Written in 1924 by George MacDonald's eldest son Greville in honour of his father's centennial birthday, _George MacDonald and His Wife_ is an indispensable read for the truly devoted MacDonald fan. While Greville lacks the critical edge of George MacDonald's most recent biographer William Raeper (who published _George MacDonald_ in 1989), Greville's wholehearted, if uncritical, tribute to his beloved father is important in that it anticipates C.S. Lewis's upholding of George MacDonald as ideal father figure and spiritual mentor. As well, Greville's account is noteworthy for its heavily pro-Scottish leanings, an aspect of MacDonald's writing that is is frequently overlooked by today's readers, more interested in MacDonald's mysticism than in his nationalism.

If anything makes this biography worth its price, it is G.K. Chesterton's Introduction. Chesterton's discussion of the castle in MacDonald's _The Princess and the Goblin_ reaches back to the middle ages to consider the allegorical ancestry of MacDonald's fantasy stories, while simultaneously situating itself firmly in the modern era, evoking, in his description of Princess Irene's castle, echoes of Freud's concept of the uncanny, a psychological concept also based on an architectural model, and first published in 1919:

"There is something not only imaginative but intimately true about the idea of the goblins being below the house and capable of besieging it from the cellars. When the evil things besieging us do appear, they do not appear outside but inside. Anyhow, that simpleimage of a house that is our home, that is rightly loved as our home, but of which we hardly know the best or the worst, and must always wait for the one and watch against the other, has always remained in my mind and something singularly solid and unanswerable; and was more corroborated than corrected when I came to give a more definite name to the lady watching over us from the turret, and perhaps to take a more practical view of the goblins under the floor" (Chesterton, Introdcution 10-11).

This book may not appeal to everyone. It is long, ponderous at times. Greville's writing has not the dream-like mystical qualities of his father's writing , let alone G.K .Chesterton's liveliness and verve. But what he lacks in talent he makes up for in enthusiasm for his father's life-long project of fulfilling Novalis's dictum: that life is not a fairy tale, but should and perhaps will become one.

I began reading this book after I had read many of George MacDonald's books that were edited by Michael Phillips. The book does an excellent job of explaining life events that influenced MacDonald's writings and relating those life events to the books George MacDonald wrote during those times. Familiarity with the books has helped me relate more to his life. Having read this book, I have a MUCH better understanding of George MacDonald, his relationships with family members and his faith in God. It makes me appreciate his books even more.

My wife gave me this book for Christmas; she new I liked C.S. Lewis and that he counted Geo MacD as his mentor. I can heartily recommend this volume to anyone. The variety of style is what struck me the most: some of these I will read aloud to my children, some made me laugh out loud, and others left me scratching my head as to what the author was alluding to. Geo MacD has great insight into human nature, revealing our innermost thoughts so we can see we are not so different from the next guy. If you have heard of the author but aren't quite sure you would like him, try this one --- you'll know instantly!

This is a wonderful book, containing four beautiful and soul-touching stories. But now it's out of print! I had lent the book to a friend, who mislaid it -- but thankfully he found it, and returned it to me today! The stories are classic and universal, and I am deeply disappointed with Eerdmans for discontinuing this title.

MacDonald presents the story of the Barclay and Gordon families in such a manner as to readily and plainly contrast the path of those who follow the ways of the world with the pilgrimage of God's beloved children.

Kirsty Barclay, daughter of David and Marion Barclay, is, in the eyes of the world, an uneducated, ill-bred peasant, while her older brother, Steenie, is judged as "not quite right," or "not all here." But the world is a poor judge, indeed, when it comes to the things of God. For in Kirsty is to be found far more of value and worth than the entire Gordon family-the local 'Laird' and his mother-who reside midst the faded splendor of Castle Weelset.

This is, first and foremost, a tender and heartwarming love story through which is woven various subplots, all of which eventually arrive at the same point-the love of God. Kirsty, although uneducated and, no doubt, unacceptable to the aristocracy, loves God, loves nature, loves her simple parents, and dearly loves her brother, Steenie, for in these people and these things she sees God through His children and His creation. For his part, Steenie does not begin to understand, and acknowledges as much, the theology of the institutionalized church. Yet Steenie also loves God, for he spends his days and nights searching the hills and dales as well as the heavens for He whom Steenie knows as the "Bonny Man."

Heather and Snow is not a love story in the fleshly sense, and is not without its pathos, its sadness, its sorrows, and its disappointments. Although Francis Gordon proclaims his love for Kirsty, it is not until he begins to know God that he can truly know love, for true love is born of God and must be lived through Him.

I invite you to join Kirsty and walk amidst the hills of Scottish heather as she strives to learn the lesson's taught in God's classroom. Nature is an unparalleled teacher if one will but, in solitude, be attentive to her sights, sounds, and silences.

