Chesterton's witty spiritual autobiography, arguing his way from doubt to Christian orthodoxy through paradox and wonder. A cornerstone of modern apologetics.
Books mentioned in Orthodoxy (13)
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe: “another book always read in boyhood, "Robinson Crusoe," which I read about this time, and which owes its eternal vivacity to the fact that it celebrates the poetry of limits”
Heretics by G. K. Chesterton: “When some time ago I published a series of hasty but sincere papers, under the name of "Heretics," several critics for whose intellect I have a warm respect”
Henry V by William Shakespeare: “But being outside patriotism he is outside "Henry V."”
Sleeping Beauty: “There is the terrible allegory of the "Sleeping Beauty," which tells how the human creature was blessed with all birthday gifts, yet cursed with death”
Cinderella: “There is the lesson of "Cinderella," which is the same as that of the Magnificat-- EXALTAVIT HUMILES.”
Jack the Giant Killer: “There is the chivalrous lesson of "Jack the Giant Killer"; that giants should be killed because they are gigantic.”
Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont: “There is the great lesson of "Beauty and the Beast"; that a thing must be loved BEFORE it is loveable.”
Vie de Jeanne d'Arc by Anatole France: “It is called "Jeanne d'Arc," by Anatole France. I have only glanced at it, but a glance was enough to remind me of Renan's "Vie de Jesus."”
Vie de Jesus by Ernest Renan: “a glance was enough to remind me of Renan's "Vie de Jesus." It has the same strange method of the reverent sceptic.”
Doubts of the Instrument by H. G. Wells: “he has written a delicate piece of scepticism called "Doubts of the Instrument." In this he questions the brain itself”
The Loves of the Triangles: “Somebody wrote a work called "The Loves of the Triangles"; I never read it, but I am sure that if triangles ever were loved, they were loved for being triangular.”
Grimms' Fairy Tales by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm: “Any one can see it who will simply read "Grimm's Fairy Tales" or the fine collections of Mr. Andrew Lang.”