Mackenzie Allen Philips' youngest daughter, Missy, has been abducted during a family vacation and evidence that she may have been brutally murdered is found in an abandoned shack deep in the Oregon wilderness. Four years later in the midst of his Great Sadness, Mack receives a suspicious note, apparently from God, inviting him back to that shack for a weekend.
Against his better judgment he arrives at the shack on a wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change Mack's world forever.
In a world where religion seems to grow increasingly irrelevant The Shack wrestles with the timeless question, "Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?" The answers Mack gets will astound you and perhaps transform you as much as it did him. You'll want everyone you know to read this book!
Shack Links
- An Interview with William P. Young
- Greg Albrecht (Plain Truth Ministries) interviews William P. Young on his podcast. Excellent!
- FaceBook Group :: The Shack
- The book that is spreading by word of mouth... to people and places around the world like never imagined. 64 members and growing!
- Author's Brief Autobiography
- Read William P. Young's description of how he grew up as a "third culture kid" with missionary parents in the highlands of Netherlands New Guinea (West Papua), among the Dani, a technologically stone age tribal people.
Book Review
Reviewed by by William D. Lollar, The Thin Edge of the Wedge
Over the past thirty-seven years of my journey with the Lord, I can count on one hand the number of books that I could honestly say, "Every Christian should read this!" With over 1,000 books in my library, I have chosen most of them for their theological integrity versus their ranking on the New York Times Bestseller list. If I could only own three or four books plus a Bible, I would choose The Pleasures of God (John Piper), The Pilgrim's Progress (John Bunyan), The Jesus I Never Knew (Philip Yancey), and The Shack (William P. Young).
The Shack is one of those rare books that grabs you...heart, soul, and mind. One refreshing factoid is that the author didn't actually write it for publication; in fact, it's the only book he's ever written and William Paul Young (aka "Willie" or Paul) will quickly tell anyone that it was his wife's idea. She thought it was important for him to put something in writing for his children, to explain what makes him tick. He explains on his blog,
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You see, William Paul Young grew up in West Papua, New Guinea, as a third culture kid (we used to call them MK's) until the age of 9 or 10. Imagine being raised in a tribal culture, thinking of yourself as a member of that culture, then being uprooted and replanted in his native land of Canada, only to find yourself eventually moving to the backwoods of Oregon. [He's as mixed up culturally as my children and grandchildren will be one day.]
Young uses the genre of fiction to explain a lot of things about God that just do not fit neatly into a systematic theology book, or a PowerPoint presentation, or even a feature-length Hollywood production. You sense immediately that this writer is a trained theologian, but his amazing artistry puts words into the most profound sequences like the awe-inspiring Renaissance masters who could produce priceless treasures from blocks of stone or a simple palette of ordinary paint.
Read the endorsements of others, or preview the first twenty-three pages, or listen to an online interview of the author by Greg Albrecht or the hosts of the God Journey podcast. There's enough here to whet your appetite and convince you to trade the cost of three latte's at Starbucks for this 250-page paperback.
More Book Reviews!
- Internet Monk :: Recommendation and Review: The Shack by William P. Young
Known to most people as "The Internet Monk," Michael Spencer is a missional thinker, communicator and writer living and working in southeastern Kentucky. He says, "This is a book with enormous pastoral potential for those who need a fresh look at the Trinitarian God revealed in scripture. Young has succeeded in making God a compelling character and the message of the life of faith beautiful, even in the midst of great loss, grief and the brokenness of the ordinary person."
- What's in my head :: The Shack by William P. Young
An anonymous blogger reviews The Shack: "It is an amazing story about freedom, life, relationship, control, religion, expectancy and, most of all, love. It's a story that throws a complete curve ball into everything traditional religion has taught us to believe, and can change your entire perspective of God if you can open your mind enough to let it."
- An Open Book :: A Book Review Not to Miss: The Shack
- This blogger writes,
"The Shack challenged so many of my ideas about Papa -- it has shaken my world. It was as if Mr. Young climbed right inside my head and heard the very things I have been wrestling with. This was not a churchy book, quoting chapter and verse, and yet never veers from being explicitly accurate as to the character of a loving heavenly Father, a Papa, who IS love.
