Audiobook · read by volunteers
At the Back of the North Wind
George MacDonald (1824–1905)
Read by Meredith Hughes, Kristin LeMoine, Mark F. Smith, Paul Harvey, Judy Bieber, Sean McGaughey, Kevin McAsh, Karen Savage, Kelly Clear, Brie Pampell · 38 chapters · 8 h 57
About the book
Diamond is a little boy who sleeps in a hayloft above the stall of a horse, and who has the same name as the horse. One night a wind blows through a crack in the wall, and a voice speaks to him: it is North Wind, a tall and beautiful lady with long hair. She takes him out into the night, over the city and the sea, and shows him strange and wonderful things. Between these journeys, Diamond lives among poor London families, helping his father, a cab driver, and doing what small kindnesses he can. George MacDonald's fairy tale is a story of faith and simple goodness, full of wonder and gentle humour. Thirty-eight chapters, nine hours, and a book that quietly stays with you.
Introduction
George MacDonald was born in 1824 and died in 1905. A Scottish minister, poet and novelist, he is regarded as a pioneer of modern fantasy, and his work influenced later writers, notably C. S. Lewis, who called him his master. He wrote fairy tales for both children and adults, as well as realistic novels set in Scotland.
At the Back of the North Wind appeared as a book in 1871, after being serialised in a magazine for young readers. It combines two kinds of story. One is a fantasy in which the North Wind appears as a person, and takes the child on strange journeys. The other is a portrait of life in Victorian London among families who struggle with poverty and illness. Diamond's pure heart and simple, loving spirit guide him through both, and the book asks what it might mean for goodness to be strong.
MacDonald's Christian faith lies behind the story, in its themes of trust, kindness and the courage to face suffering. His tone is warm and conversational, and he often speaks directly to the reader.
This recording was made by LibriVox volunteers, who share the reading of the thirty-eight chapters. It lasts about nine hours. Why listen? Because it is an unusual and moving book, in which fantasy and social realism meet. It is well suited to reading aloud, and it will appeal to listeners who enjoy stories with a quiet, thoughtful heart.
Public domain
George MacDonald died in 1905: the work is in the public domain in Switzerland, more than 70 years after the author’s death.
The LibriVox volunteers dedicated this recording to the public domain.
Sources : LibriVox page · Files at the Internet Archive · Original text