Fantasy pioneer.
In addition to his fairy tales, MacDonald wrote several works on Christian apologetics including several that defended his view of Christian Universalism.
George Macdonald (1824-1905) was known as a visionary even as a young man studying at College in Aberdeen. He was ordained as a Congregationalist, but, following disputes with his congregation about the content of his sermons, changed to a literary career and gained a considerable reputation as a spiritual poet and a novelist. He preached, lectured (including a tour of American), wrote fairy stories, edited “Good Words for the Young”, and made friends with notabilities as diverse as Browning, Carlyle, Morris, Tennyson, Arnold, Octavia Hill, Dean Stanley, and the eighth Duke of Argyll.George MacDonald was born on December 10 1824 at Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His father was a farmer and the family was part of the MacDonalds of Glen Coe, direct descendants of one of the clan that suffered in the “Glen Coe Massacre” of 1692.
In his early life Macdonald was strongly influenced by both Calvinism and the Congregational Church. He studied at the University of Aberdeen, and then went to Highbury College, London studying theology he was appointed pastor at Trinity Congregational Church, Arundel in 1850 where he met with a mixed reception due to his unconventional sermons. He moved to Manchester and Algiers before settling in London where he earned a living teaching at the University and as editor of “Good Words for the Young”. In 1872-1873 he undertook a successful lecture tour of the USA where he became friends with Longfellow and Walt Whitman.
He was also a prolific writer. In his own words. "I write, not for children, but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five." He also published volumes of sermons although he had not always been a great success himself in the pulpit.
MacDonald was also a mentor to the Rev. Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (better known as Lewis Carroll). It was the enthusiastic reception of Alice by MacDonald`s three young daughters, that convinced Dodgson to submit Alice for publication.
MacDonald was acquainted with important people such as John Ruskin and most of the major literary figures of the day such as Tennyson, Dickens, Wilkie Collins, Trollope, and Thackeray. While in America he was a friend of Longfellow and Walt Whitman.
His work was sufficiently well received that Queen Victoria awarded him a civil list pension in 1877.
MacDonald died on 18 September 1905 and, following his cremation his ashes were buried in Bordighera
W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, Madeleine L`Engle, C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton, Elizabeth Yates and Mark Twain all claim to have been influenced to some extent by his writings.
His son Greville MacDonald also wrote numerous novels for children. Greville ensured that new editions of his father`s works were published after his death. Another son, Ronald MacDonald, was also a novelist.
Some of MacDonald’s literary works are
A Book of Strife, in the Form of the Diary of an Old Soul (1880)
A Cabinet of Gems (1891)
A Dish of Orts (1893)
A Hidden Life and Other Poems (1864)
A Rough Shaking (1891)
A Threefold Cord: Poems by Three Friends (1883)
Adela Cathcart which contained The Light Princess, The Shadows, The Giant`s Heart, My Uncle Peter, A Journey Rejourneyed and other shorter stories. (1864)
Alec Forbes of Howglen (1865)
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood (1867)
At the Back of the North Wind (1871)
Cross Purposes (1862)
David Elginbrod (1863)
Dealings with the Fairies which contained The Golden Key (1867)
Donal Grant (1883)
England`s Antiphon (1868, 1874)
Exotics (1876)
Far above Rubies (1898)
Guild Court: A London Story (1868)
Heather and Snow (1893)
Home Again, a Tale (1887)
Lilith (1895)
Malcolm which contained The Fisherman`s Lady and The Marquis` Secret (1875)
Mary Marston (1881)
Paul Faber, Surgeon (1879)
Phantastes (1858)
Poems (1857)
Poems (1887)
Ranald Bannerman`s Boyhood (1871)
Robert Falconer (1868)
Salted with Fire (1896)
Scotch Songs and Ballads (1893)
Sir Gibbie (1879)
St. George and St. Michael (1876)
The Day Boy and the Night Girl (1882)
The Disciple and Other Poems (1867)
The Elect Lady (1888)
The Flight of the Shadow (1891)
The Gifts of the Child Christ and Other Tales (1882)
The Highlander`s Last Song
The History of Gutta-Percha Willie, the Working Genius (1873)
The Hope of the Gospel (1892)
The Lost Princess (1875)
The Marquis of Lossie (1877)
The Miracles of Our Lord (1870)
The Poetical Works (1893)
The Portent (1864)
The Princess and Curdie (1883)
The Princess and the Goblin (1872)
The Seaboard Parish (1868)
The Shepherd`s Castle (1883)
The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: A Study with the Test of the Folio of 1623 (1885)
The Vicar`s Daughter (1871)
There and Back (1891
Thomas Wingfold, Curate (1876)
Unspoken Sermons (1867)
Unspoken Sermons, 2nd Series (1885)
Unspoken Sermons, 3rd Series (1889)
Warlock O` Glenwarlock
Weighed and Wanting (1882)
What`s Mine`s Mine (1886)
Wilfrid Cumbermede (1871)
Within and Without (1855)
Works of Fancy and Imagination (1871)