Sit aside Steenie, whose heart is so filled with love that it may burst, as he, in quiet isolation and softly embraced by the deepening night, gazes enraptured into the heavens from which he expects, at any moment, to see the "Bonny Man" return to claim His own. Steenie is enthralled by the very prospect of encountering the Son of God, and spends very waking moment in this sacred quest; while, in slumber, his dreams transport him to the place where he will no longer be considered "abnormal."

Struggle with Francis Gordon as he strives to learn that most valuable of lessons-that to know God is to love God is to obey God. If he is unable or unwilling to grasp this most basic of truths, he will never know love, nor will he ever make Kirsty his wife, for Kirsty is neither enticed nor enchanted by wealth, position, intellect, or possessions, but the heart of God shining through the eyes of another.

Love of the homeland, insights into the clans relationships, Christian ethics lived in life, wonderful action and unexpected plot twists, FUN! and it made us feel like we wanted to be truer to the truth of Christ ourselves from reading of others experiences. You'll love it!

Lovely color photos of Scotland with text that helps to give context to the historical significance of the site pictured. Chapters include "The Distant Past," "The Time of the Clans," "The Jacobite Risings" and the present day. Very pretty book.

The basic premise of this book is a mervelous one, compare history as it was with history as hollywood portrays it and show what it gets wrong and what it gets right.

The book is made up of over half a dozen sections, one for each period of film history such as "Tudors and Sea Dogs" "Rule, Britannia" etc. This makes it easy to savor the book since people can easily skip to the period that they find most interesting. That said, the book is worthy of being read all the way through.

The book focuses on movies made during the "golden age", that is 30's and 40's. There are a few modern films reviewed, such as Rob Roy and Braveheart. The book first shows the historical figure as he really was, usually from contemporary portraits and photographs, and then it shows the various actors and actresses who portrayed them. Fraser's witty commentary keeps things entertaining throughout with his comments on each film ranging from praise to marvelously catty contempt.

(His reviews of Braveheart and Mary of Scotland are deliciously caustic, I laughed myself sick)

Even if the prose fails to please, the pictures are worth the price of admission. It is very easy to spend lots of time browsing through the various incarnations of famous people. Also, this is probably a good book for history teachers to read before they decide to show a movie for class. I am glad to have gotten a copy before it wnt out of print.

This is not a dry scholarly study but a witty, droll, and entertaining book in its own right. Fraser has apparently seen every historical film ever made; it goes without saying that films set in Regency England and Mary Stuart's reign in Scotland are throughly scrutinized by Mr. Fraser, along with "One Million Years B.C." and "Ben Hur." Fraser peppers the book throughout with his own knowledge of history without ever getting pedantic. A real treat for movie buffs and fans of Fraser's novels.

Home Again casts forth a dark shadow that far too many who profess a faith in Christ and an abiding love of God share-a tree, with branches outstretched and raised toward the heavens, proclaiming a love of the Sun, the rain, the rich earth-all gracious gifts of life, abundantly bestowed by a loving Father-, yet bringing forth fruit that is rotten with worldly ambition, and crawling with the worms of passion, lust, greed, and, rising above all others, the idol-self.

Richard Coleman is, in the eyes of his narrow world, and, more specifically his own mind, a good man; a young man who, having been well-educated at his simple father's expense, is anxious to make a name for himself. The son of a hardworking, God-loving, kindhearted farmer who has willingly and lovingly given all that he has-spiritual as well as material-to his only son with the single hope that he will follow as God may direct.

Richard feels the farm and manual labor beneath him, while his father has increasingly become an embarrassment to one of his elevated expectations. Unfortunately, Richard, not unlike the majority of us, has gazed into the mirror of the Universe and has seen reflected, as the Sun, an image in his own likeness. He eagerly departs the farm with his father's blessings, prayers, and lifesavings in order to radiate forth his manifold talent's to a world that is, in his opinion, anxiously awaiting his arrival that it may, with due awe and reverence, worship and praise this newly-formed star.

Richard soon discovers that the world for which he holds such esteem is not quite so free to bow and offer up its praise. He finds himself surrounded by a constellation of would-be luminaries with little to differentiate the brilliance of the true suns from the reflected light of the lesser moons. Left alone to his own devices, Richard soon, to his chagrin, learns the bitter lesson that true life is far, far above the base goals that he so vigorously chosen to pursue. He is forced to view his reflection through the eyes of truth, and is forever changed by that which he sees.

The process of rebirth, of life from death, is, while never easy, oft times extremely painful and exceedingly unpleasant. The realization that a life has been falsely lived, that independence is a fallacy, that the god of self (self-reliance, self-gratification, self-worth, self-indulgence, self-pride) is the greatest lie of all, serve to insure that true conviction and repentance are processes bathed in both the tears of shame and remorse as well as those of joy-born of the realization that a loving Father did not, would not, abandon His child.

MacDonald, with the skill of a master theologian and storyteller, traces such a rebirth through the life of Richard Coleman as the man of the world grows, suffers, and matures into a child of God.

Come visit the Coleman family, for by so doing, you will discover a true taste for Heaven and an abiding dislike of hell.