Knight of the Holy Ghost: A Short History of G. K. Chesterton

by Dale Ahlquist

Who was Gilbert Keith Chesterton? A rotund man in a cape brandishing a walking stick? Certainly. A twentieth-century writer? Prolifically. A great champion and defender of the Christian Faith? Gallantly. He is known too as the "prince of paradox" and an "apostle of common sense." Chesterton has lately been enjoying a resurgence in popularity. His name appears on blog posts and news articles alike. His name is spoken more often on college campuses, and schools around the United States are being named after him. Who was this engaging, witty, prophetic man? Allow Dale Ahlquist, the president of the American Chesterton Society, to introduce you to him. In a rollicking adventure quite Chestertonian in flavor, Ahlquist captains an expedition of discovery into who this GKC fellow is. He deftly and cleverly explores Chesterton as a man, as a writer, and as a potential saint. Those curious about Chesterton will have their initial questions answered. Those who might be dubious about Chesterton's reputation will be challenged to reconsider. Those who consider Chesterton an old friend will be delighted. All will be engaged by amusing anecdotes, plentiful quotations, and a thoughtful study of the life of G. K. Chesterton.

Genres: Biography, Religion, Philosophy

208 pages, Paperback

Published November 20, 2018

About the author

One of the most respected G.K. Chesterton scholars in the world, Dale Ahlquist is President of the American Chesterton Society, and publisher of its flagship publication, GILBERT. Dale is also the creator and host of the popular EWTN series The Apostle of Common Sense, and he is the author of three books on Chesterton including G.K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense, Common Sense 101: Lessons from G.K. Chesterton and The Complete Thinker. His books deliver Chestertonian perspectives on such topics as faith, education, love, and marriage, and unpack the wisdom of Chesterton to explain why modern man has lost his ability to think clearly. He has also edited eight books of Chesterton’s writings.

An internationally renowned speaker, Dale Ahlquist has given more than 600 lectures at men’s conferences, diocesan events, and prestigious institutions including Yale, Columbia, Cornell, Notre Dame, Oxford, the Vatican Forum in Rome, and the House of Lords in London.

Dale has been interviewed by the New York Times, First Things, Catholic News Agency, Catholic Herald (U.K.), BBC News and BBC Radio, Zenit, Breitbart, The Independent (U.K.), Ignatius Insight, Catholic Answers Live!, Relevant Radio, Catholic World Report, and EWTN Radio. He is a regular columnist for The Catholic Servant, and his articles have appeared in Chronicles, Crisis, Catholic Rural Life, Christian History, St. Austin’s Review, The Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature, The Great Books Reader, Christian Higher Education, Faith and Reason, Recusant History, Ave Maria Law Review, Envoy, and The Distributist Review.

Dale is also the co-founder of Chesterton Academy, a new high school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which has been rated one of the “Top 50 Catholic Schools” in the nation by the Cardinal Newman Society. His pioneering work in classical, integrated education has helped develop a curriculum that is capturing the minds of parents across the country.

In addition to talks about Chesterton (and the endless list of subjects on which he wrote), Dale is also available to lecture or comment on topics such as religious liberty, marriage, Catholic social teaching, health care, and education.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book- no necessarily a full biography but more of an illustration for the currant case for Chesterton's sainthood.

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent short introduction to Chesterton’s life and work. Certainly the best of its kind that I’ve come across. I hope to write a longer review soon.

[Jeff Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

A more compact biography of G.K. Chesterton that gives a good overview of his importance along with some of his writings. Certainly more compact than his other introduction on Chesterton "The Apostle of Commons Sense"

This book also seems to be more geared to answering questions concerning the current process of Chesterton being declared Venerable by the Church. So specific controversies are addressed.

[Ioana Barcan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had mixed feelings throughout this book...
- excited about details of who Chesterton was (e.g. I loved how he used to laugh at his own jokes... before even saying them),
- annoyed at how subjective the writer seemed, how he seemed to adore Chesterton. I even wondered how much of this is true and how much is seen through the lens of a way too zealous fan,
- happy to get a glimpse of Chesterton's life, but sad it only covered 1/3 of the book, already not very thick
- happy to get a glimpse of his novels but would have liked more of that, be it at the expense of his contribution to different periodicals.

I think the issue is I had greater expectations from this book... It did not provide very helpful information, but it did provide some. It did not make me more curious than before about Chesterton's writings, nor about his person, but didn't made me less curious either :). It was ok. And looking at it now, I see a lot of bookmarks, that's also a good sign :).

[Amy Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent short biography of the masterful, singular GK Chesterton, brimming with his famous wit as well as the author Dale Ahlquist’s own delightful insights. Here we are introduced to Chesterton as a convert from the despairing philosophies of his age, an unmatched writer, and quite literally (one hopes) a saint. This is a great book for anyone just embarking on a friendship with G.K. Chesterton as well as those who’ve known him for some time and just enjoy his marvelous company. Highly recommended!

[Jen Finke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous. Dragged a little in some spots. An excellent read for the beginner Chestertonian. Tons of quotables from both GKC and Alquist. Hilariously entertaining yet sobering look at this modern day saint.

[Ellen Finan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Superb! An amazing summary of Chesterton’s life and works. Remarkable use of contemporaneous sources. Full of delightful quotes and anecdotes. A strong case for his sainthood. If you have any interest or admiration for GKC, ypu should read this book.

[Melissa Grice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved learning more about the life of one of my favorite writers. I especially appreciated the sections about Chesterton’s newspaper work, since I have not read those pieces before. Alquist’s writing ability is not quite equal to his enthusiasm, but still a book I’d recommend.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful intro to GK Chesterton. Author weaves the story expertly and with wit, endearing the reader to Chesterton and wanting to know more about him.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want to get to know Chesterton, this is the perfect book to begin the process. An introduction to Chesterton that will make you want to know the man through his writings.

[Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t have enough background for most of the book.