The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare (Transaction Large Print) [Large Print] (Hardcover)

+

+

Price For All Three: £44.08

Some of these items ship sooner than the others. Show details

• This item: The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare (Transaction Large Print) by G.K. Chesterton

  Temporarily out of stock.
  Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
  Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
  This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
  

• Orthodoxy (Hendrickson Christian Classics) by G.K. Chesterton

  In stock.
  Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
  This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
  

• The Everlasting Man (Dover Books on Western Philosophy) by G.K. Chesterton

  In stock.
  Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk.
  This item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
  

Orthodoxy (Hendrickson Christian Classics) by G.K. Chesterton 4.8 out of 5 stars (12)  £6.64

The Man Who Knew Too Much by G.K. Chesterton 5.0 out of 5 stars (1)  £5.99

The Penguin Complete Father Brown: The Enthralling Adventures of Fiction's Best-loved Amateur Sleuth by G K Chesterton 4.3 out of 5 stars (7)  £10.49

The Everlasting Man (Dover Books on Western Philosophy) by G.K. Chesterton 4.5 out of 5 stars (6)  £7.49

The Complete Father Brown Stories by G.K. Chesterton 4.8 out of 5 stars (4)  £1.99

› Explore similar items

Product Description
The seven members of the Central Anarchist Council call themselves by the names of the days of the week. But events soon cast a doubt upon their real identities, for Thursday is not the passionate young poet he appears to be, but a Scotland Yard detective. Who and what are the others?

About the Author
GK Chesterton was born in London in 1874 and educated at St Paul's School, before studying art at the Slade School. In 1896, he began working for the London publisher, Redway, and also T. Fisher Unwin as a reader where he remained until 1902. During this time he undertook his first freelance journalistic assignments writing art and literary reviews. He also contributed regular columns to two newspapers: the Speaker (along with his friend Hilaire Belloc) and the Daily News. Throughout his life he contibuted further articles to journals, particularly The Bookman and The Illustrated London News. His first two books were published; two poetry collections, in 1900. These were followed by collections of essays and in 1903 by his most substantial work to that point; a study of Robert Browning. Chesterton's first novel, 'The Napoleon of Notting Hill' was published in 1904. In this book he developed his political attitudes in which he attacked socialism, big business and technology and showed how they become the enemies of freedom and justice. These were themes which were to run throughout his other works. 'The Man who was Thursday' was published in 1908 and is perhaps the novel most difficult to understand, although it is also his most popular. 'The Ball and the Cross' followed in 1910 and 'Manalive' in 1912. Chesterton's best-known fictional character appears in the Father Brown stories, the first of the collection, 'The Innocence of Father Brown', being published in 1911. Brown is a modest Catholic priest who uses careful psychology to put himself in the place of the criminal in order to solve the crime. His output was prolific, with a great variety of books from brilliant studies of Dickens, Shaw, and RL Stevenson to literary criticism. He also produced more poetry and many volumes of political, social and religious essays. Tremendous zest and energy, with a mastery of paradox, puns, a robust humour and forthright devotion along with great intelligence characterise his entire output. In the years prior to 1914 his fame was at its height, being something of a celebrity and seen as a latter day Dr Johnson as he frequented the pubs and offices of Fleet Street. His huge figure was encased in a cloak and wide brimmed hat, with pockets full of papers and proofs. Chesterton came from a nominlly Anglican family and had been baptized into the Church of England. However, he had no particular Christian belief and was in fact agnostic for a time. Nevertheless, in his late --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

First Sentence
The suburb of Saffron Park lay on the sunset side of London, as red and ragged as a cloud of sunset. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover

Search inside this book:

