At the Back of the North Wind - Paperback

by George MacDonald (Author), Roderick McGillis (Editor), John Pennington (Editor)

This is the only edition of George MacDonald's influential novel for children to include an introduction, annotation, and extra historical materials.

Back Jacket

The unique blend of fairy tale atmosphere and social realism in this novel laid the groundwork for modern fantasy literature. In the novel, Little Diamond, a kind and precocious boy living in poverty, is befriended by the mysterious North Wind, who takes him on her nightly adventures. Written in intensely poetic language, At the Back of the North Wind transcends the genres of children's book or fairy tale.

Appendices include essays on childhood by contemporaries such as John Ruskin and Charles Dickens, as well as contextualizing selections from Victorian fantasy and fairy tales.

Author Biography

Roderick McGillis is Professor of English at the University of Calgary.

John Pennington is Professor of English at St. Norbert College, Wisconsin.