A Pure Joy

This was a magnificent account of origins, cultures, customs and religions, which all served to prove the incompatible and necessary nature of the truth of Christianity and the unlikely extent of its influence and survival. The reader made me imagine Chesterton himself was reading it. Brilliant choice.

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Chesterton at his best

Really enjoyed listening to book. Some innovative ideas to think about. Worth listening. Would recommend.

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Everlasting to Everlasting

A lot of this did not go in but plenty did:
Isn’t this interesting .. Here is GK Chesterton referring to people saying “They write wild and pointless articles and letters in the press about why the churches are empty, without even going there to find out if they are empty, or which of them are empty”.
This book is very surprising, it is more than 100 yrs old yet along with some very intellectual stuff, he also addresses many societal problems that are all around us today.
Here is a portion so applicable to today also: “They call a Parliament of Religions as a reunion of all the peoples; but it is only a reunion of all the prigs. Yet exactly such a pantheon had been set up two thousand years before by the shores of the Mediterranean; and Christians were invited to set up the image of Jesus side by side with the image of Jupiter, of Mithras, of Osiris, of Atys, or of Ammon. It was the refusal of the Christians that was the turning-point of history. If the Christians had accepted, they and the whole world would have certainly, in a grotesque but exact metaphor, gone to pot. They would all have been boiled down to one lukewarm liquid in that great pot of cosmopolitan corruption in which all the other myths and mysteries were already melting. It was an awful and an appalling escape. Nobody understands the nature of the Church, or the ringing note of the creed descending from antiquity, who does not realise that the whole world once very nearly died of broadmindedness and the brotherhood of all religions.”

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Sheer brilliance

I've always enjoyed Chesterton's poetic genius and his bird's eye view perspective on just about everything he puts his mind to. The Everlasting Man is certainly one of his masterpieces. Not only that, it is incredibly relevant for the current modern way the world is going.

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A triumph!

Chesterton was one of the sanest men who ever lived, as well as being one of the wittiest and most lovable. This is arguably his greatest nonfictional work, a sustained historical essay in Christian apologetics. Don’t let that put you off! Although the language and sentiments are dated at times (the book is, after all, just about a hundred years old), once you get used to GKC’s hilarious and intentionally paradoxical style you will be completely bowled over by his sheer - well, relevance, appropriateness, sanity! Chesterton was, after all, also a great novelist, speaker and debater against the likes of George Bernard Shaw and H.G. Wells. And in this reading by John Franklyn-Robbins Chesterton has found his perfect narrator. An absolutely brilliant reading, by someone who obviously enjoys and sympathises with his subject. Oh, do buy it. And listen all the way through, perhaps even reading along. GKC’s works can be bought easily and cheaply. Stunning, wonderful!

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A challenging listen

Excellent narration. Fits the subject matter, which is profound , yet with a light touch.

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2 people found this helpful

Fantastic book

Fantastically , very informative , so very relevant now, even now here in our 2021

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A journey thorough human history

Interesting subject matter. Bit difficult to understand at times. The rewind button comes in handy.

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God

Yes. Especially liked the thoughts on prehistoric man, gave me a new insight which seems to be a lot more sensible than the myth we have now.

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