For offering this new edition of my father's Phantastes, my reasons are three. The first is to rescue the work from an edition illustrated without the author's sanction, and so unsuitably that all lovers of the book must have experienced some real grief in turning its pages. With the copyright I secured also the whole of that edition and turned it into pulp. My second reason is to pay a small tribute to my father by way of personal gratitude for this, his first prose work, which was published nearly fifty years ago. Though ...
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For offering this new edition of my father's Phantastes, my reasons are three. The first is to rescue the work from an edition illustrated without the author's sanction, and so unsuitably that all lovers of the book must have experienced some real grief in turning its pages. With the copyright I secured also the whole of that edition and turned it into pulp. My second reason is to pay a small tribute to my father by way of personal gratitude for this, his first prose work, which was published nearly fifty years ago. Though unknown to many lovers of his greater writings, none of these has exceeded it in imaginative insight and power of expression. To me it rings with the dominant chord of his life's purpose and work. My third reason is that wider knowledge and love of the book should be made possible.
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Phantastes is one of my all-time favorite books. George MacDonald writes for those of us who don't plan to grow up entirely when it comes to our love of fantasy and innocence. This is not a child's book, it is for adults who know how to see past child-like scenarios, like fairy-land, and enjoy an adult's journey there. It is a book of depth, imagery, beauty, struggle, and growth. I read it because I was already a George MacDonald fan, but I noticed that it was a favorite book of C.S. Lewis. That is a high recommendation!
