Editorial Review

If G.K. Chesterton's Read more

Reviews (64)

An Exhilarating Read
One of the best books I have read.
The Rebuttle to Modern Philosophy
In this book, one of the great writers of the last century, writes his defense of the philosophy of Historical Christianity. He goes to great lengths to debate the views of his contemporaries (H.G. Wells, Robert Bernard Shaw) and the influences on his contemporaries (specifically Nietzsche). Chesterton can seem to go off topic at times (it is said he never wrote rough drafts - what we read is his thought process un-edited), but his insights and are purely astounding and worth going down those rabbit trails. I won't dare go into his arguments, as I'm sure other reviews have done that sufficiently, plus I'm not smart enough or have have enough time to do them justice. Read the book for yourself. Chesterton is an absolute delight to read. It's a shame that a man like G.K. Chesterton has been forgotten, while the men whom he often debated have so heavily influenced our culture. We would do well to bring the clarity of thought and ideas of Chesterton back into the public forum. For a Christian who wishes to intellectually defend his faith (as opposed to the blind faith we are often accused of), this book is indispensible.

A Stand for the Boldness and Beauty of Orthodoxy
Chesterton's text is a great stand for the true rationality and beauty of Orthodoxy.In reflecting up on his own discovery of orthodoxy, he seeks to show the sanity and beauty of Christian thought when compared to contemporary philosophies.It would be difficult to tie down the work in a brief thesis, as it exists as a loose auto-biography of his thought processes coming to orthodox faith. If I could be so bold as to venture to a thesis, it is that orthodoxy is the only guarantor of sanity, beauty, and forward progress in the world.Beyond this, the text speaks for the specifics of these ideas.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - Apologetics    2. Christianity - Theology - Catholic    3. Religion    4. Religion - Classic Works    5. Christianity   

Editorial Review

What, if anything, is it that makes the human uniquely human? This, in part, is the question that G.K. Chesterton starts with in this classic exploration of human history. Responding to the evolutionary materialism of his contemporary (and antagonist) H.G. Wells, Chesterton in this work affirms human uniqueness and the unique message of the Christian faith. Writing in a time when social Darwinism was rampant, Chesterton instead argued that the idea that society has been steadily progressing from a state of primitivism and barbarity towards civilization is simply and flatly inaccurate. "Barbarism and civilization were not successive stages in the progress of the world," he affirms, with arguments drawn from the histories of both Egypt and Babylon. Read more

Reviews (36)

Review of G.K. Chesterton's Everlasting Man
When I found out that this book was the final link in the conversion of C.S. Lewis, I really had to read it. I love the book, and I recommend it to all; especially to agnostics, who want to know more about the Christian faith. It is a clarifying and enlightening book.

Disappointing
I was initially excited about this book.Hearing claims of wit and graceful apologetics. Sadly I was disappointed I actually wanted this book to be good. It seemed hard to follow and the points or arguments that were used were poor.They could've easily been refutedwith other arguments that I didn't even agree with. I know that wasn't the main point of the book but honestly after reading it I'm not sure I know what that was anyway.

Chesterton's View of History
Chesterton's purpose in writing this book is crucial to understanding what you are reading. Chesterton writes to an audience under the assumption that they are familiar with the people, places, events, philosophies, etc. that he cites. This book is not Chesterton's in-depth analysis of Christianity in contrast to other religions. It was written in response to H.G. Wells' "Outline of History," in which Wells' gave an account of history from his philosophical standpoint. "The Everlasting Man" is Chesterton's account of history from his philosophical standpoint.
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Subjects:  1. Apologetic works    2. Apologetics    3. Catholic Church    4. Christianity - Theology - Apologetics    5. Christianity - Theology - Catholic    6. Christianity and other religions    7. Church And Other Religions    8. Religion    9. Religion - Classic Works    10. Christian theology    11. Interfaith relations    12. Theology   

Editorial Review

In an article published the day before his death, G.K. Chesterton called Read more

Reviews (79)

Predictable yet entertaining moonshine
I guessed correctly at all the major spoilers early on, but it didn't diminsh my enjoyment of the book. Thursday is a good read because of Chesterton's witty dialogue, not the plot.

