In 2005, William P. Young started to write a story that was meant as a gift for his six children, without having publication or public distribution in mind. Titled The Shack, his simple fable took an in-depth look at a complicated subject: faith. “For me," says Young, "life is an adventure of faith lived one day at a time.” (From William P. Young’s blog.)
William P. Young’s Personal Journey
When he first wrote The Shack, Young had listed Mackenzie Allen Philips – The Shack’s main character – as co-author of the book, knowing that the people close to him would be amused, and would recognize the voice as his own. However, as his novel’s popularity grew, so did the amount of people who wanted to meet the elusive Mack.
Originally, Young had planned nothing more than to make a few spiral-bound copies of The Shack and share it with family and loved ones. However, friends started to distribute copies of the book and soon Young was bombarded with letters and emails from people wanting to know if the story – and the shack itself – were real.
When the book was eventually professionally published, it had to be edited before distribution to make it clear that the story was fictitious, and its only author was William P. Young. “The story is fiction. I made it up,” says Young. “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.” (From William P. Young’s blog.)
The Shack Plot Synopsis
Mackenzie Allen Philips – “Mack” – is a great father and a wonderful husband but nonetheless, he is a man with a troubled past. When his youngest daughter, Missy, is abducted during a camping trip, Mack falls prey to The Great Sadness – a depression from which he seems unlikely to recover. His faith in God is shaken as his world slowly falls apart and The Great Sadness begins to consume him and his family, fuelled by his dwindling trust in God.
There seems to be no end to The Great Sadness until Mack receives a mysterious note. Signed “Papa” – his wife and children’s own name for God – the note summons him to a remote shack where evidence of his daughter’s brutal attack was found, years earlier. What Mack encounters there challenges him to the core and leads him to re-evaluate his own life, his faith, his place in the universe, and the importance of forgiveness.
In a moving exchange between Mack and one of God’s many incarnations, the grief-stricken father is told to forgive his daughter’s assailant. “Forgiveness is first for you, the forgiver, to release you from something (…) that will destroy your joy and your ability to love fully and openly.” (The Shack, page 225.) This concept is at the heart of William P. Young’s novel.
Faith and Forgiveness
The Shack is more than Christian fiction. It is a kind, heartfelt book that looks at deep moral issues, and questions our approach to family, faith and forgiveness. William P. Young has managed to create a simple religious fable that is at once intriguing, suspenseful and thought-provoking, without ever being preachy.
In the foreword to The Shack, the narrator, “Willie,” says of his friend Mack “even though you sense he has strong convictions, he has a gentle way about him that lets you keep yours.” (The Shack, page 10.) The same can be said about William P. Young.
Author William P. Young
WM. Paul Young was born in Grande Prairie, Alberta, and grew up in West Papua, where his parents were working as missionaries. Young lived among the Dani tribe before returning to North America and taking on various jobs while attending Bible College, and eventually completing a degree in Religion at Warner Pacific College in Portland, Oregon.
Young lives in Oregon with his wife and family. The Shack is his first book.
Sources
To find out more about The Shack, visit Windblown Media or author William P. Young’s official website.
Publication Details
Title: The Shack
Author: William P. Young
Publisher: Windblown Media
Publication Date: July 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0964729230
Andree Lachapelle - Andrée reviews books, movies and local events, and brings you essential beauty, fashion, travel and wedding planning tips.
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