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Fancies Versus Fads
A Collection of 31 essays from G.K. Chesterton.
"I have strung these things together on a slight enough thread; but as the things themselves are slight, it is possible that the thread (and the metaphor) may manage to hang together. These notes range over very variegated topics and in many cases were made at very different times. They concern all sorts of things from lady barristers to cave-men, and from psycho-analysis to free verse. Yet they have this amount of unity in their wandering, that they all imply that it is only a more traditional spirit that is truly able to wander." (From the Introduction)
"I have strung these things together on a slight enough thread; but as the things themselves are slight, it is possible that the thread (and the metaphor) may manage to hang together. These notes range over very variegated topics and in many cases were made at very different times. They concern all sorts of things from lady barristers to cave-men, and from psycho-analysis to free verse. Yet they have this amount of unity in their wandering, that they all imply that it is only a more traditional spirit that is truly able to wander." (From the Introduction)
- GenresEssaysCatholicNonfiction
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1923
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About the author
G.K. Chesterton
4,654 books5,779 followersGilbert 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 16, 2022
A collection of essays on, as he observes up front, various subject. Not very fanciful, a number of them -- the legal question of how the protection of the community allows for massive injustice is obviously deadly serious. One discussing the reaction to an essay he wrote about youngsters who refer to their fathers as "old bean." Dramatic unities. The lack of danger of toy bow and arrows. And more.
July 19, 2024
Great book, I listened to the audiobook version on YouTube. I will leave the link below so that everyone can enjoy it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jbv1...
April 3, 2022
A fun collection focused on social issues, trends, and ideologies. Though compiled almost a century ago, a good number of the opinions and observations expressed are applicable to twenty-first century phenomena. Though there were several points at which I disagreed with Chesterton, his arguments did encourage me to re-evaluate the reasons for my disagreement and seriously consider the reverse view.
Favorite essay: "The Terror of a Toy"
Favorite essay: "The Terror of a Toy"
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews