MacDonald, George. AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND. New York: George Routledge, 1871. First American edition (the English sheets with a cancel title-page). Original blue pictorial cloth, gilt. Illustrated by Arthur Hughes. Spine and corners worn, split in rear joint expertly closed, but a good copy of a book nearly impossible to find in the English first edition, and seldom found with the original binding intact in the American issue. A respectable copy of this classic children's fantasy that defies classification. It is clearly a religious parable, but not overly didactic. The author's first novel for children and one of the great collaborations of illustration and text of the nineteenth century. Shaberman 43. Sadleir 1474c (unwittingly describing a later undated American printing, circa 1873). Not in Wolff (a significant omission since Wolff formed two extensive MacDonald collections).

Synopsis

At the Back of the North Wind is a children's book by George MacDonald. It was serialized in the children's magazine Good Words for the Young beginning in 1868 and was published in book form in 1871. It is a fantasy centered around a boy named Diamond and his adventures with the North Wind. Diamond travels together with the mysterious Lady North Wind through the nights.

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Details

Bookseller: Mac Donnell Rare Books (US)
Bookseller's Inventory #: 13895
Title: AT THE BACK OF THE NORTH WIND
Author: MacDonald, George
Book Condition: Used
Binding: Hardcover
Keywords: WOMEN , HUGHES, ARTHUR , CHILDREN , GREATBOOK , RELIGION

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The owner of Mac Donnell Rare Books is a former rare book librarian and widely published bibliographer with more than 40 years experience in rare books. We maintain a fine rare book inventory of 19th and 20th century American and English literary first editions, association copies, and autographs, with a specialty in Mark Twain. We also offer qualified tax and insurance appraisals, and library development consultation.

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Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:

Gilt: The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
New: A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
First Edition: In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
Spine: The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Cloth: "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...