The Shack by William P. Young, a former office manager and hotel night clerk, published in 2007.
The novel was self-published but became a USA Today bestseller, having sold 1 million copies as of June 8. It has also maintained its status as #1 Paperback trade fiction seller on the New York Times best sellers list since June 2008.
Young originally wrote The Shack as a Christmas gift for his 6 children with no intention of publishing. After letting several friends read the book he was urged to publish The Shack for the general public. Young and his two partners (former pastors from Los Angeles) had no success with both religious and secular publishers, so they formed Wind Blown Media with the sole purpose of publishing this one book. The Shack has achieved its #1 best selling success with a $300.00 web site and word of mouth. Nothing has been spent on marketing.
The title of the book is a metaphor for “the house you build out of your own pain”, as Young explained in a telephone interview. He also states to radio host talk show Drew Marshall, that The Shack "is a metaphor for the places you get stuck, you get hurt, you get damaged...the thing where shame or hurt is centered". The plot is based on a man, Mackenzie Philips, who has lost his youngest daughter to tragic events. The book is a journey of questioning & discovery and revolves around Mackenzie's conversations with God the Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and his process of healing. These conversations cover many topics, but emphasize relationships. The three persons of the Trinity appear to Mackenzie as if they were three distinct persons, two human-like, and one, the representative of The Holy Spirit, as less physical. Mackenzie sees, and hears, how the Three love one another, and is told that this is a model for God-human relationships.
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I have to say that "The Shack" by William P. Young was a very thought provoking read.
After reading the book, I was left pondering several things about it – which is a true testament to the book's worth. I had several questions on the validity of some of the descriptions of God but I had to humbly admit that there may be no answers this side of heaven for how God presents Himself to each individual.
I posted a more in-depth review of this book on my own blog www.tracysbooknook.com.
-Tracy