Product Description

Dale Ahlquist, the President of the American Chesterton Society, and author of G. K Chesterton -The Apostle of Common Sense, presents a book of wonderful insights on how to "look at the whole world through the eyes of Chesterton". Since, as he says, "Chesterton wrote about everything", there is an ocean of his material to benefit from GKC's insights on a kaleidoscope of many important topics. Chesterton wrote a hundred books on a variety of themes, thousands of essays for London newspapers, penned epic poetry, delighted in detective fiction, drew illustrations, and made everyone laugh by his keen humor. Everyone who knew Chesterton loved him, even those he debated with. His unique writing style that combines philosophy, spirituality, history, humor, and paradox have made him one of the most widely read authors of modern times. As Ahlquist shows in his engaging volume, this most quoted writer of the 20th century has much to share with us on topics covering politics, art, education, wonder, marriage, fads, poetry, faith, charity and much more.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37812 in Books
• Published on: 2006-03-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 316 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781586171391
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From Booklist
C. S. Lewis is almost certainly the most popular twentieth-century Christian apologist--almost because he is very closely rivaled, if not surpassed, by G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936), the English writer of all kinds of prose and verse who was the most beloved public speaker and debater of his time, adored as much by his famous sparring partners G. B. Shaw and H. G. Wells as by anyone who agreed with him. In 21 quotation-laden chapters, Ahlquist, president of the American Chesterton Society, presents Chesterton's Christianity. The most famous convert to Catholicism of his time, Chesterton stressed the permanency of the faith and its rootedness in common sense, by which he meant the ordinary human considerations conducive to family and community fellowship. Humility and humor, as much as wisdom and logic, and a candid, conversational manner suffuse his writing, and at least the manner has rubbed off on Ahlquist, thereby ensuring that this is one of the most enjoyable works of Christian "propaganda" you will ever read. Ray Olson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
"Ahlquist proves that Chesteron's commentaries and views on the continuing dehumanization of man, the so-called social sciences, the totalitarian ideologies and the intellectual fashions of his day continue to be relevant in our own age."
-George J. Marlin, Editor, Collected Works of Chesterton

About the Author
THE AUTHOR Dale Ahlquist is the President of the American Chesterton Society. He has also hosted three 13-part television series on the life and writings of the prolific Chesterton. He speaks often around the country on the great man and his works, and is the author of the best-selling book, G.K Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense.

Customer Reviews

A great introduction to Chesterton
Only downside to this book is you'll fill it up with slips of paper to mark pages you want to show others. This was so good, I'm buying Ahlquist's "G. K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense" next.

Update: This book has become my standard gift. Bought four copies so far and the feedback has been terrific. Somewhat suprised that all Catholics have not been exposed to Chesterton. This week a friend of my parents ,a devout (attends Mass weekly at least) southern Italian Catholic who was in the hospital, said of the gift "You've opened a whole new door for me."

What she liked about Chesterton, she said, is he told her what she already knew, but in a clear, inspirational way.

Do believe if I gave Orthodoxy as a gift, it might be put on the shelf. Common Sense 101 is deep but a light. flowing read. I know those who read 101 will get Orthodoxy on their own. One lady, after finishing 101, subscribed to GK.

The finest introduction to one of the finest thinkers...
"This is not a book about Chesterton," Ahlquist writes. "It is a book about everything else from a Chestertonian perspective. It is an attempt to get inside of him and inhabit him like a large house so that we can see the world through the windows he provides. . . Chesterton wrote about everything. An ocean of words poured out of his pen. . . It is deep, it is dangerous, it is delightful, it is refreshing, it is full of suprises, it is full of life" (9-10).

Dangerous and delightful indeed. In this unusually written but suprisingly well executed book, we see the genius of Chesterton at work on nearly every level. From poetry to capitalism to catholicism Alhquist extracts and applies the Chestertonian "essence" almost as if he were the man himself. He does this through substantial (but not overbearing) excerpts from Chesterton's volumous writing and careful commentary.

Alhquist seemingly pulls off the impossible: He offers a comprehensive introduction to Chesterton, includes enough direct excerpts from Chesterton's writing to effectively convey his wit and stytle, manages to apply his thinking to the present era, and does it all in under 300 pages. A remarkable feat.

Whether you come to Chesterton from his Father Brown fiction or from 'Orthodoxy' there is something for everyone here. I was repeatedly suprised by his timeless wisdom and grace. Of the half-dozen books I've read about Chesterton, Ahlquist's is the most well-rounded and interesting.

Highly recommended.

Outstanding.
If there is anyone one the planet qualified to write this book, it is Dale Ahlquist. I have never had the privilege of reading, or seeing on TV, anyone more deeply rooted in Chesterton's thought than Ahlquist. As this book is essentially "Chesterton Updated," Ahlquist is certainly the man to do it. If the academy were not in free fall due to political correctness and liberalism, Ahlquist would be a respected and tenured Chesterton scholar tasked with teaching students Chesterton's works.

What Ahlquist has done here is remarkable. He was taken Chesterton's thoughts, and often his words verbatim, and put them together in one volume that is cohesive and addresses our age. It is an easy, but riveting, read that hooked me right from the beginning. If you are a serious Catholic, rest assured, any thought you have EVER HAD, is likely not original. Chesterton already had it; eighty years ago. He is prophetic, correct, and intimidating. After reading Chesterton you would not be alone if you concluded that no further apologetics for the faith were necessary. If people of good will read Chesterton, they will become Chestertonian Catholics.

This is a great introduction to Chesterton's thought. If one is interested in reading Chesterton, I would start with this book, and Ahlquist's "Apostle of Common Sense." Then, I would dig headlong into the master himself.