David Elginbrod

This new edition of George MacDonald's 1863 classic is updated and introduced as Volume 2 in The Cullen Collection by Michael Phillips.Unable to get as much of his poetry and fantasy published as he would have liked, one of MacDonald’s publishers remarked, “I tell you, Mr. MacDonald, if you would but write novels, you would find all the publishers saving up to buy them of you. Nothing but fiction pays.” Eventually MacDonald decided to try his hand at realistic fiction, and David Elginbrod was published in 1863. His publisher’s words proved prophetic—within a few years publishers were indeed lining up to buy his books.The immediate success of David Elginbrod launched MacDonald’s career as one of the preeminent Victorian novelists of his day. Partially set in MacDonald’s homeland of northern Scotland, the story of Hugh Sutherland and Margaret Elginbrod is replete with the dialect and thorough “Scottishness” that became MacDonald’s trademark. The story takes the characters into the eerie world of the occult and spiritualism that so fascinated Victorian readers.In David Elginbrod, MacDonald establishes a character “type” to which he will return time and again throughout his career. It is his memorable portrayal of the simple “peasant prophet” who becomes the spiritual foundation-stone of the story. Though most of the narrative follows Hugh Sutherland rather than David Elginbrod, it is David, behind the scenes, who gives focus and perspective to Hugh’s development. Most of MacDonald’s spiritual peasant-saints live out their quiet influence in stark contrast to worldly-wise and highly educated clergymen who consider such men (and MacDonald includes his share of women peasant-saints as well) more than a little looney. Also significant in David Elginbrod is the first appearance of the character of Robert Falconer several years before the publication of the book bearing his name.This new edition streamlines the occasionally ponderous Victorian narrative style, and updates the thick Doric brogue into readable English.    367 pages    You can also see the Sunrise Centenary leather-bound edition.