A Prisoner in Fairyland

Algernon Blackwood

2021-05 · Graphic Arts Books

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A Prisoner in Fairyland (1913) is a novel by Algernon Blackwood. Having already established himself as a promising short story writer, Blackwood began publishing novels at the age of 40. A lifelong occultist, Blackwood was interested in the fine line between the human and spiritual realms, often incorporating supernatural elements into his work. A Prisoner in Fairyland is a story of a wealthy retiree’s return to the wonderful imaginative world of his youth. Hoping to spend the rest of his life in service of others, he gets the old Starlight Express up and running again. “For, from boyhood up, a single big ambition had ever thundered through his being—the desire to be of use to others. To help his fellow-kind was to be his profession and career.” Henry Rogers has always been a dreamer. On the brink of retirement, he plans to use his carefully accumulated wealth to fulfill his philanthropic destiny. Initially unsure of the shape of his charitable contribution to society, a trip to his childhood home changes everything. There, he finds the old train carriage where he would spend days at a time immersed in a world of fantasy and adventure. Back on the Starlight Express, Rogers plans to take deserving passengers to the wondrous realm of Fairyland. He soon discovers, however, that his impassioned beliefs—however well-intentioned—risk condemnation and persecution from those whose investments on Earth prevent them from indulging in imaginative excursions into the unknown. A Prisoner in Fairyland is a story for children and adults alike, a novel that poses timeless questions regarding the nature of our existence, both upon earth and beyond. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Algernon Blackwood’s A Prisoner in Fairyland is a classic work of British literature reimagined for modern readers.

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Algernon Blackwood (1869-1951) was an English journalist, novelist, and short story writer. Born in Shooter’s Hill, he developed an interest in Hinduism and Buddhism at a young age. After a youth spent travelling and taking odd jobs—Canadian dairy farmer, bartender, model, violin teacher—Blackwood returned to England and embarked on a career as a professional writer. Known for his connection to the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Blackwood gained a reputation as a master of occult storytelling, publishing such popular horror stories as “The Willows” and “The Wendigo.” He also wrote several novels, including Jimbo: A Fantasy (1909) and The Centaur (1911). Throughout his life, Blackwood was a passionate outdoorsman, spending much of his time skiing and mountain climbing. Recognized as a pioneering writer of ghost stories, Blackwood influenced such figures as J. R. R. Tolkien, H. P. Lovecraft, and Henry Miller.