I seldom read a book that makes me cry through its pages. I typically don't like works of fiction, preferring real stories, or books that are more conversational. This story drew me in and held me. I am also discouraged when I hear raving reviews, which is all that I have heard about this book, finding that the threshold of expectancy is so high, the book usually disappoints. I found The Shack lived up to every review, and then some. This is a book that I will re-read numerous times, allowing it to speak fresh to each season or situation in my life, as it will to each individual that dares to peruse its pages." - THEOOZE Review by Bill Dahl :: The Shack
- "I must tell you I almost delayed reading this book (it was sent to me for review). I just wasn't in the mood for reading something that had a subtitle of "Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity." Don't make the mistake I almost made: You must not delay in reading this book. In fact, get 4 copies and give them to folks.
This story is a unique blessing, supernaturally infectious, and intended to distribute its blessing well beyond the initial reader who comes into contact with its contents. Whatever you're reading, drop it and get this book."
IMPORTANT NOTICE: How to Order Your Copy!
Before you place that order with an online secular bookseller, please read this.
- African Destinations :: Emoyeni Publishing
- The Shack's publisher has made arrangements with Emoyeni Publishing, based in South Africa, to handle their African distribution.
- Australian Destinations :: Dymocks Booksellers
- The Shack's publisher has made arrangements with Dymocks Booksellers to handle their Australian distribution.
- Canadian Destinations :: Crown Video
- The Shack's publisher has made arrangements with Crown Video, based in Edmonton, to handle Canadian distribution.
- UK/European Destinations :: Harvest Books & Crafts
- The Shack's publisher has made arrangements with Harvest Books & Crafts, based in Wales, to handle their UK and European distribution.
- U.S. Destinations :: Windblown Media
- Windblown Media is the publisher of The Shack.
"If anything matters . . . everything matters"
WindRumors: The blog of William P. Young
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Dr_Momm
Thank you so much for your lens on "The Shack". This book is a must-read for Christians, and really, anyone who wants to be loved. Thanks for helping to get the word out on this magnificent work of art! Posted April 16, 2008 |
Background & Insights :: Part 1
"Willie" tells how The Shack came to be written
First, to give you some background: I started writing some of the conversations while I was riding the MAX (our local train type transit) from Gresham, Oregon (USA) to downtown Portland (where I was working at the time). It was 40 minutes each way, every work day, and it was read, sleep or write. This was March and April 2005, two years ago. By the end of April, I had a number of those rather ugly yellow pads full of bits of conversations, disorganized and rather unruly. They were conversations that I was having with God about whatever. Sometimes I would wake up in the middle of the night in the middle of a conversation and grab a notepad to try and remember. More than not, contrary to the brilliance I had expected, what I had written would make no sense whatsoever in the morning's light. But occasionally some coherent thoughts and concepts actually emerged from these nocturnal meanderings.
the purpose of all this, in addition to occupying some time on the MAX, was to try and write something for my children (six of them)...something that Kim (my wife) would occasionally bring up as a good thing to do. As she put it, "The way you think about things is a little odd and unusual and I think it would wonderful for the kids to have some of that in writing." I think she had been mentioning the idea for about ten years. In hind sight, I was not ready before 2005 to write this...thing...what turned out to be The Shack.
I had never intended to actually write a book and the idea of publishing the results didn't even occur to me during the process. Besides business type writing, the only things I had ever written were poems, songs, some annual family newsletters and teaching materials that I used as a speaker. It was all for friends and family, usually for gifts or special occasions. But a book...hardly.
I never thought of myself as a writer, only as someone who enjoyed writing...but I enjoy a lot of things. I suppose since there is actually a book out there now with my name on it...I suppose I am an 'author' by default, but the very idea sounds weird, probably to those who know me as much as it does me. In my opinion, I think such labels are a little 'diminishing', like the snapshot of someone's big toe..."Look, I have a snapshot of Willie's big toe...Look, isn't he wonderful!" Now, don't misunderstand...I really do like my big toes - I think they are both a little above average...I have seen a few big toes in my time and I am sure that mine are 'cooler' than most. Without them my knees would probably bang into each other when I walked, so I am rather appreciative of their existence.