Anarchists in Drag
I've read several turn-of-the-century books recently that shed a curious light on the naive attitude of intellectuals toward communism prior to the Revolution.That is the entire topic of G. K. Chesterton's short farce, The Man Who Was Thursday.
TGIT (Thank God It's Thursday!)
Chesterton, it turns out, is an amazing stage magician. Just when you think you know what he's up to in this book, he pulls another rabbit out of his hat. (Or, in this case, another anarchist. Bunnies, bombers, what's the difference?) Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Literature - Classics / Criticism    3. Literature: Classics    4. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    5. Classic fiction    6. Fiction / Classics    7. Modern fiction   

Reviews (3)

powerful and passionate apologetics
If you're a Catholic Christian and want to appreciate your faith more, these books will serve you well. If you're not Catholic or Christian and wish to encounter the most persuasive apologetics, this is an excellent place to start. Chesterton's most important works
This volume contains the most important works of G. K. Chesterton, his study of St. Francis, his study of St. Thomas Aquinas, and _The Everlasting Man_. Three brilliant books
Ignatius Press has done the world a great favor by releasing their "Collected Works of Chesterton" series.If you can only afford three volumes, get # 1, 2, and 6.If you can only afford one volume, it should be # 2.Read more

Subjects:  1. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    2. Literature - Classics / Criticism    3. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    4. Other prose: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (7)

'We shall certainly make fools of ourselves; that is what is meant by philosophy.'
'The only way to discuss the social evil is to get at once to the social ideal. We can all see the national madness; but what is national sanity? I have called this book "What Is Wrong with the World?" and the upshot of the title can be easily and clearly stated. What is wrong is that we do not ask what is right."
Not the best place to start with Chesterton
Chesterton wrote a great deal of fiction and nonfiction, and his nonfiction covers all sorts of topics including religion, literature, biography, and-as here-the social, political, and philosophical issues facing England at the beginning of the twentieth century. As an American at the beginning of the twenty-first century, I did find some of the references dated, obscure, or irrelevant; but there is still plenty here that is worth reading and thinking about. Can It Get Any Worse?
One thing this book makes clear is that although the socio-political names change, the game remains the same.GK takes a hard look at what's wrong with England in 1910, and his diagnosis works just as well for America in 2003.GK rails against capitalism and socialism, for both philosophies are equally dehumanizing-capitalism excuses inhumanity as a cost of doing business; socialism seeks to redefine humanity by stripping away from us all that is human.Politicians, thinkers, and civic leaders on both ends of the spectrum flail away at social problems by attacking symptoms-poverty, homelessness, the role of women in society, disintegration of the family, unfruitful education-but consistently make the symptoms worse because they never see the underlying problem.What is the underlying problem?It is that our leaders no longer put the individual, which is human and therefore sacred, above the social organization, which is merely artificial and expendable. By dismissing the laws of God, we have nothing left but an anarchy of ideas.We have replaced one law of God with a thousand laws of social theory.GK shows how such an unfocused and confused approach has steadily worsened the plight of the poor, the family, the publicly educated man, etc., and predicts that Western social fabric will only unravel further, as long as we keep this up. Unfortunately for us, we have, and GK's predictions are correct. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History & Theory - General    2. Politics / Current Events    3. Social problems    4. Sociology    5. Anthropology    6. Christian ministry & pastoral activity   

Editorial Review

It is known that when the great Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton beganhis book on Saint Thomas Aquinas (who is, quite possibly, the most influential of all Christian theologians), "his research for the project consisted of a very casual perusal of a few books on his subject." To say that Chesterton was no authority is an understatement. To say further that he has written a masterpiece of elucidation may also be an understatement. Etienne Gilson, the chief scholar of Aquinas in the 20th century, said flatly "I consider it as being without possible comparison the best book ever written on St. Thomas. Nothing short of genius can account for such an achievement....Chesterton was one of the deepest thinkers who ever existed; he was deep because he was right; and he could not help being right; but he could not either help being modest and charitable, so he left it to those who could understand him to know that he was right, and deep." Read more

Reviews (28)

Not an easy read
I began reading Chesterton only recently and decided to take the advice of Dale Ahlquist (of the American Chesterton Society) on which books of his to read as a neophyte. The first I read was "Ballad of the White Horse" and as a fan of epic poetry, I thought it was lovely, enjoyable, and profound.
A Literary Genius Comments about the Angelic Doctor
When G.K. Chesteron was "assigned" this book, there were those who did not think that Chesterton was intellectually equipped to write the book.Chesterton proved these critics wrong and wrote a short but well written book titled ST. THOMAS AQUINAS: THE DUMB OX.
Excellent biography of Aquinas
I read this while doing a research paper on Aquinas' theology, and unfortunately, it didn't help me very much.I am not at all sorry I read it though, for it was a very pleasant read, and I learned a lot of valuable information, even though it was not related to my paper.Chesterton has, in this book, given what I believe to be the most readable, and most entertaining introduction to Thomas Aquinas which exists.If there be one better, I have not heard of it.In this book, we are introduced to Thomas Aquinas, his remarkable character, and his Aristotelian philosophy.It very clearly and easily conveys the meaning of Aquinas' Aristotelian philosophy, which is not an easy task.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Christianity - History - Catholic    5. Dominicans    6. General    7. Philosophers, Modern    8. Theologians    9. Religion / General    10. Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church    11. Saints & hagiography    12. Thomas   

