One of the greatest influences on C.S. Lewis was George MacDonald. In fact the spirit of George MacDonald appears in Lewis’s The Great Divorce. Unfortunately, many Christians today are not very familiar with MacDonald.
I have read some MacDonald but only his fiction, specifically The Princess and the Goblin. I definitely saw the influence of that fantasy writing on both Lewis and Tolkien.
C.S. Lewis edited a selection of MacDonald’s work that includes 365 short readings. It begins with an introduction by Lewis that gives a short biography that puts MacDonald in his theological and cultural context.
I really loved this book. I was given a taste of MacDonald’s thought that has made me want to read more of him. I can see why Lewis was so impacted by him. MacDonald was a thoughtful and devout Christian. His writings push us to take our faith more seriously. This book is a great introduction to MacDonald for audiences today.
