Chesterton for Beginners

In the comments box on the previous post, I see that Raewyn has asked my opinion on which books would be the best launching pad for those who are only just embarking on the adventure known as G. K. Chesterton. He's rightly been called the 'biggest author of the twentieth century'. This name is fitting not only for the obvious reason of his physical size, but because he wrote over a hundred books in his lifetime, not to mention hundreds and hundreds of articles for G.K.'s Weekly, The Illustrated London News, and numerous other periodicals. It can be a bit daunting for necomer. If they've heard of him at all, they've probably heard from friends that Chesterton is spectacular, but that is not enough information. What one shoudl really know is, where do I start among that vast sea of Chestertonia?

Let me being by saying that there are a few diehard Chesterton fans who will tell you, "The Everlasting Man is the most thought-provoking, amzing book Chesterton ever wrote. Start there." But all I can say is - don't. Please don't. I beg you, don't start with The Everlasting Man. Because if you do you will get a false impression of what Chesterton is like, and the chances are about 1 in 500 that you'll enjoy it the first time through. Wait on that one. Don't get me wrong, it is great, but it is notorious for giving even devoted Chesterton fans doubts about him.

In my opinion, the best inroduction to Chesterton is through one of two doors.

The first door is through his novels. I say this because they have everything Chestertonian (solid Christianity, laugh-a-minute humour, political arguments, apologetics, swordfights, redheads, pubs, cheese, wine, and rum), and also compelling plots, drama and characters that one expects from a novel. He's written quite a few, but I would reccomend one of the following to start off with - choose whichever appeals to you:

**********************************

The Napoleon of Notting Hill - This was Chesterton's first novel, written in 1904, but set eighty years later, in a fictional 1984 (and yes, it is coincidental that it's the same year picked by George Orwell). At this point in English history, people don't care a great deal about politics, and now run on a new system - alphabetic despotism. That is, they have a list of everyone in London arranged alphabetically, and every time a king dies they go to the next letter and select a new king whose name begins with that letter at random. And in this particular instance, chance has it that Auberon Quin, a man who lives for nothing but jokes and pranks, should be picked. In no time he has turned modern England into a Medieval parody, and out of this confusion rises one Adam Wayne, the only man in England who believes there may be a method in this madness, and is ready to go to war over it.

The Man Who Was Thursday - Chesterton's most famous novel, this is a fast-paced tale of a Victorian police detective who unwittingly infiltrates a circle of anarchists plotting to overthrow the country! Each of this men goes only by the name of one of the days of the week (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, etc.). Finding himself to be Thursday's succesor, the detective sets out to bring the anarchists to justice and discover the identity of their mysterious leader, Sunday. But who are these men, and are they more than they seem?

Manalive - It's been called the most Chestertonian of all his fiction. In this tail, a staid and boring London boarding house invaded by Innocent Smith, who seems to be a little out of his mind, but who certainly lives up to his Christian name. Imagine their surprise when they find that the sweet, baby-faced Smith has been accused of practically every crime in the book! Why was he seen shooting a gun at a professor hanging out of a window at Oxford university? Why did he invite a couple of parsons to break into a house with him? Why did he run off with a series of ladies named Miss White, Miss Black, Miss Brown, Miss Green, and Miss Gray? The 'slogan' of the book is one absolutely every Christian in this modern world should remember - "Break the conventions, keep the commandments!"

The Ball and the Cross - When a hotheaded Highland Catholic challenges and atehist English newspaperman to a duel for the honour of the Blessed Mother, the adventure is only just beginning. Pursued by the police by land and by sea, MacIan and Turnbull are determined to fight out their differences, by tongue and by sword. They run into an array of characters, who wish either to help or harm them. And what does all this have to do with a flying machine bearing a professor named Lucifer and a monk named Fr. Michael? Read it and find out!

The Flying Inn - Set in an Edwardian "future", this tale chronicles how the Muslims take over Great Britain and outlaw, among other things, the consumption of alcohol. All the inns and pubs in the land ar closed by the government. It is thus that Patrick Dalroy, an enthusiastic Irishman, and his innkeeping friend, Humphrey Pump, concieve the idea of "The Flying Inn". Armed with a barrel of rum, and wheel of cheese, and an inn sign, travel the country, fleeing the forces of the powerhungry Lord Ivywood, and discovering that there is more to the new governments agenda that religious acceptance.

******************************

Absolutely marvelous, every one of them.

However, if you're a fan of non-fiction, you may wish to start with soem of Chesterton's, whimsical, humourous, though-provoking forays into that realm. I never knew essays could be so entertaining before I met GK.

Here are the three I particularly reccomend:

******************************

Tremendous Trifles - Essays about everything, ranging from 'trifling' like running after one's hat, to the highest ideals like God's will for man. Everything under the sun. Wonderful.

On Lying in Bed and Other Essays - This one is actually an anthology of his work, not arranged by the man himself. Otherwise, ditto to the above.

Orthodoxy - This was my first Chesterton novel, which gave me a great appreciation of him, although it didn't get me hooked (The Man Who Was Thursday did that). This deals with two subjects. First it dispels the myth that orthodox, faithful Christianity is dull. Rather, says Chesterton, it is the most exciting and daring adventure known to man. He also discusses his own conversion expereince, and how he came to Christianity because it was such a paradox. Of course, in classic Chestertonian fashion, he rambles into other subjects too - Why mathematicians go mad and not poets, the ethics of elfland, and many others.

**************************

Of course, you can always opt for the shrotest Chesterton work of all but first, a word about it. You see, a newspaper was running a contest asking for people to write articles on what was wrong with the world, the best to be awarded a cash prize. Chesterton wrote a letter running thus:


Dear Sirs,

I am.

Sincerely yours,
G.K. Chesterton


Needless to say, he won.