G K Chesterton help

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JoyToTheWhirled

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I am a big fan of CS Lewis. His clear persuasive writing has kept me on the straight and narrow more than once.
I’ve read a number of excerpts from Chesterton and found him compelling. I think in time he could become as dear to me as Lewis as I am very fond of his skill in truth.

There’s a ‘but’ coming 🙂

…but I find him incredibly hard to read and get a handle on, so densely does he argue. If you are a fan of Chesterton, can you recommend something to start with? Things to bear in mind when reading. I really want to dig down and mine the jewels I have glimpsed in his work. I just need pointing in the right direction. Many thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
 
As the other poster here said, I start with Orthodoxy. I have it, and it’s very good book. It’s amazing how much of it still rings true today.
 
Agree with Orthodoxy suggestion. Logically this book was a response to criticism of his book Heretics (“You say what you’re against. But what are you for?”) But it did seem easier to read affirmations of Orthodoxy rather than the criticisms of Heretics.

You may wish to only read a couple of pages at a time, GKC could say more in a sentence than many could say in a page. When I read Everlasting Man, I would read 2 or 3 pages, but then reread them next time before reading 2 or 3 new pages, and so on. I would catch so much more in the second reading.
 
You can always start with Father Brown, and then work your way up to the meat and potatoes… Small bites are helpful when dealing with dense material! 😛
 
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I’ll join the Orthodoxy crowd. But with Chesterton I often find myself backing up to really appreciate what he wrote. I also find he is one of the few authors I really want to reread. And when I do I get something new out of it.

By the way if you like audiobooks that is also an option. I actually prefer them. And many of Chesterton’s writings are available as free audiobooks if you are so inclined. These aren’t professional qualify but the price is right. And really for me they are just as good.
 
I would also reccommend Orthodoxy, but perhaps you may wish to try some of his fiction, such as the Father Brown stories, or some of his collection of newspaper essays, such as Tremendous Trifles.

Also, I have a blog dedicated to GKC, filled with passages from his writings (with over a thousand posts, so there is plenty of material)

http://www.gk-chesterton.org
 
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