Author. Born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, the son of a farmer, he studied at the University of Aberdeen, moved to London and worked as a tutor, then studied at Highbury College in North London to become a Congregational minister. In 1851 he married Louisa Powell (1822-1902), with whom he was to have six sons and five daughters. From 1850 to 1853, he was the Congregational minister at Arundel in Sussex, but resigned to concentrate on literature. In 1855, he published his first book, a poetic drama entitled "Within and Without". He went on to produce many poems, plays and novels, many of which are concerned with fantasy and many of which were written for children. Among his best known novels are: "Phantasies"; "The Princess and the Goblin"; "At the Back of the North Wind"; and "Lydia". He appears as a character in C.S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce"; indeed, Lewis once remarked that he regarded MacDonald as being "the Master." From 1881, he lived at the Casa Coraggio, near Bordighera in Northern Italy; after Louisa's death, however, he returned to England, to live in a house at Haslemere in Surrey, which had been built by his eldest son. He died in the nearby town of Ashstead, at the home of his youngest daughter, was cremated in Woking, and his ashes were buried in Bordighera. There is a memorial to him in the churchyard at Drumblade, near Huntly. His grandson, Philip MacDonald (1900-1980) was the author of "The List of Adrian Messenger", which was filmed by John Huston.
Author. Born in Huntly, Aberdeenshire, the son of a farmer, he studied at the University of Aberdeen, moved to London and worked as a tutor, then studied at Highbury College in North London to become a Congregational minister. In 1851 he married Louisa Powell (1822-1902), with whom he was to have six sons and five daughters. From 1850 to 1853, he was the Congregational minister at Arundel in Sussex, but resigned to concentrate on literature. In 1855, he published his first book, a poetic drama entitled "Within and Without". He went on to produce many poems, plays and novels, many of which are concerned with fantasy and many of which were written for children. Among his best known novels are: "Phantasies"; "The Princess and the Goblin"; "At the Back of the North Wind"; and "Lydia". He appears as a character in C.S. Lewis's "The Great Divorce"; indeed, Lewis once remarked that he regarded MacDonald as being "the Master." From 1881, he lived at the Casa Coraggio, near Bordighera in Northern Italy; after Louisa's death, however, he returned to England, to live in a house at Haslemere in Surrey, which had been built by his eldest son. He died in the nearby town of Ashstead, at the home of his youngest daughter, was cremated in Woking, and his ashes were buried in Bordighera. There is a memorial to him in the churchyard at Drumblade, near Huntly. His grandson, Philip MacDonald (1900-1980) was the author of "The List of Adrian Messenger", which was filmed by John Huston.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
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