Editorial Review

There are certainly many studies of Saint Francis of Assisi that an interested reader might find and many of them immensely praiseworthy. But in reading G.K. Chesterton on Francis, you get two glories for one: first is an enlightening study of this most beloved of Christian saints and second is Chesterton himself, one of the great Christian writers of the 20th century, who converted to Roman Catholicism in 1922 because, it has been said, "only the Roman Church could produce a St. Francis of Assisi."Published shortly after his conversion, Chesterton wrote this book in part to reclaim Francis for the church. There are always those who want to claim Francis for their cause, Chesterton recognized, who also fail to understand the spiritual and intellectual ground upon which he stands. Chesterton would return Francis to Christ. As he summarizes, "however wild and romantic his gyrations might appear to many, [Francis] always hung on to reason by one invisible and indestructible hair.... The great saint was sane.... He was not a mere eccentric because he was always turning towards the center and heart of the maze; he took the queerest and most zigzag shortcuts through the wood, but he was always going home." Read more

Reviews (21)

Not for those seeking a rudmentart history.
Chesterton writng is for the scholarly reader. His discourse is more question and answer to the theological and philosifcal issues surrounding Francis than a history or biography. As myreadings enlarge my scope I will go back to this title and hopefully appreciate the discourse more than at it's first reading.

I am sure it's good, butman it's deep!
I have just finished reading "St. Francis of Assisi" by GK Chesterton, and I know that it was pretty good.In fact, it may be very good, but I don't really understand it!If you know anything about GK Chesterton then you know that his books are deeper than the ocean.This one is no exception.If you are looking for a biography (the story of St. Francis throughout his entire life) then this is not the book for you.(I would suggest buying St. Boneventure's biography from Tan Books)This book is really an essay on the life of St. Francis.It is difficult reading, and not a bed-time story for your kids.I think for your benefit, it would be good to read a normal biography on St. Francis (like the one mentioned above) and then read this essay.That way, you will not be frustrated in not getting many stories of St. Francis's life, and you will have perhaps better understandings of what GK Chesterton is talking about.Anyway, if your a Chesterton fan, then I'm sure you will like this, but remember--- this is HARD TO READ.

Rambling and Overbearing
This book was arcane and verbose which made it very difficult and unenlightening.The author digresses often and seems to add-in superfluous commentary on unrelated subjects. His references often point to "current events" which have long since lost relevance and the entire text has a dated, maze-like feeling.
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Subjects:  1. 1182-1226    2. Assisi    3. Biography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Christian saints    7. Christianity - History - Catholic    8. Francis,    9. Italy    10. Religious    11. of Assisi, Saint,    12. Religion / General    13. Saints & hagiography   

Reviews (1)

Chesterton's most famous work, and some oft-forgotten gems
This volume, the first in Ignatius Press's _Collected Works_ of Chesterton series, contains what is probably G. K. Chesterton's most famous work, _Orthodoxy_.Read more

Subjects:  1. English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh    2. Literature - Classics / Criticism    3. Collections & anthologies of various literary forms    4. Other prose: from c 1900 -   

Reviews (15)

