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At the Back of the North Wind
At the Back of the North Wind | George MacDonald
Diamond, a young boy living in nineteenth-century London, has many adventures as he travels with the beautiful lady North Wind and comes to know the many facets of her protective and violent temper.
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review
ravenlee
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Mehso-so

I found it ok, nowhere near The Princess and the Goblin. Nothing new to say.

Here‘s the mystery, though. In 7th grade I won a writing contest at school, and the prize was a hardback edition of this (I think). Well, that copy is not in my house, but more surprisingly, seems not to be at my parents‘ house. Now it‘s bugging mom and me - where the hell did it go? Hence the hoopla copy here. Someday when I get to visit again mom and I will find it!

TheBookHippie Oh my word -it disappeared! How fun that you won a copy though. 4y
33 likes2 comments
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ravenlee
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“you‘re as good to your mother as if you were a girl—nursing the baby, and toasting the bread, and sweeping up the hearth!”

Yep, only girls could actually be expected to be useful and considerate. Product of its times but 🙄.

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ravenlee
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Gotta say, I don‘t really like the mother in this. Sometimes she‘s great, and then she‘s calling her kid “you darling stupid!” because he doesn‘t understand the mess she‘s trying to say to him.

review
Butterfinger
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Pickpick

I knew it. The whole time I was reading. You can really tell MacDonald's Christian beliefs in this one. An allegory to rival Lewis, Bunyan, and Carroll. Diamond was too pure and innocent to stay in a sinful earth. Having read The Book Thief, I wonder if Zusak had read this. Beautiful end papers. Beautiful story if you don't mind the moral teachings. @TheBookHippie it was very unlike The Princess and the Goblin. #ChildrensClassics2021

TheBookHippie I agree. I find it interesting he was banned from preaching in some places and people didn‘t want to hear his preaching. I find the book fascinating and am so glad we read it but children? This is a kids book?! I too thought of The Book Thief. I know he has inspired many authors. Nothing like The Princess and Goblin which is now a favorite of mine! 4y
Butterfinger @TheBookHippie I am really looking forward to Black Beauty. The version I received from the library has beautiful illustrations and my 10 year old claimed it. 4y
TheBookHippie @Butterfinger I‘m so excited ! I found a great one at a thrift store last year! 4y
38 likes3 comments
review
MemoirsForMe
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Pickpick

One reviewer said readers either adored, despised, DNF‘d or found this book oddly comforting. I‘m going with the latter! Yes, there were many digressions & nonsensical twists.(No wonder it was first serialized in a kid‘s magazine.)But Diamond‘s mystical encounters with the North Wind were utterly mesmerizing. I couldn‘t wait for more! Plus Diamond captured my heart with his curious & compassionate nature.
@TheBookHippie
#childrensclassicread2021

TheBookHippie It fascinated and was soothing right? Such good writing! 4y
MemoirsForMe @TheBookHippie Oh yes! Diamond‘s adventures with the North Wind will stay with me for some time. Captivating! 4y
PurpleyPumpkin Sounds like you really enjoyed this book. Glad that you did! Honestly, I don‘t think I‘ve ever heard of it!😳Where did you come across it? 4y
See All 7 Comments
MemoirsForMe @PurpleyPumpkin Happy Spring to you, my friend! Can you believe this was published in 1871? Thanks to the #childrensclassicreads2021 challenge and @TheBookHippie, I‘m learning about so many classics I‘ve missed or haven‘t heard about. 4y
PurpleyPumpkin Happy Spring to you too! And wow, I had no idea! Must check this out. 👍🏽📚 4y
PurpleyPumpkin How did I miss this??? Thanks @TheBookHippie 👍🏽 4y
53 likes2 stack adds7 comments
blurb
BarbaraJean
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I love this sweet story about Diamond and his travels with the North Wind. I also love this old edition of mine! #readingresolutions #north

rubyslippersreads 😍📚😍 6y
jillrhudy Great book 👍🏻 6y
46 likes2 comments
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Tsubame
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♥️

TobeyTheScavengerMonk I like this. 7y
14 likes1 comment
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Jamesfahyauthor
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'Only he knew that to be left alone was not always to be forsaken'

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Jamesfahyauthor
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In case you noticed, my last three book posts have been pallete themed as I'm also taking part in a monthly book challenge over on Instagram, and the tag was grey book ombré.
Turns out I have more grey books that I thought I did ?

