The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton Volume 03: Where All Roads Lead; The Catholic Church and Conversion; The Thing; Why I am a Catholic; The Well and the Shallows; The Way of the Cross.

by G.K. Chesterton, George Marlin (Editor), James J. Thompson (Introduction)

A collection of five powerful essays by Chesterton in defense of Catholicism and the Catholic Church. Unique because most of his writings do not deal specifically with religion or the Catholic Church. However, here he directly addresses the teachings of the Church and objections to them. It also includes his inspiring and moving commentary on the Stations of the Cross, along with the drawings of the stations he used for his meditations. Another essay explains why he converted to Catholicism. As with all of his writings, these are just as germane today as they were in his time. Today's reader can revel in the same delight GKC's contemporaries felt, for he always presented the Church's best face to an antagonistic and indifferent world. The introduction and footnotes are written by another convert and author, James J. Thompson, Jr.

Genres: Philosophy, Theology, Religion, Classics, Catholic, Christian, Biography

600 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1990

About the author

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.

He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.

Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.

Reviews

[Kristin Schmucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chesterton has a way with words that makes you re-read paragraphs. I enjoyed the little insights into his personal story.

[Antonio · Rating 5 out of 5]

There would be so much to write about Chesterton. I know that George Orwell did not like GKC. But he Chesterton is one writer who changed many things for me. Orthodoxy did to me what C.S. Lewis' essays did: pushed me off my ignorant arrogance about many things religious.

[Peter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whether you are a person of faith or consider yourself a critical humanist, read Chesterton. In this volume I only read "Why I am Catholic", and the longer "The Thing: Why I am Catholic." Chesterton's ability to draw in a wide range of topics, ideas, and authors is unbelievable. He certainly makes you question the framework upon which we have been instructed to question the Catholic Church and importance of faith in general. He is not always easy to read, and at points, I think he has so much in his head, that when he wrote it just came gushing out, so a little more order would be appreciated. This is one of the times I wish I outlined the essays, or at least written short summations, so much interesting was rushing past me. What you get from Chesterton is a great ability to critically question the world we inhabit today, allowing you to poke through the thin vale of modernity, which contrary to what we are taught, clouds our vision and limits our perceptions.

[Paul Parkinson]

Wish I could have read it all. Really like his humility

[Kmfp]

THis is my 2nd time round with this one. It is a great re-read. Chesterton was brilliant, and witty, too. A favourite quote: "What we call the intellectual world is divided into two types of people - those who worship the intellect and those who use it. There are exceptions; but, broadly speaking, they are never the same people. Those who use the intellect never worship it; they know too much about it. Those who worship the intellect never use it; as you can see by the things they say about it."

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this "collected works" book specifically to get Chesterton's apologetic re: his Catholic conversion. I was not disappointed. He deals with clarity with the common misconceptions of his day re: Catholicism ... and these apply to criticisms that are common today. As a Protestant, I really appreciated his clear dealing with the historical truths of the ancient Christian Church, which was Catholic.