What Is George MacDonald’s Best Book?

Having already put the question “Which George MacDonald Book Should I Read First?”, we can now turn our attention to a different query: “What is George MacDonald’s BEST Book?”

Several of his admirers have offered their thoughts, but they were often at variance: so after dividing the books into five simple categories, we have chosen our own winners (which of course may be contested!)

SHORT FAIRY TALES: For our first category, we have a good deal of agreement. C.S. Lewis said in his letters that The Golden Key was “the best of MacDonald’s short fairy-tales,” and called it “absolute heaven” to read. His fellow Inkling Roger Lancelyn Green (when introducing The Light Princess and Other Tales) wrote that “his best magic is in it,” and in Tolkien’s famous essay On Fairy Stories, he praised it for its “power and beauty.” There are other contenders, such as The Light Princess, The Wise Woman, and The Day Boy and the Night Girl; with Green saying the last of these was “perfect.”

And the “book oscar” goes to…The Golden Key. Mossy and Tangle’s journey through the Shadow Lands and beyond is an enthralling and, as Lewis says, heavenly experience. Our edition features stunning new artwork by Rachel Alm, two bonus fairy tales, and MacDonald’s seminal essay The Fantastic Imagination.

LONGER FAIRY TALES (CHILDREN): MacDonald (like Grimm and Hans Anderson) wrote multiple short fairy-tales, but only three of novel-length: and, as with Lewis’ seven Chronicles of Narnia, each may lay claim to being the best. Lewis thought The Princess and the Goblin supreme, and G.K. Chesterton (who said the tale “made a difference to his whole existence”) gives the same impression; but Roger Lancelyn Green rated Goblin’s sequel, The Princess and Curdie even higher than its predecessor, and went as far as to say it was “the greatest of all his fairy stories.” L M Montgomery seems to have been much influenced by At the Back of the North Wind (referencing it or quoting it numerous times in her “Anne” and “Emily” series), and Elisabeth Elliot recommended all three books (as well as The Golden Key) as essential reading for children.

And the “book oscar” goes to…The Princess and the Goblin. Irene and Curdie’s first adventure, as they protect a kingdom from an underground threat, will enchant readers young and old, and they may even find, with Chesterton, that it is a life-altering book. Our edition features an exclusive introduction by C.S. Lewis’ stepson Douglas Gresham, and all thirty-one of the original illustrations by Arthur Hughes.

LONGER FAIRY TALES (ADULTS): MacDonald’s two full-length myths for adults are Phantastes and Lilith. Lewis held both in enormously high regard—his admiration for Phantastes (which famously “baptised his imagination”) being well documented, most notably in Surprised by Joy, and Lilith eliciting a comparable response. Lewis said that he found no other book but the Bible as spiritually moving as Lilith, and his biographer George Sayer was admitted to his circle of friends partly on the strength of his own appreciation for it. The renowned English poet W H Auden said that Lilith was “equal if not superior to the best of [Edgar Allan] Poe,” and Tolkien lauds it alongside The Golden Key in his aforementioned essay.

And the “book oscar” goes to…Phantastes. MacDonald’s son Greville said it “rings with the dominant chord of his life’s work” and “none of [his greater writings] exceeded it in imaginative insight and power of expression.” Following Anodos in his journey through fairy land, C S Lewis found this power to be transformative, and many since have had the same experience. Our edition features Greville’s Preface, and all thirty-three original illustrations by Arthur Hughes.

NOVELS: C.S. Lewis wrote to Arthur Greeves that he thought What’s Mine’s Mine “the very best of the novels,” (adding that he “wished the characters were real”, and that he hoped to re-read some of the conversations “many times”.) G. K. Chesterton reserved his strongest praise for Alec Forbes of Howglen, which MacDonald’s son Greville also rated “the most successful of all,” though he judged Robert Falconer to be “even nearer his genius.” Mark Twain was greatly enamoured with Falconer (or at least the first half of it—the second was much too religious for his taste) saying it was full of “brilliant and beautiful things.” Elisabeth Elliot listed yet another of the Scottish novels, Salted With Fire, as one of the top five books which influenced her most. MacDonald himself thought Paul Faber Surgeon (an English novel, and the middle book of the Wingfold Trilogy) the best that he had written.

And the “book oscar” goes to…Alec Forbes of Howglen. Alec and Annie’s coming of age tale is an unforgettable spiritual epic, and Lewis Carroll said Annie was one of the most delightful fictional characters he had ever met. G.K. Chesterton had his own favourite character, Mr Cupples, expressing pity for critics who had never made his acquaintance. Our edition features the unabridged text, a full translation, and an exclusive introduction by Dale Ahlquist, as well as beautiful new illustrations by artist Carrie Stout. N.B. Alec Forbes is also available on Kindle, at a vastly reduced price from the print editions. 

NON-FICTION: MacDonald wrote more non fiction than some may realise (this is also true of his novels) but the most highly rated are probably the Unspoken Sermons and The Diary of an Old Soul. C S Lewis and Elisabeth Elliot were great admirers of each, with Lewis saying he owed his “greatest debt” to the Sermons and that he valued them “beyond price.” He and Elliot loved to quote from them, and the same is true of the Diary, of which Lewis remarked: “[MacDonald] seems to know everything” and saying it was, for him at least, “better than [George] Herbert,” one of the greatest Christian poets of all time.

And the “book oscar” goes to… Unspoken Sermons. The influence of these on C.S. Lewis’ apologetic works is incalculable, as was their direct impact on Lewis himself, and on countless others who have read them. Our editions are in three individual volumes, as they were originally published, and as Lewis himself owned them. We recommend starting with Unspoken Sermons First Series, to see if you find the same treasure that Lewis found, before venturing on to the Second and Third Series.