At the Back of the North Wind is a children's book by George MacDonald

George MacDonald

George MacDonald was a Scottish author, poet, and Christian minister.Known particularly for his poignant fairy tales and fantasy novels, George MacDonald inspired many authors, such as W. H. Auden, J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, E. Nesbit and Madeleine L'Engle. It was C.S...

. It was serialized in the children's magazine Good Words for the Young beginning in 1868 and was published in book form in 1871. It is a fantasy centered around a boy named Diamond and his adventures with the North Wind. Diamond travels together with the mysterious Lady North Wind through the nights. The book includes the fairy tale Little Daylight

Little Daylight

Little Daylight is a fairy tale written by George MacDonald and included as a story within a story in At the Back of the North Wind, published in 1871. It has subsequently been published as an independent tale, and in collections of his other fairy tales....

, which has been pulled out as an independent work, or separately, added to other collections of his fairy tales.

Plot introduction

The book tells the story of a young boy named Diamond. He is a very sweet little boy who makes joy everywhere he goes. He fights despair and gloom and brings peace to his family. One night, as he is trying to sleep, Diamond repeatedly plugs up a hole in the loft (also his bedroom) wall to stop the wind from blowing in. However, he soon finds out that this is stopping the North Wind from seeing through her window. Diamond befriends her, and North Wind lets him ride on her back, taking him on several adventures. Though the North Wind does good deeds and helps people, she also does seemingly terrible things. On one of her assignments, she must sink a ship. Yet everything she does that seems bad leads to something good. The North Wind seems to be a representation of Pain and Death working according to God's will for something good.

On their adventures, North Wind brings Diamond to the country she lives in, a country without pain and death. Yet, he is brought only to a shadow of the real country at the back of the North Wind. The real country is open for him only after his death. At the end of the book, Diamond dies, finally able to see the country.

Concerns

In this book, MacDonald touches on many theological and philosophical questions, especially concerning theodicy

Theodicy

Theodicy is a theological and philosophical study which attempts to prove God's intrinsic or foundational nature of omnibenevolence , omniscience , and omnipotence . Theodicy is usually concerned with the God of the Abrahamic religions Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, due to the relevant...

. Today, it is considered one of his masterpieces. According to MacDonald's son and biographer Greville MacDonald

Greville MacDonald

Greville MacDonald , was the son of influential fantasy writer George MacDonald and his wife Louisa . He has provided some interesting insights into his father's life and circle of friends. Greville was a notable ear, nose and throat doctor...

there are many similarities between Diamond and MacDonald's son Maurice who died young. Diamond seems to represent Christ, always trying to help others while not completely belonging to this world.

Abridged editions

In 1914, a version "Simplified for Children" by Elizabeth Lewis was published by Lippincott. This newer version shortened the original length of approx. 89,339 words to 27,605 words. It was illustrated by Maria L. Kirk.

External links

• complete text, from Project Gutenberg
• http://www.northwindmusical.com At the Back of the North Wind, a stage musical
• At the Back of the North Wind Blackie and Sons 1911 edition with color illustrations
• A German article on "At the back of the North Wind"
• Librivox Audiobook Recording