George MacDonald
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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...
2) 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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"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...
4) 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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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...
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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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The works of George MacDonald, the Scottish author, poet, and minister, have influenced the likes of W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, Madeleine L'Engle, C. S. Lewis, and Mark Twain. MacDonald wrote some of the first popular fantasy novels and is best known for his enduring stories, such as "Phantastes", "The Princess and the Goblin", "Lilith", and "At the Back of the North Wind". Macdonald said of his work that he wrote "not for children, but for the...
10) 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...
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One of the first great works of nineteenth-century fantasy fiction, Phantastes inspired many of the great Christian and fantasy authors of the twentieth century. A fairy tale for adults, it is the captivating story of a wealthy young man who takes an unplanned journey into a fantastic nether world. Led by an enchanting sprite (discovered inside an old desk once owned by his deceased father), he meets a diverse cast of characters, among them a fairy...
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"At the Back of the North Wind" is a classic children's story first serialized in England in 1868 and published into a book in 1871 by the Scottish author George MacDonald. This enchanting fairy tale follows Diamond, a sweet, innocent, and joyful young stable boy in Victorian London who goes on adventures with the majestic North Wind. The North Wind is personified as a lovely and mysterious woman, both severe and kind, who teaches young Diamond about...
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In this tale, a powerful witch attempts to control others' perception of the world and subjugates a baby boy and baby girl to different experiments, attempting to gain knowledge and power. These two young people grow into opposites and must learn to conquer their fears and rejoice in the differences of others in order to become whole again.
This series, published by ONE audiobooks, seeks to produce Classic Christian titles read by well known and...
14) The Portent
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The Portent was originally written for magazine serialization several years prior to its release in book form in 1864. Shorter than most of MacDonald's novels, this spooky tale of the Scottish "second sight" is a thorough spine-tingling ghost story worthy of the twilight zone. MacDonald's love of mysterious old castles and libraries plays a significant role in the story and is found in many of his books. In The Portent, first person narrator Duncan...
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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.
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"The Christmas Stories and Poetry by George MacDonald: Illustrated" is a heartwarming and spiritually enriching collection of holiday tales and poems by the celebrated Scottish author George MacDonald. This anthology includes a selection of his most cherished works, such as "The Gifts of the Child Christ," "A Christmas Carol," "A Christmas Prayer," "Christmas Meditation," and more.
George MacDonald's writings are known for their profound spiritual...
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 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...
20) 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...