The Shack

by William Paul Young

Mackenzie Allen Phillips's 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 this 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 wintry afternoon and walks back into his darkest nightmare. What he finds there will change his life forever.

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

Published June 1, 2011

About the author

Wm. Paul Young is a Canadian author. Young was the oldest of four. He spend the majority of his first decade with his missionary parents in the highlands of Netherlands New Guinea (West Papua), among the Dani, a tribal people. When he was six he was sent to a boarding school.

The manuscript, that later became The Shack, was intended only for his six kids and for a handful of close friends. After multiple rejections by publishers, Young and his friends published the book under the name of their newly created publishing company. The Shack was one of the top-selling fiction books of 2008 and will be a major motion picture in Spring 2017.

Young lives in Happy Valley, Oregon with his wife and has six children and several grandchildren. He is also the author of Crossroads, Eve and the non-fiction book, Lies We Believe About God.

Reviews

[Lana · Rating 0.25 out of 5]

made me angry with every word

[Alonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book initially because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I wanted to understand the controversy and I've learned that if you really want to understand where people are coming from, in terms of literature anyway, it's best to dive in for yourself and witness the controversy first hand. That's how my interest in The Shack began. I found very quickly that the controversy (regarding God and gender) explains itself away pretty quickly. And once you get past that, the story and all that it portrays about God is beautiful (and pretty sound when compared to Scripture and traditional Christian beliefs about God). It exposed and challenged a lot of the assumptions I've had about God over the years and I'm incredibly grateful for that. At the very least it is a source of worthwhile discussion. Though I'd bet most readers will find it is more than that.

[Nicola Wakeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this after watching the film, I preferred the film, still a lovely moving book 😍😍😍

[Lisa Berkley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shack
by Wm. Paul Young
Published in 2008, this book was #1 on the best sellers list and later made into a movie. I read this back in 2008 but decided to reread it when I found out a sequel was published called Return to The Shack. I am about 468th in line at the library but I am excited to read it. The original is about a father and the unimaginable happens. I could feel the heartache this man felt along with family who are trying to heal. Years later, Mack returns to the scene of the crime where he feels as lost as ever. Suddenly, three strangers arrive, yet weirdly familiar, and together they teach Mack life lessons in order to help him heal.
Reading this book was like visiting an old friend. And I can’t wait to return to the shack to learn more about the power of healing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Brody Wilmoth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Shack is a beautifully hard to read book that grapples with grief, perseverance, and forgiveness. It took me almost 2 years to finish it and for good reason, it is not something to pick up as a “light read”. With as little being said of the plot as possible, this book deals with the aftermath of the loss of a child in one of the worst ways humanly possible and the journey to come back to God after feeling left for dead. This is one of those books you pray about before starting.

[Denisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book twice before my daughter died, and again after. I found it very profound in different ways each time I read it.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book. I give copies away every chance I can. It will open your eyes and show you how love can be.

[Linda]

Loved it!!

[Aldo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book even though the "GOD" aspect is still a question for me. This is also a movie that does not let the book down. Would definitely recommend!

[Erica Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first half was rough but HOLY COW. I’m not particularly religious but this helped me to understand how and why people can put so much into God.

[Hijabi_booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS SHOULD BE A MANDATORY READ FOR EVERYONE