifelong search reveals to Robert the groundbreaking truth that...
18) Salted with Fire
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MacDonald's final full length, realistic Scottish novel of 1897, is replete with dense Scottish dialect and spiritual themes. The repentance (through fire) of young minister James Blatherwick, who recognizes the sham of his pretended spirituality, is reminiscent of Thomas Wingfold's spiritual journey. It also embodies in fictional form one of MacDonald's signature themes from his first volume of Unspoken Sermons, "The Consuming Fire." Along with these...
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This 1877 sequel to Malcolm begins where the first volume of the doublet left off, at Lossie House in Cullen's fictionalized Portlossie. Soon thereafter Malcolm travels to London to rescue Florimel from the harmful influences of duplicitous friends who do not have her best interests in mind. Kidnapping her out of London, Malcolm's and Florimel's return to the north coast of Scotland brings to a stirring climax the divergent threads of mystery and...
20) Malcolm
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This towering 1875 novel, set in the Scottish fishing village of Cullen, is considered by many as George MacDonald's fictional masterwork. The intricate tale is more true to place than any of MacDonald's books. As Malcolm is drawn into the web of secrets surrounding majestic Lossie House, with the marquis of Lossie and his tempestuous daughter Florimel at the center of them, we meet some of MacDonald's most memorable characters. Through them Malcolm...