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Product Description
Product Description
Immortalized in these famous stories, G.K. Chesterton's endearing amateur sleuth has entertained countless generations of readers. For, as his admirers know, Father Brown's cherubic face and unworldly simplicity, his glasses and his huge umbrella, disguise a quite uncanny understanding of the criminal mind at work.
About the Author
G.K. Chesteron was born in 1874, and educated at St Paul’s School, where, despite his efforts to achieve honourable oblivion at the bottom of his class, he was singled out as a boy with distinct literary promise. He decided to follow art as a career, and studied at the Slade School, where, while ‘attending or not attending to his studies’, he met Ernest Hodder-Williams, who encouraged Chesterton in his writing. At his request he reviewed a number of books for the Bookman and found himself launched on a profession he was to follow all his life. Probably his most famous stories are those of ‘Father Brown’, but he wrote much about every conceivable subject under or beyond the sun. The best accounts of his life are to be found in his own Autobiography, published soon after his death in 1936, and in Miss Maisie Ward’s Life of him. Many of his books have been published by Penguin.
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First Sentence
"BETWEEN the silver ribbon of morning and the green glittering ribbon of sea, the boat touched Harwich and let loose a swarm of folk like flies, among whom the man we must follow was by no means conspicuous-nor wished to be." Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
"BETWEEN the silver ribbon of morning and the green glittering ribbon of sea, the boat touched Harwich and let loose a swarm of folk like flies, among whom the man we must follow was by no means conspicuous-nor wished to be." Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I would advise anyone considering buying this book to ignore the comments from our Japanese friend. Chesterton was a Christian and was not ashamed of it - it shows distinctly in his work - but it certainly doesn't detract from the stories, which are of the highest calibre with some of the classic solutions to "impossible" crime puzzles (The Invisible Man, et al). Knowing Chesterton's Christian slant, if you like, will not help you to solve some of the most baffling plots in all of detective fiction, I can assure you. Guessing one or two of the culprits doesn't constitute 'solving the mystery', and the Father Brown stories are so much more than just "whodunnits".
Delightful writing, superb characterisation and ingenuity you will not get from many modern day authors, if any. A fine collection that should be on the shelf of anyone with an interest in the genre.
First rate.
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
OK, turn of the century lit may not be everybody's cuppa...but if you enjoy Agatha Christie or other genteel murder then this is definately for you. The main character being a priest with a true understanding of the human condition gives these stories added depth lacking in most books in this genre. I couldn't put it down! If you enjoy his style of writing try some of his short stories or poems - you'll not be disappointed!
14 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book compiles some short detective stories, with an unlikely protagonist, a priest. Father Brown is a rather quiet main character, unpretentious but remarkably assured. He uses logic in order to solve his cases, and he makes abundant use of good judgment and sound sense. Father Brown has an unique "worldly shrewdness", that probably stems from the fact that he spends many hours each day listening to the sins of other people. As a result, he is more or less acquainted with the bad side of human beings.
Father Brown is considered by many "the second most famous mystery-solver in English literature", the first being Sherlock Holmes. To tell the truth, I prefer Father Brown to Sherlock Holmes: he might not be as showy as Conan Doyle's character, but he is far more likeable, and his stories seem more likely to be real. Moreover, Chesterton's Father Brown doesn't just chase criminals, he allows the reader to learn about some interesting themes that were important when these stories were first published, but that also are important now, for example the relationship between faith and reason. He manages to that because he doesn't merely want to "catch the criminal", he also endeavors to understand human nature, and the reasons why a criminal becomes one.
Father Brown is considered by many "the second most famous mystery-solver in English literature", the first being Sherlock Holmes. To tell the truth, I prefer Father Brown to Sherlock Holmes: he might not be as showy as Conan Doyle's character, but he is far more likeable, and his stories seem more likely to be real. Moreover, Chesterton's Father Brown doesn't just chase criminals, he allows the reader to learn about some interesting themes that were important when these stories were first published, but that also are important now, for example the relationship between faith and reason. He manages to that because he doesn't merely want to "catch the criminal", he also endeavors to understand human nature, and the reasons why a criminal becomes one.
The author of these mystery stories was Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874-1936), a renowned English writer who wrote them between 1911 and 1936. His stories are as popular now as they were then, mainly to to the fact that Chesterton's style is compelling and refreshing, eminently readable and witty. Thus, these stories appeal not only to those who want to read a good book written in an exceptionally good english, but also to those who want to do exactly that without having to exhert themselves.
On the whole, I think this collection of short stories is worth buying and reading, not only once but many times. I highly enjoyed it, and I strongly recommend it to you :)
Belen Alcat
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Revisited - a mistake
I read Father Brown when young and thought I would revisit the complete set. It was a mistake. Looking at some reviews I wonder if we have been reading the same material; the... Read more
Published 3 months ago by paulk
A collection of gems
Every single story in this collection is a little work of art, with superb characterization, ingenious plots, and lovely dialogue and language. Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2007 by Didier
All his wisdom
Most book detectives are either professional, or they don't have jobs and do detective work in their spare time. G.K. Read more
Published on 21 Feb 2007 by E. A Solinas
a smashing read.
i have already read this book once,and im reading it a second time ..pride of place on my bookshelf goes to this omnibus,and i would say to anybody who likes a good read,buy it... Read more
Published on 30 Nov 2001
What rubbish!
Probably the worst ever series of detective stories. To solve every mystery, you only need to remember that people who are of the Roman Catholic faith cannot possibly be guilty,... Read more
Published on 18 Aug 2001
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