1884 Scarce Edition - Cross Purposes and other Fairy Tales by George MacDonald.
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(Description)
Author: George MacDonald.
Title: Cross Purposes and Other Stories.
Publisher: London, Alexander Strahan, 1884. Complete ninth volume of Macdonald's Works of Fancy and Imagination series.
Language: Text in English.
Size: 5.5" X 4".
Pages: 270 pages
Binding: Attractive and very good, near fine, original decorated full cloth binding (hinges fine, overall slightly scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover.
Content: Very good content (bright, tight and clean, rare light foxing mainly on the title and content pages - as shown, small stamp of the Novello bindery on the last endpaper - as shown).
Estimate : (Scarce with no or few other copies of this edition for sale worldwide).
The book: "An attractive and scarce edition of those 4 Fairy Tales by George MacDonald including:
1-The Cross Purposes: This fairy tale follows a young girl named Lina who discovers a hidden stairway in her grandmother's house, leading her to the realm of fairies. She embarks on a magical journey, meeting various fantastical creatures and learning about love, sacrifice, and life's deeper purposes. The story blends the real world with the magical, offering lessons in morality and spirituality.
2-The Golden Key: "The Golden Key" is a story of a boy named Mossy who finds a golden key at the end of the rainbow. Along with a girl named Tangle, he embarks on a mystical journey to find the key's lock. Their adventure is filled with symbolic and allegorical elements, exploring themes of curiosity, discovery, and the journey toward understanding and enlightenment.
3-The Carasoyn: This lesser-known story from MacDonald's collection is a tale of mystery and intrigue. It narrates the journey of a protagonist who encounters various mystical and supernatural elements. The narrative is rich in symbolism and explores themes of adventure, self-discovery, and the unseen forces that shape one's destiny.
4-Little Daylight: This is a fairy tale about a princess named Little Daylight who falls under a curse, causing her to sleep during the day and wake up at night. The story unfolds as a prince discovers her and seeks to break the curse. This narrative is a poignant exploration of themes like love, sacrifice, and the transformative power of compassion and courage."
The author: George MacDonald (10 December 1824 – 18 September 1905) was a Scottish author, poet and Christian minister. He was a pioneering figure in the field of fantasy literature and the mentor of fellow writer Lewis Carroll. His writings have been cited as a major literary influence by many notable authors, including W. H. Auden, J. M. Barrie, Lord Dunsany, Hope Mirrlees, Robert E. Howard, L. Frank Baum, T.H. White, Lloyd Alexander, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, Walter de la Mare, E. Nesbit, Peter S. Beagle, Neil Gaiman and Madeleine L'Engle. C. S. Lewis wrote that he regarded MacDonald as his "master": "Picking up a copy of Phantastes one day at a train-station bookstall, I began to read. A few hours later", said Lewis, "I knew that I had crossed a great frontier." G. K. Chesterton cited The Princess and the Goblin as a book that had "made a difference to my whole existence".