The Innocence of Father Brown

G. K. Chesterton

Cosimo, Inc., Nov 1, 2007 - Fiction - 196 pages

British writer GILBERT KEITH CHESTERTON (1874-1936) expounded prolifically about his wide-ranging philosophies-he is impossible to categorize as "liberal" or "conservative," for instance-across a wide variety of avenues: he was a literary critic, historian, playwright, novelist, columnist, and poet. His witty, humorous style earned him the title of the "prince of paradox," and his works-80 books and nearly 4,000 essays-remain among the most beloved in the English language Chesterton is best remembered, perhaps, as a spinner of mystery tales, and for his recurring character of the unlikely detective Father Brown, who debuted in this 1911 collection of stories. This volume includes: . "The Blue Cross" . "The Secret Garden" . "The Queen Feet" . "The Flying Stars" . "The Invisible Man" . "The Honour of Israel Gow" . "The Wrong Shape" . "The Sins of Prince Saradine" . "The Hammer of God" . "The Eye of Apollo" . "The Sign of the Broken Sword" . "The Three Tools of Death"

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - quondame - LibraryThing

The puzzles of the murders and thefts are rather nice, and the creation of Father Brown has it's delights though he's a bit too much. Flambeau, after his first two appearances is a complete dud ...

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - weird_O - LibraryThing

If you know Chesterton's Father Brown from the recent PBS series featuring Mark Williams, you may not recognize him in this story collection. [The Innocence of Father Brown] is Chesterton's first ...

Contents

• The Blue Cross: 7
• The Secret Garden: 24
• The Queer Feet: 41
• The Flying Stars: 58
• The Honour of Israel Gow: 85
• TheWrongShape: 98
• The Sins of Prince Saradine: 114
• The Hammer of God: 131
• The Eye of Apollo: 146
• The Sign of the Broken Sword: 160
• The Three Tools of Death: 176

Popular passages

Page 22 - Well,' went on Father Brown, with lumbering lucidity, 'as you wouldn't leave any tracks for the police, of course somebody had to. At every place we went to, I took care to do something that would get us talked about for the rest of the day. I didn't do much harm — a splashed wall, spilt apples, a broken window; but I saved the cross, as the cross will always be saved. It is at Westminster by now. I rather wonder you didn't stop it with the Donkey's Whistle.

Page 9 - Valentin kept his eye open for someone else; he looked out steadily for anyone, rich or poor, male or female, who was well up to six feet; for Flambeau was four inches above it. He alighted at Liverpool Street, however, quite conscientiously secure that he had not missed the criminal so far. He then went to Scotland Yard to regularize his position and arrange for help in case of need; he then lit another cigarette and went for a long stroll in the streets of London. As he was walking in the streets...

Page 9 - Yard to regularise his position and arrange for help in case of need; he then lit another cigarette and went for a long stroll in the streets of London. As he was walking in the streets and squares beyond Victoria, he paused suddenly and stood. It was a quaint, quiet square, very typical of London, full of an accidental stillness. The tall, flat houses round looked at once prosperous and uninhabited; the square of shrubbery in the centre looked as deserted as a green Pacific islet.

About the author

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born in London, England, in 1874. He began his education at St Paul's School, and later went on to study art at the Slade School, and literature at University College in London. Chesterton wrote a great deal of poetry, as well as works of social and literary criticism. Among his most notable books are The Man Who Was Thursday, a metaphysical thriller, and The Everlasting Man, a history of humankind's spiritual progress. After Chesterton converted to Catholicism in 1922, he wrote mainly on religious topics. Chesterton is most known for creating the famous priest-detective character Father Brown, who first appeared in "The Innocence of Father Brown." Chesterton died in 1936 at the age of 62.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Innocence of Father Brown
• Author: G. K. Chesterton
• Edition: reprint
• Publisher: Cosimo, Inc., 2007
• ISBN: 1602068984, 9781602068988
• Length: 196 pages
• Subjects: Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Collections & Anthologies; Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General