What does it mean to be a "complete thinker"? It means being able to take on a wide variety of ideas and disciplines and put them all together in a way that they work together. It means thinking like G.K. Chesterton.
The English author G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) was one of the most prolific and well-known writers of his time, and one of the most widely quoted in our own. For newspapers and magazines, he wrote social commentary, literary criticism, and poetry with poignancy and wit. Creator of the beloved detective Father Brown, Chesterton also wrote novels and short stories.
"Thinking", wrote Chesterton, "means connecting things." His ideas are not only connected to each other, they are also connected to us, showing that the thought of Chesterton is timeless. In a world of increasing specialization, Chesterton connects us to the big picture by helping us see how the many and varied elements within our experience fit together. He sheds light on almost every subject and opens doors from one thing to another with dazzling clarity.
Drawing on literally hundreds of references from Chesterton's vast writings, Dale Ahlquist conducts a symphony, with Chesterton playing all the instruments in perfect harmony.
Chesterton's thoughts on almost everything-from east to west, from old to new, from politics to economics, from Shakespeare to Dickens-are woven together to create an illuminating whole.
Dale Ahlquist is president of the American Chesterton Society. Through his long running television series, The Apostle of Common Sense, as well as his books and lectures, he has helped bring about a great renewed interest in the works of G.K. Chesterton for contemporary readers. He has authored and contributed to several books on Chesterton, including Common Sense 101: Lessons from G.K. Chesterton, G.K. Chesterton: The Apostle of Common Sense, and In Defense of Sanity: The Best Essays of G.K. Chesterton.
"To write a book about Chesterton is a bold act since GKC's books render most commentary superfluous. But Dale Ahlquist has not only had the courage to make the attempt; he has the wit, the learning, and the grace to make his book worthwhile reading alongside the works of the master himself."
- Robert Royal, Faith & Reason Institute
"Dale Ahlquist is well known for his championing of the thought and writings of the great English writer and apologist G. K. Chesterton. In this book he has distilled years of reading and studying the writings of his hero. It will surely attract many new readers to Chesterton. Ahlquist himself has all the zeal of the convert and he will make many new converts with this trenchant study."
-Ian Ker, Author, G. K. Chesterton: A Biography
"Dale Ahlquist is a delightful student of Chesterton who has learned well from the Master. He combines Chesterton's amazing gift for being funny and profound, showing how everything from pork to pyrotechnics bears witness to the Maker of All in the great symphony of creation and redemption. Pure reading pleasure!"
- Mark P. Shea, Author, The Heart of Catholic Prayer
