Crossing a Great Frontier
collects twenty-one hard-to-find scholarly essays about
Phantastes
into one convenient volume. In his comprehensive introduction, editor John Pennington describes the essays as reflecting four main perspectives about
: as a religious work, a structurally coherent work, an insightful psychological work, and within its cultural/literary context. The book's title is derived from C.S. Lewis who wrote that after reading
, he knew he had "crossed a great frontier. Lewis's praise for MacDonald influenced more people to read MacDonald. His comments, however, diminished MacDonald's reputation as a skilled writer.
presents indisputable proof that Lewis underestimated the skill of his 19th century mentor. Readers will discover a multitude of insights into a book and author whose genius continues to be revealed.
John Pennington, professor of English at St. Norbert College, specializes in Victorian fairy tales and is the editor of
North Wind: The Journal of George MacDonald Studies
.