Laura317 Nice! Very artistic. I hope you win! 7y
Jamesfahyauthor @Laura317 thanks 🙏🏻😊 7y
26 likes2 comments
review
Jamesfahyauthor
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Pickpick

This is one of my favourite books of all time. Lyrical poetic and transcendent, it explore through a magical children's story the concepts of life after death, dealing with loss and grief, the nature of belief and the interconnected nature of small acts in our lives.
Literally everyone should read this classic at least once

24 likes2 stack adds
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Tsubame
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There's a small stack of books waiting to be read, but this is my #SeptemberMostAnticipated Since I'm still quite busy I will most likely not have much time to #FallintoBooks but I'll try ☺️
This is a detail from one of the illustrations of my #FolioSociety edition. I found this little girl so charming ♥️

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rubyslippersreads
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For #FolioFriday, my newest treasures. (They took off their slipcases for the photo. 😄) #FolioFreaks #FolioSociety

kspenmoll 😃❤️ 7y
saresmoore Oh my! 7y
See All 15 Comments
merelybookish I have tried to avoid becoming a #foliofreak but I do covet that Anne! 7y
rubyslippersreads @merelybookish I found it on eBay. 😊 7y
rubyslippersreads @BarbaraJean Thanks—a lucky eBay find. 7y
LeahBergen Love them!! 7y
rubyslippersreads @LeahBergen Thanks—you and the #foliofreaks are terrible influences. 😂 7y
elkeOriginal Oh, I might need to look for that George MacDonald - beautiful! 7y
DivineDiana Exquisite! 7y
rubyslippersreads @elkeo You need it to go with your gorgeous 7y
92 likes15 comments
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KerriNTurner
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Some secondhand finds this weekend...

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Jamesfahyauthor
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'The church grew very lonely about him, and he began to feel like a child whose mother has forsaken it. Only he knew that to be left alone is not always to be forsaken.'

#classics #folio #foliosociety

review
Jamesfahyauthor
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Pickpick

hauntingly beautiful tale, half fairy-story , half life and death allegory. Stunningly written and with that rare quality in books that there is barely a page throughout that doesn't contain at least one stunning phrase or lyrical use of language. It's a masterpiece to me 💕
#classics #folio #foliosociety

11 likes1 stack add
blurb
natasa_jesic
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Currently reading this little treasure by George Macdonald. So far, it's such a beautiful little story that strongly reminds me of The Little Prince.

DebinHawaii Welcome to Litsy! 🎉📚👍😀 7y
natasa_jesic Thank you! 😊 7y
3 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Moray_Reads
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I was convinced I didn't have anything for today's prompt but the I remembered the two #diamonds on this children's classic. Diamond the boy and Diamond the horse. #lyricalapril

Cinfhen Excellent memory 🔹🎶🔹🎶🔹 8y
Moray_Reads @Cinfhen I thought I was going to have to cheat and fall back on the Moonstone 😉 8y
37 likes2 comments
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BarbaraJean
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I've got an eclectic mix of genres and #weather here! #aprilbookshowers

MommyWantsToReadHerBook What is the Madeleine L'Engle one about? 8y
BarbaraJean @MommyWantsToReadHerBook It's been so long since I read it that I know there's so much I've forgotten! It was a beautiful coming-of-age story focusing on a young pianist. I read it during an obsessive L'Engle phase while I was in grad school. 😊I remember some wonderful exploration of female friendship, but also some odd characterizations of marriage (but the latter may have been in A Severed Wasp, a sequel that takes place much later). This one's (edited) 8y
MommyWantsToReadHerBook @BarbaraJean thanks, no idea whether I'll be able to find it here, but I should ask the library what they have. Sounds lovely, and I haven't read L'Engle in ages! 8y
32 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Moray_Reads
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I couldn't find any particularly #weather related books and then I remembered this beauty 😢💔 #aprilbookshowers

Kalalalatja I love these editions from Everyman's Library 👌 8y
42 likes1 comment
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Moray_Reads
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I couldn't choose just one #childprotagonist (even if there were fewer on my shelves than I thought) so here are Little Nell, Diamond and Cassandra. #photoadaynov16

merelybookish So pretty! 8y
Moray_Reads @merelybookish thank you, they're all lovely editions. Litsy is making me realise just how lovely they are 8y
35 likes1 stack add2 comments
review
bookwormans
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Mehso-so

Though I appreciate the themes MacDonald was writing about in his "children's fantasy", it wasn't a favorite. It lacked the adventure of his work "The Princess and the Goblin" and often felt too preachy and Victorian. Interesting as an early example of the genre, but it shows its age.

review
Momo_mama
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Pickpick

The Focus on the Family Radio Theater presentation of this story is outstanding. The story is beautifully mysterious and peacefully tragic. My 11 year old compared the sadness to that of The Last Battle.

LaraLl I love George McDonald! 8y
4 likes2 stack adds1 comment