Shows / The George McDonald Library
The George McDonald Library
Enter the strange and luminous worlds of George MacDonald, where hidden doors open, winds speak, princesses wander into peril, and the soul is rarely quite what it seems.
The George McDonald Library presents MacDonald’s books in full, inviting you to linger in tales of wonder, mystery, sacrifice, courage, and unseen things. These are stories for children, certainly, but also for anyone who suspects that fairy tales may tell the truth in ways ordinary speech cannot.
Come a little farther in…
Episodes
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 7 - The Bishops Basin Part 1
In which the thoughtful narrator reflects upon the interplay of the poetic and prosaic elements in life and begins to understand the complex histories woven…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 7 - The Bishops Basin Part 2
In which we hear from a devoted aunt about the tender care and tragic trials of a gentle governess caught in a storm of ill fortune and dark company within the…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 8 - What I Preached
In which the narrator reflects on the solace found not in theological argument but in the simple, living presence of Christ as revealed in the Gospels, leading…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 4 - The Coffin
In which a thoughtful wanderer, drawn by the scent and sound of a carpenter's work, encounters a solemn man crafting a coffin and engages in a delicate…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 5 - Visitors From the Hall
In which a reverend gentleman encounters a stern and proud elderly lady and her lively granddaughter as his first visitors, setting a tone of social contrasts…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 6 - Oldcastle Hall
In which the narrator visits Oldcastle Hall on a radiant autumn day, encountering the complex household of Mrs Oldcastle, her spirited granddaughter Judy, and…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 1 - Despondency and Consolation
In which a newly appointed vicar, grappling with doubts and the weight of his calling, takes his first contemplative walk through a rain-soaked countryside and…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 2 - My First Sunday at Marshmallows
In which the new parson experiences his first Sunday at Marshmallows with the attentive congregation, a thoughtful congregation member in the organ-loft, and…
- The George McDonald Library
Annals of a Quiet Neighbourhood Chapter 3 - My First Monday at Marshmallows
In which a newly arrived clergyman takes his first leisurely stroll through the irregular village streets, seeking to connect with his parishioners in a…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 37 - Once More
In which Diamond is borne swiftly by the North Wind on a moonlit journey along a singing brook and a wide river, witnessing the silent beauty of sleeping…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 38 - At the Back of the North Wind
In which a thoughtful child named Diamond shares his profound and tender conversations with the ethereal North Wind, stirring reflections on dreams and love…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 34 - In the Country
In which Diamond and his family prepare for a country move, where the peacefulness and beauty of nature offer a stark contrast to their former city life, and…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 35 - I Make Diamond's Acquaintance
In which a gentle, solitary boy named Diamond is introduced, whose quiet wisdom and contentment with his simple joys earn the quiet admiration of an observing…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 36 - Diamond Questions North Wind
In which Diamond confides his uncertain feelings about his mysterious friend, North Wind, and is reassured by her gentle presence as they share a moonlit dance…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 31 - The North Wind Doth Blow
In which Diamond's household faces the trials of illness and poverty with quiet steadfastness, finding solace in small joys and mutual care amidst the grinding…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 32 - Diamond and Ruby
In which Diamond, a young boy troubled by his family’s hardships, is drawn by the mysterious voice of the North Wind to a stable where two horses, Diamond and…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 33 - The Prospect Brightens
In which Joseph and his family wrestle with the burdens of poverty and the care of two very different horses, seeking hope amid their trials. The unexpected…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 28 - Little Daylight
In which a princess named Daylight, enchanted to sleep through the day and only wake at night governed by the moon’s phases, dwells in a palace beside a vast…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 29 - Ruby
In which a kind gentleman named Mr. Raymond offers a thoughtful proposal to Diamond’s father, seeking to provide gentle work for his old horse and a home for…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 30 - Nanny's Dream
In which a poor but radiant maiden named Nanny recounts to young Diamond a dream of being carried to the house of the moon, where she is entrusted with the…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 25 - Diamond's Dream
In which the young and cheerful Diamond drifts into a wondrous dreamscape filled with blooming roses and playful winged boys who dig for stars as if unearthing…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 26 - Diamond Takes a Fare the Wrong Way Right
In which young Diamond undertakes the honest toil of a cab-driver, braving the rigours of a bitter north wind and the rougher quarters of London, whilst…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 27 - The Children's Hospital
In which Diamond, upon visiting the children's hospital with Mr. Raymond, beholds the gentle transformation of Nanny from a rough girl into a sweet and refined…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 22 - Mr. Raymond's Riddle
In which Diamond visits the poet Mr. Raymond, who kindly helps him unravel the meaning of a puzzling rhyme and shares a delightful riddle to ponder upon. Their…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 23 - The Early Bird
In which Diamond finds himself taking tender charge of the baby while his father lies ill, and he discovers the weight of his mother's silent worries about…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 24 - Another Early Bird
In which a determined young lad, against all odds and with the help of his trusty old horse, sets out to drive a cab alone in the early morning, earning the…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 20 - Diamond Learns to Read
In which Diamond, prompted by a tall gentleman’s inquiry, swiftly learns to read from rhymes gathered by his mother, yet finds himself captivated by a curious…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 19 - Diamond's Friends
In which a kindly gentleman observes a little lad named Diamond, whose simple goodness and earnest friendships glow amidst the rough streets, as he befriends a…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 21 - Sal's Nanny
