Comment by jawns

11 years ago

Wow! I didn't expect to see something from Chesterton.org on the front page of Hacker News.

For those of you who are unfamiliar:

http://www.chesterton.org/who-is-this-guy/

A bunch of G.K. Chesterton's books -- novels and nonfiction -- are in the public domain and can be downloaded at:

http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/80

6 comments

jawns

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1123581321  11 years ago

I have many favorite Chesterton quotes and could recommend at least half of what he's written, but this is probably my favorite because it is completely inverse to how we treat ourselves and the people and places around us.

Let us suppose we are confronted with a desperate thing-- say Pimlico. If we think what is really best for Pimlico we shall find the thread of thought leads to the throne or the mystic and the arbitrary. It is not enough for a man to disapprove of Pimlico: in that case he will merely cut his throat or move to Chelsea. Nor, certainly, is it enough for a man to approve of Pimlico: for then it will remain Pimlico, which would be awful. The only way out of it seems to be for somebody to love Pimlico: to love it with a transcendental tie and without any earthly reason. If there arose a man who loved Pimlico, then Pimlico would rise into ivory towers and golden pinnacles; Pimlico would attire herself as a woman does when she is loved. For decoration is not given to hide horrible things: but to decorate things already adorable. A mother does not give her child a blue bow because he is so ugly without it. A lover does not give a girl a necklace to hide her neck. If men loved Pimlico as mothers love children, arbitrarily, because it is THEIRS, Pimlico in a year or two might be fairer than Florence. Some readers will say that this is a mere fantasy. I answer that this is the actual history of mankind. This, as a fact, is how cities did grow great. Go back to the darkest roots of civilization and you will find them knotted round some sacred stone or encircling some sacred well. People first paid honour to a spot and afterwards gained glory for it. Men did not love Rome because she was great. She was great because they had loved her.

dang  11 years ago

If we're going to talk Chesterton, The Man Who Was Thursday is tremendous fun, though I can't recommend it without an ethical dilemma nor say what the dilemma is without spoiling the whole thing.

What's the best Father Brown mystery? I've been meaning to try one for years.

  • midnightmonster  11 years ago

    I'm very curious to know what your ethical dilemma is. I've read the man who was Thursday a couple times, and I'm having a hard time thinking what you might find objectionable about it that isn't giving away pretty early in the story or "spoiled" by a passing familiarity with Chesterton.

    I don't see suitable contact info in your profile, but if you have a minute I'd be glad to receive an email via the address in mine.

    • dang  11 years ago

      Ok, I put it here: http://pastebin.com/1rGPcjZ4. Anyone who is curious and doesn't care about having a great plot spoiled can take a look. Anyone who does, keep out! It really is one of the most audacious plots ever.

      Re contact info, anyone who wants to contact me is welcome to email hn@ycombinator.com. Suitability is the least of our worries. If it's a personal conversation I'll just redirect to a personal address.

  • midnightmonster  11 years ago

    The father brown mysteries are (afaik) all short stories, now available in collections. Blue Cross is excellent and also introduces two characters besides father brown who have arcs over some of the other stories.

    Try also The Trees of Pride, which isn't a fr brown mystery but is quite a good mystery.