Behind the Back of the North Wind: Critical Essays on George MacDonald's Classic Children's Book

George MacDonald's AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND has enticed critics since its publication in 1871. 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. BEHIND THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND includes 16 essays on this enigmatic and richly layered fantasy novel - with perspectives ranging from the influence of MacDonald's Christian worldview or the relation between fantasy and reality, to grappling with AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND as children's literature. A variety of artist's illustrations are included, from editions published be¬tween 1871 to 1988, visually reinforcing the imaginative impact MacDonald's classic story continues to have on readers. This collection of essays is designed as a companion volume to Broadview Press's critical edition of AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND, also edited by Pennington and McGillis.


About the Author
Pennington, John: - John Pennington is a professor of English at St. Norbert College. He specializes in Victorian fairy tales and focuses much of his work on George MacDonald (1824-1905), Scottish fairy tale and fantasy writer, a key influence on C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien and Madeleine L'Engle. He has published widely on MacDonald and the following writers: Lewis Carroll, John Ruskin, J. M. Barrie, Richard Adams, Ursula K. Le Guin, J. K. Rowling and Philip Pullman.McGillis, Roderick: - Roderick McGillis is a professor of English at the University of Calgary. He is the author of the award-winning The Nimble Reader (1996), A Little Princess: Gender and Empire (1996), and Les Pieds Devant (2007), and the editor of George MacDonald: Literary Heritage and Heirs (2007). He is a former editor of The Children's Literature Association Quarterly, and former president of the Children's Literature Association.