In which young Diamond, with an earnest heart and surprising courage, ventures through the darker corners of the city to seek aid for ailing Sal’s Nanny…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 17 - Diamond Goes On
In which Diamond grows in favour among the cabmen by his gentle and steadfast nature, learning to groom and drive horses with an earnestness that wins their…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 18 - The Drunken Cabman
In which a young boy named Diamond bravely ventures into the sorrowful chamber of a drunken cabman to comfort an unhappy baby, weaving songs and gentle words…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 16 - Diamond Makes a Beginning
In which a dear boy named Diamond awakens with renewed vigour, tending to his household with gentle care and learning the tender art of driving a cab beside…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 13 - The Seaside
In which Diamond and his mother find a quiet moment by the seaside, sharing reflections on hunger and care amidst the vast, sparkling ocean and biting reality…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 14 - Old Diamond
In which a father, upon a chance meeting with an old friend, discovers his beloved horse Diamond languishing in ill circumstances and feels the stirrings of…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 15 - The Mews
In which a young boy named Diamond returns with his family to a stark and gloomy London mews, where the change in surroundings and the dreary weather threaten…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 12 - Who Met Diamond at Sandwich
In which Diamond returns home after his wondrous journey with the North Wind to find himself weak and cared for by his anxious mother, whilst the ripples of…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 10 - At the Back of the North Wind
In which a young boy recounts his mysterious visit to a wondrous land behind the North Wind, a realm where time, light, and speech differ greatly from our own…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 11 - How Diamond Got Home Again
In which Diamond, longing to return home upon seeing his mother’s tears, discovers a hidden path to find North Wind seated by a great icy ridge, and together…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 7 - The Cathedral
In which the gentle North Wind carries Diamond to a great and solemn cathedral, where he learns the meaning of courage upon a narrow ledge high above the…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 8 - The East Window
In which young Diamond, roused from a strange sleep filled with whispered voices, discovers a world altered by the night's fierce north wind, including the…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 9 - How Diamond Got to the Back of the North Wind
In which Diamond journeys to his aunt’s sleepy town and unexpectedly encounters the voice of North Wind in a toyshop, leading to a mysterious and magical…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 5 - The Summer-House
In which Diamond learns the delicate art of riding his horse and grants a penny to a crossing sweeper, while spending gentle summer days exploring a garden and…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 4 - North Wind
In which Diamond, accompanied by the majestic and mysterious North Wind, ventures over the bustling city of London and is drawn into a tender encounter with a…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 6 - Out in the Storm
In which Diamond is gently lifted into the fierce embrace of North Wind and carried through the tumultuous storm, finding comfort and courage in her protective…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 1 - The Hayloft
In which a curious boy named Diamond dwells in a lofty hay-loft warmed by the presence of his old horse beneath him and encounters a mysterious, beautiful lady…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 3 - Old Diamond
In which a boy named Diamond finds himself mysteriously mounted upon his old horse, roused by a visit from the curious and ethereal North Wind who beckons him…
- The George McDonald Library
At the Back of the North Wind Chapter 2 - The Lawn
In which young Diamond, in the quiet and chilly hours of the night, follows the mysterious North Wind only to find himself lost upon a strange lawn beneath a…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 71 - The Assembly
In which the newly recognised Marquis of Lossie proclaims himself among his people with candour and justice, calling them to assembly and setting forth his…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 72 - Knotted Strands
In which the newlywed marquis and his lady settle into the storied ancestral home, exploring its hidden stairway and ancient secrets, while gradually…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 70 - The Disclosure
In which Malcolm, newly recognised as the Marquis of Lossie, bravely confronts the turbulent claims and passions surrounding his sister Florimel, striving to…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 69 - Lizzy's Baby
In which a fisher-girl named Lizzy, carrying the heavy burden of her secret, seeks courage to reveal the truth of her child’s parentage to the household at…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 67 - Shore
In which the night air around Lossie is imbued with a serene and dreamlike stillness, drawing two kindred souls into a timeless communion beneath the vast…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 68 - The Crew of the Bonnie Annie
In which the newly revealed Marquis of Lossie quietly assembles the loyal crew of the Bonnie Annie to disclose his true identity and seek their support, facing…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 64 - A Visitation
In which the gentle rhythms of daily village life and the steadfast spirit of a fisherfolk community are tenderly revealed through the keen observations and…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 65 - The Eve of the Crisis
In which Malcolm, girded by caution and earnest resolve, arranges a secret outing with Lady Clementina to safeguard against unseen perils lurking close to his…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 66 - Sea
In which the high-born Lady Clementina ventures forth with the humble fisherfolk upon the sea, sharing with them the quiet splendors and solemn mysteries of…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 62 - The Dune
In which Malcolm, restless in his uncertain plight, unexpectedly encounters Lady Clementina seated alone upon the moonlit dune, and their quiet communion stirs…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 61 - Thoughts
In which the gentle musings of Malcolm reveal a deep and reverent love for Lady Clementina, fraught with the hesitations born of birth and station, whilst her…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 63 - Confession of Sin
In which the factor, Mr Crathie, lies ill and wrestles with a burgeoning conscience awakened by a troubled dream and the counsel of Malcolm, leading him to…
- The George McDonald Library
The Marquis of Lossie Chapter 59 - The Peacemaker
In which the troubled village of Scaurnose finds an unexpected calm after Malcolm’s stern justice awakens a lingering conscience in a once hard-hearted man…