

The novel was self-published but became a USA Today bestseller, having sold 1 million copies as of June 8, 2008. GradeSaver, Web.The Shack is a novel by Canadian author William P. Next Section The Shack Summary Buy Study Guide How To Cite in MLA Format Cohen, Madeline.

A film adaptation of The Shack was released in 2017, which has been popular with audiences but poorly-received by critics. The Shack has been published in foreign languages including Spanish, German, Croatian, and Polish. Others have supported Young's depictions of God and religion and even written companion pieces concerning how to use The Shack in religious and therapeutic settings. Some called the book heretical due to its representations of the Trinity, its criticism of the church, and its "silly" tone ("Stay Out of The Shack"). The book generated a mixed reception from Christian leaders and media figures. The book shot to number one on the New York Times paperback fiction best seller list in June of 2008 and kept the spot until early 2010. The book was not immediately successful, but it became suddenly popular in 2008. Young sent the book to over twenty publishers, but was rejected by all of them, so Young, Wayne Jacobsen, Brad Cummings, and Bobby Downes formed a publishing company called Windblown Media and used it to publish the book. After reading it, a few of Young's friends encouraged him to publish it. Young originally wrote The Shack for his family and close friends to show them his religious beliefs and struggles.

While the foreword and afterword of the book make it seem as if Young is recording a story told to him by a close friend, Young has called the story "a parable laden with metaphor. The novel tells the story of Mack, a man whose daughter has been abducted by a serial killer, meeting God face to face and spending a weekend in a shack in the woods exploring grief and religion. The Shackis a work of Christian fiction published by William Paul Young in 2007.