Contrived story; brilliant ideas
While the very story of the book is rather contrived and artificial, the ideas conveyed in it make this a worthwhile read.Basically Chesterton uses an allegory to show that contemporary society cannot begin to comprehend a truly Christian man.Remarkably Chesteron set this book in an ostensibly Christian society.However his understanding of a Christian meant someone like the protagonist Innocent Smith; a man who was dead to the world in that he paid no heed to the laws and customs of man but held dear the eternal principles and laws of God.
Whimsical
Manalive is all the things stated by the other reviews given here, except the inference of being a great book.It has some wonderful prose.It has interesting ideas.It has a truly unique main character, Innocent Smith.
One of the best books I have ever read
I was absolutely astounded at the level of wittyness and profoundity that Chesterton achieved in this novel.Chesterton manages to once again use a rediculous fiction novel as a vehicle to share his profound insights into life with us as well as his stinging refutations of the leading philosophies of his time.Innocent Smith, the main character, is a man who says that "I am going to hold a pistol to the head of Modern Man.But I shall not use it to kill him--only to bring him life."Innocent Smith is put on trial by Modern Man for attempting to save a mans live,breaking into his own home, and marrying his own wife.He is a man whom is the embodiment of a live life.His life is truly alive, for he goes to great pains to make it so.He travels around the world just so he can have the satisfactions of arriving home again, he breaks into his own home so that he can covet his own posessions rather than his neighbors, he shoots at a man to save his life.To the best of my knowledge there is no character in any fiction book anywhere who is anything like Innocent Smith, and I seriously doubt that any other author will ever be able to reproduce a character like him.He is a man who makes a game of chasing his hat and who is delighted with discovering an attic to have a picnic in, yet he is a man who carries a loaded gun he uses to deliver "pills of life" and refute the philosophies of the day.He is the subject of this profound work by G. K. Chesterton, who is only slightly less profound that the character which he has produced.
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Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Comics & Graphic Novels    3. Fiction    4. General    5. Graphic Novels - General    6. Literature - Classics / Criticism    7. General & Literary Fiction    8. Literary Collections / General   

Reviews (3)

The Restless Victorian
Like many English majors upon graduation I was sick to death of Enlgish lit and sold my books off at the local used book store. As "classic rock" seems to be whichever moldy oldies a radio station wants to play, so "classic lit" is similarly a mixed bag of whatever gets shoved into the Norton Anthologies.
I cannot imagine that a better autobiography has ever been written
Let me begin by saying that this is really not so much of an autobiography as the title Autobiography implies that it is.Chesterton, being a very humble man, chose not to talk about himself during good portions of this book.Of course, there is a lot of discussion of himself (otherwise it would not be an autobiography at all), but there is much that is simply about the world at his time and the thoughts that he has.It is almost more like Augustine's Confessions that a real autobiography (by this I mean an autobiography of his ideas rather than his actions).
Chesterton lives what he writes
As always, Chesterton here weighs in with mountains of brilliant insights and poetic experiences. This is a very broad book, covering the whole range of Chesterton's interests, which spanned literature and politics and myth and orthodoxy, among other things. As I progressed from chapter to delightful chapter, I found myself chuckling now and scratching my head again and racing to jot down my thoughts at the end. Few authors I have read carry such a solid understanding of so many areas as Chesterton, and certainly even fewer present it as accurately and as beautifully as Chesterton.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography & Autobiography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography And Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Chesterton, G. K. (Gilbert Keith), 1874-1936    6. Literary    7. Personal Memoirs   

Reviews (10)

The Napoleon of Notting Hill
Not Chesterton's best work, this quirky debut novel is still a must-read for anyone who appreciates the "Prince of Paradox" and his quirky sense of humor.It begins with a humorous overview of some of the more ridiculous social theorists of the day.(Science fiction fans will surely get a kick from a brief mention of H. G. Wells and his far-fetched visions.)Then we observe London society in 1984, changed very little from the early twentieth century, because the drudgery of capitalism and bureaucracy have worn down the human spirit to the point where it can barely stand.When a pint-sized clerk named Auberon Quinn ius randomly selected as head of state, he decides to turn London into a mideival carnival for his own amusement.
Great Introduction to the Creative Mind of G. K. Chesterton
This short book, The Napoleon of Notting Hill, written 100 years ago, is a futuristic fantasy, a political satire, a prophetic tale, and a comic novel, all intertwined. Published in 1904, The Napoleon of Notting Hill was G. K. Chesterton's first novel. It has been called the best first novel by any author in the twentieth century.
For the hard-core Anglophile
This, to me, is a good example of a book that is primarily premise.The idea of London being broken up into little city states is amusing, but Chesterton doesn't do enough with the comic possibilities.It was difficult for me to enjoy this book, while constantly being reminded of "Passport to Pimlico," a much more whimsical take on the notion. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classics    2. Fantasy fiction    3. Fiction    4. Literature - Classics / Criticism    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Notting Hill (London, England)    7. Political fiction    8. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    9. Modern fiction   

Reviews (4)

A short but powerful book
Lepanto is one of, if not the, finest poem in the English language. It isignored in most schools. Yet few who read it are not immediately impressed. Chesterton is never obscure but there are some references which need to be explained. This book does that in 124 pleasant to read pages. If you have enjoyed Blake or similiar writers but struggled through the allusions (as I have) this is the perfect book for you. In less than an hour, you will know more about a great poem than the majority of those who have read it. The price is certainly right and it's a book you'll keep forever (if you don't give it away to friends).