7 Reviews 5 star:  (6) 4 star:  (1) 3 star:    (0) 2 star:    (0) 1 star:    (0)           Average Customer Review 4.9 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)		Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Most Helpful Customer Reviews   17 of 17 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars On Thursday..., 1 Mar 2006 By  E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 10 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)    This review is from: The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare (Twentieth Century Classics) (Paperback) For a book that's as short as this one, "The Man Who Was Thursday" is pretty packed. G.K. Chesterton's classic novella tackles anarchy, social order, God, peace, war, religion, human nature, and a few dozen other weight concepts. And somehow he manages to mash it all together into a delightful satire, full of tongue-in-cheek commentary that is still relevant today. As the book opens, Gabriel Symes is debating with a soapbox anarchist. The two men impress each other enough that the anarchist introduces Symes to a seven-man council of anarchists, all named after days of the week. In short order, they elect Symes their newest member -- Thursday. But they don't know that he's also been recruited by an anti-anarchy organization. And soon Symes finds out that he's not the only person on the council who is not what he seems. There are other spies and double-agents, working for the same cause. But who -- and what -- is the jovial, powerful Mr. Sunday, the head of the organization? Hot air balloons, elaborate disguises, duels and police chases -- Chesterton certainly knew how to keep this novel interesting. Though written almost a century ago, "The Man Who Was Thursday" still feels very fresh. That's partly because of Chesterton's cheery writing... and partly because it's such an intelligent book. He doesn't avoid some timeless topics that make some people squirm. Humanity (good and bad), anarchy, religion and its place in human nature, and creation versus destruction all get tackled here -- disguised as a comic police investigation. And unlike most satires, it isn't dated; the topics are reflections of humanity and religion, so they're as relevant now as they were in 1908. But the story isn't pedantic or boring; Chesterton keeps things lively by having his characters act like real people, rather than mouthpieces. From Symes to the Colonel to the mysterious Sunday himself, they all have a sort of friendly, energetic quality. "We're all spies! Come and have a drink!" one of the characters announces cheerfully near the end. And of course, once the madcap police investigations are finished, there's still a mystery. Who is Sunday? What are his goals? And for that matter, WHAT is Sunday -- genius, force of nature, villain or god? The answer is a bit of a surprise, and as a reflection of Chesterton's beliefs, it's a delicate, intelligent piece of work. "The Man Who Was Thursday" is a wacky little satire that will both amuse and educate you. Not bad for a book often subtitled "A Nightmare." Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   19 of 20 people found the following review helpful: 5.0 out of 5 stars The wild joy of being Thursday, 1 May 2006 By  Mr B (Devon) - See all my reviews This review is from: The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare (Twentieth Century Classics) (Paperback) Witty, wonderfully written and endlessly surprising, The Man who was Thursday is a novel which defies categories. It is hard to believe it was first published a whole century ago and that its protagonists scamper about in tails and top hats 'like black chimney pots'. On one level, it is a breathless thriller worthy of 007 - featuring a descent into an international terrorist organization headquarters, a baffling game of subterfuge between spies and a high speed chase through central London after an elephant and a hot air balloon. On another, it is a profound meditation on the nature of identity and the theological problem of evil. Entertainment and such weighty themes make strange bedfellows indeed, but here it is as if they tear off the sheets and indulge in a 100-page pillow fight so much fun is had by their combination. Chesterton acts as a winking master of revels throughout, orchestrating the chaos in his inimitable style while scattering bon mots and charming comparisons with abandon. One of my personal all time favourites, 'the wild joy of being Thursday' is an experience I will return to again and again. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)   11 of 12 people found the following review helpful: 4.0 out of 5 stars Edwardian London through a multi-coloured lens!, 21 Oct 2002 By A Customer This review is from: The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare (Twentieth Century Classics) (Paperback) Renowned for his Father Brown stories, GK Chesterton has created a small but perfectly formed classic nightmare-novel.Strange colours and landscapes form around a group of anarchists named after days of the week. The dreamlike quality is enriched by the familiar but almost otherwordly locations,london streets and parks, a winter's night by the Thames, frantic chases accross Northern France and the strange energy of the characters. At once a realistic fairy tale or a fantastical account of a dream this short story is one to enjoy and immerse yourself in. Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this) Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review › See all 7 customer reviews...		Most Recent Customer Reviews 5.0 out of 5 stars A world of doubt and despair In a surreal turn-of-the-century London, Gabriel Syme, a poet, is recruited to a secret anti-anarchist taskforce at Scotland Yard. Read more Published 20 months ago by Philippe Horak 5.0 out of 5 stars You won't put it down! In this short text, Chesterton shows himself to be a master of a wide variety of styles - the genres of thriller, humour, fantasy, horror and philosophy are only some of those... Read more Published on 6 May 2004 by B. Tovey 5.0 out of 5 stars This one will grow on you. Many, reading "The Man Who Was Thursday" for the first time, find themselves baffled and put-off at the end. Read more Published on 5 Aug 1999 5.0 out of 5 stars From intense upwards An amazing piece of literature. Truly the most amazing mystery I have ever read, incorporating drama, suspense, sarcasm and theology in a brilliant story that entertains and... Read more Published on 5 April 1998 Search Customer Reviews Only search this product's reviews › See all 7 customer reviews...

Fast sellers, bestsellers and classics in the making: A list by NataliaBr "NataliaBr"   Russian literature.: A list by the great amphibian "Ruthenphelphs"   Books to read when you are young: A list by Belmiro Vilela Create a Listmania! list

Search Listmania!

• Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Authors, A-Z > C > Chesterton, G.K.
• Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Mystery
• Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Police Procedurals
• Books > Crime, Thrillers & Mystery > Thrillers
• Books > Fiction > Genre > Metaphysical
• Books > Poetry, Drama & Criticism > History & Criticism

• Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
• I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
• I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.