Other editions of book The Autobiography of G.K. Chesterton

Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936) was an influential English writer of the early 20th century. His prolific and diverse output included journalism, philosophy, poetry, biography, Christian apologetics, fantasy, and detective fiction. Chesterton has been called the "prince of paradox. " He wrote in an off-hand, whimsical prose studded with startling formulations. He is one of the few Christian thinkers who are equally admired and quoted by both liberal and conservative Christians, and indeed by many non-Christians. And in his own words he cast aspersions on the labels saying, "The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected. " Chesterton wrote many books among which are: All Things Considered (1908), Alarms and Discursions (1910), The Ballad of the White Horse (1911), The Appetite of Tyranny (1915), The Everlasting Man (1925), The Secret of Father Brown (1927) and The Scandal of Father Brown (1935).

In Autobiography Chesterton describes his happy childhood, the intellectual 'doubts and morbidities' of his youth and his search for a true vocation. He includes many anecdotes about his literary friends, Henry James, George Bernard Shaw, and H G Wells. But it is his quest for religious conviction and his conversion to Catholicism that is central to his story which he tells with great modesty, gentleness and intelligence.