Amazing poem, good commentary
I got this book expecting it to be an epic poem similar to Chesterton's Ballad of the White Horse.I was very disappointed to find out that it was an 8 page poem with 100+ pages of commentary.I was not as disappointed after reading it.The poem was absolutely amazing.Chesterton used alliteration better in this poem than I have ever seen it used in any other poem anywhere, with lines like: "Dim drums throbbing, in the hills half heard" or "He touches, and it tingles, and he trembles very soon."Chesterton also fills the poem with rich allegory and drama, as he recounts the epic battle of Lepanto between Christendom and the rising Muslim power.This battle, which the essays in this book elaborate on, was one of the most important battles ever fought in histry, as it determined who would dominate Europe:Christians or Muslims.At Lepanto, Christendom, led by Don John of Austria, defeated the Muslims in one of the greatest naval battles ever fought, effectively stopping the advancing Muslims from taking over Europe.Chesterton masterfully recounts this event, and the events leading up to it.He also describes the rulers of Christendom at the time (it was right after the Protestant Reformation) and their refusal to fight (only Don John of Austria took up the Pope's plea to battle the Muslims).A previous reviewer noted that Chesterton bashed Protestants and Muslims:this is true, but he also bashed some Catholic rulers as well, so he is not singling out Protestants.It is true that he is anti-Muslim, and a theme of the poem is the Christianity triumphs over Islam (he depicts well the deterministic fatalism of Islam).
Interesting for Our Times
This book on Chesterton's Lepanto is full of interesting details surrounding the battle. The book is of special interest to Catholics because of its connection to a Marian feast still celebrated on the date of the famous battle and other tidbits. There is also a literary point of interest arising from the fact that Cervantes served with the Christian fleet and was wounded in the battle. The poem highlights a neglected but crucial event in the Western struggle with Islamic expansionism. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Catholicism    2. General    3. Historical poetry, English    4. Lepanto, Battle of, Greece, 1571    5. Poetry    6. Religion   

Reviews (1)

Exciting Book with a Dull Title
Like Orthodoxy, which is arguably Chesterton's best non-fiction book, this is an exciting book with a dull title. Orthodoxy, however, had a somewhat better subtitle: "The Romance of Faith". In his 1936 autobiography, Chesterton admitted that he thought Orthodoxy was a bad title and had always meant to change it but never got around to it. He makes no such comments on this book.
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Subjects:  1. Christianity - Catholicism    2. Religion    3. Religion - Classic Works    4. Roman Catholic Church   

Reviews (1)

Similar to the Father Brown books
The Man Who Knew Too Much is a collection of eight short mystery stories which reminded me greatly of Chesterton's Father Brown stories, except these were not quite as good.I dislike mystery stories where the main character solves the mystery with the aid of a clue that the reader did not have access too.That was one of the reasons why I really like Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries, because if you pay close enough attention and think enough, you can come to the correct conclusion yourself before the answer is announced.Unfortunately, Chesterton does not write all of these stories in that way (though a few of the eight are), and it makes them not as much fun to read, though they are still very good.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. General    4. Literary    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Crime & mystery   

Subjects:  1. Christianity - Theology - Apologetics    2. Religion    3. Religion - Theology    4. Theology    5. Christian theology   

Reviews (2)

Madness and Modernity
In keeping with many of his works, Chesterton examines the ideas of sanity, madness, and modern thought- often coming to conclusions most moderns would not like. The percepetion Chesterton gives, though eighty years old, is remarkably fresh and relevant. For the enemies of good in Chesterton's time have not really changed, aside from some slight vagrancies in vocabulary. Be forewarned: atheistic thought is taken to the hammer {as it well should be! ha!}, and all its forebearance of "modernity" is shown to be the true madness of life, rather than the seeming madness of Gabriel, who is sane {as we see, in more ways than one}. Chesterton at his best
While not nearly as well known as The Father Brown mysteries or The Man Who Was Thursday, the quirky adventures of Gabriel Gale -- poet, artist and lunatic-keeper -- provide excellent entertainment for an evening spent curled up with a good book.This collection of short adventures explores some basic ideas about human nature, specifically,the ideas of poetry, insanity and sin.Some events in the stories are worthy of a laugh out loud, but each also has a darker side that causes the attentive reader to shudder, as Chesterton clearly outlines the