The mind that finds...

"The mind that finds its way to wild places is the poet's; but the mind that never finds its way back is the lunatic's."
- G.K. Chesterton, What's Wrong with the World

Written 107 years ago, Chesterton's 'What's Wrong with the World' is dated on several topics, primarily regarding women. But even if it wasn't dated, that wouldn't change the essentials of why I am always simultaneously thrilled and frustrated by G.K. Chesterton. I may not agree with what he says, but I always adore how he says it. In that way he is like another English writer Christopher Hitchens. I would read Hitchens and practically yell and the book in parts, but God how I loved the gift of Hitch's words. Chesterton, if born 75 years later, may have had a sparing partner in Hitch. They seem very similar in rhetorical boldness.

Chesterton genius was (and probably still is) found in his playful use of paradox. He, I believe, is the master of rhetorical paradox. He doesn't just want to argue the point. He wants to twist the argument, reframe the debate, make a tangle of both sides, and show the world a third-way. He approaches issues of politics, class, sex, education and tries to show how often both sides of the argument are blind. He looks at a chessboard where both black and white pieces are stuck in a perpetual check and instead of suggesting a draw, he adds a couple pieces, or suggests billiards.

What is surprising is not how often I disagree with Chesterton, but how often I agree with a text that was written 107 years ago. It is also surprising (the math is easy here because he was born almost 100 years before me) to discover he was 35 when he wrote this book. It seems a bit curmudgeonly written for a 35 year-old. But that is also one of the charms of Chesterton. Even as a youth, his witty writings and his conservative attitudes seemed like those of a sarcastic, slightly drunk old sage than a haughty young intellectual. I may admire Charles Darwin more, but I'd probably want to drink with G.K. Chesterton.

22 persone l'hanno trovata utile

Timeless

Chillingly contemporary for a work from this era. Poignant. Challenging. Excellent audio performance as well.

10 persone l'hanno trovata utile

Timely, Relevant. Guaranteed infuriating.

I loved this delightful volume! I am a woman, I am a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, an aunt. I am also one of those delicate creatures who finds reality and truth meaningful and kind.

My favorite part is the author's definition of a feminist: A woman that dislikes the protection and privilege of the feminine class, who hopes to destroy the family, who refuses to take her proper place in the home, and who causes great grief and distress in society.

My 2nd favorite part is that education is dogmatic. Dogma is rigorous adherence to the truth, and anything else is not an education. It remains invariably true that a car without gasoline in the tank isn't going to be moved by driving it.

Third, hygenic education requires soap and water. The rich who despise the working man for the dirt and grime acquired by his living have an obligation to provide the luxury of soap and water for bathing, laundry snd cooking.

And, if you think about it, who is going to teach a man to wash his hands and leave his dirty clothes in the hamper? His mother. Who, by the way, runs a dictatorship. At least, I always did, because if you ask a toddler to take a nap, or eat their pease, what is the answer? No, of course, which isn't acceptable because it isn't healthy.

Lastly, the narrative was excellent. The gentleman had a nice accent, but I even liked the old-fashioned soundtrack. It reminds me of an old record.

2 persone l'hanno trovata utile

A level-headed critique on the insanity of today

Chestertons arguably best work, these pages are concerned chiefly not with what will be but what ought to be. He picks apart the modernist assumption we hold today with such ease and his creative use of metaphors lightens the otherwise serious subject matter.

One star less on performance for the narrator having to pause in the story to tell the reader who each person refrenced by Chesterton was.

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

Chesterton at his finest

great book great recording. the prince of paradox, the Apostle of Common Sense does it again.

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

excellent for short commutes

I love GK Chesterton, my favorite book by his is Orthodoxy. this book has a great deal of insight, phenomenal philosophy, and excellent comparisons. With that said It suffers from the same eclectic thinking that GK Chesterton is known for. it bounces from topic to topic quickly, and doesn't summarize it until the very end.

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

We moderns need this counsel.

We need to understand a more traditional view of the nature of mankind. Is it possible that our wisdom has not kept pace with technology? Has our arrogance about our place in history of science blinded us to the failure of some of our social ideas? Is it possible that what we deem as archaic or obsolete could instruct us and provide some sanity?

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

It won't download.

This book wasn’t for you, but who do you think might enjoy it more?

I can not answer as I could not download this book.

Would you ever listen to anything by G. K. Chesterton again?

I like his work

How could the performance have been better?

I don't know.

If you could play editor, what scene or scenes would you have cut from What’s Wrong with the World?

Can not download

Any additional comments?

Needs to be re-recorded.

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

Good book, but this recording won't dowload

Any additional comments?

This book, like anything by G.K. Chesterton, is pretty good. Unfortunately, this particular version won't download correctly so I can't listen to it as an audiobook or give it a better review

1 persona l'ha trovata utile

Great and prophetic book.

If only we had listened 100 years ago so much of the horrors of the 20th century could have been avoided.