But the point is that I am much more than my big toes, and every person is much more than the labels that are often assigned as a form of short hand to 'capture' and 'cage' them. Even honoring labels - ask any 'Reverend'. But it is rather inevitable as I think about it...being labeled that is. Perhaps what is important is what 'I' think about the label..what power I give it, regardless if it is honoring or derogatory. So, if people think I am a 'writer' or a 'big toe'...I will know that I am much more than that, much other and perhaps in a conversation or even just a word, or touch or smile, they will realize that too.
Hmmm...so this is blogging. You start in one place and pretty soon you are walking off somewhere with your knees knocking together. Kind of fun. Kinda goofy.
To be continued
"Willie"
Background & Insights :: Part 2
"Willie" continues the story of how The Shack came to be written
You gotta understand something...I had not plan here. In fact, when I first even thought about this project, all I could think about was doing a sort of dictionary of rambling opinions...you know, 'A' for Astronomy, and Art, and Aristotle, and Anarchy, and Adultery, and Absolutes, and Anti-nomianism...anything that I had an opinion about...don't laugh. Actually, it is quite funny...looking back. But I was pretty serious about trying to do something systematic and organized...make my kids proud. :)
But as soon as I got into these 'conversations' all that systematic stuff fell away. I became enamored with these unrelated and intriguing conversations. At one point I was going to call this little book for my kids, 'Conversations with God', but then I found out somebody had already written that book and even turned it into a movie. For me these conversations were alive and I found myself waking up in the middle of the night and writing down scraps of dialogue. More often than not, when I looked at those bits and pieces in the morning I couldn't make heads or tails of what I had written down and it usually made no sense at all...but I remembered vaguely that it had been soooo cool!
So, in May, 2005 I had a few yellow pads pretty much filled up and a whole bunch of scraps of paper; edges of newspapers, parts of napkins (serviettes for you cultured folk), backs of grocery store receipts etc. I was a little concerned that a good wind could blow it all away and so I decided that I needed to input my notes into the computer.
The first Saturday I started working on inputting was the first time I decided that a 'story' would be the right vehicle for these conversations. I didn't have one (a story), but I thought it was a great idea. So I began to create characters in situations that would allow my conversations to occur. These conversations were very 'real' to me, buried in the experiences and processes of my life...mostly over the last fifteen years.
This ends this particular background blog...I am actually going to pick up the story, sort of, in another blog called "Is the Story of THE SHACK true...is Mack a real person?" Then I will come back and pick up things where this and that blog leave off.
"Willie"
Background & Insights :: Part 3
Is the story of THE SHACK true? . . . is Mack a "real" person?
So, I didn't have to follow any normal rules about writing something. Actually, I didn't even really know or care about what the normal rules might be...never thought about it. I wanted my kids to enjoy a story and through the story to understand there own father better and the God that their father is so in love with. I even had this brilliant idea to have Willie (me) ghost-write the story for Mack, and so on my very first Title Page, it said, The Shack, written by Mackenzie Allen Phillips, with William P Young. I thought it was clever and that the kids would get a laugh out of it.
This means that Mack, of course, is not a 'real' person. My children would recognize that Mack is mostly me, that Nan is a lot like Kim, my wife, that Missy and Kate and the other characters often resemble our family members and friends. So it was no big deal...until the first version of the loose leaf book sort of 'got out' (because people kept passing it to their friends), and I find out that somebody in California and somebody in Canada think seriously about buying plane tickets to come to Oregon to meet and talk to Mack. Now that would have been a little embarassing, don't you think? So we removed Mack as the author, but I kept the ghost-writer idea as a story element...which is still causing some problems but not near what could have happened the other way.
Is the story 'real'? The story is fiction. I made it up. Now, having said that, I will add that the emotional pain with all its intensity and the process that tears into Mack's heart and soul are very real. I have my 'shack', the place I had to go through to find healing. I have my Great Sadness...that is all real. And the conversations are very real and true. While Mack experiences some particulars that I have not (the death of my neice the day after her fifth birthday was a horrible accident, but not a murder), there are depths of pain and shame and hopelessness that I have experienced, that Mack did not. And I know people who have suffered exactly what Mack suffers in the story.
So is the story true? The pain, the loss, the grief, the process, the conversations, the questions, the anger, the longing, the secrets, the lies, the forgiveness...all real, all true. The story in particular... fiction... but.... Then there is God who emerges so very real and true, unexpected and yet not unexpected, but surprising and...
So... is all this real? Is all this true? I suppose each of us has to decide for ourselves, don't we?
