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    The Ball and the Cross
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    The Ball and the Cross
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    The Ball and the Cross
    Ebook369 pages6 hours

    The Ball and the Cross

    By G. K. Chesterton

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Like much of G. K. Chesterton's fiction, The Ball and the Cross is both witty and profound, cloaking serious religious and philosophical inquiry in sparkling humor and whimsy. Serialized in the British publication The Commonwealth in 1905-06, Chesterton's second novel first appeared in book form in America in 1909, delighting and challenging readers with its heady mixture of fantasy, farce, and theology.
    The plot of The Ball and the Cross chronicles a hot dispute between two Scotsmen, one a devout but naive Roman Catholic, the other a zealous but naive atheist. Their fanatically held opinions—leading to a duel that is proposed but never fought—inspire a host of comic adventures whose allegorical levels vigorously explore the debate between theism and atheism.
    Martin Gardner's superb introduction to The Ball and the Cross reveals the real-life debate between Chesterton and a famous atheist that provided inspiration for the story, and it explores some of the novel's possible allegorical meanings. Appraising the book's many intriguing philosophical qualities, Mr. Gardner alerts readers as well to the pleasures of its "colorful style . . . amusing puns and clever paradoxes . . . and the humor and melodrama of its crazy plot."
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDover Publications
    Release dateSep 4, 2013
    ISBN9780486121987
    Author

    G. K. Chesterton

    G.K. Chesterton (1874–1936) was an English writer, philosopher and critic known for his creative wordplay. Born in London, Chesterton attended St. Paul’s School before enrolling in the Slade School of Fine Art at University College. His professional writing career began as a freelance critic where he focused on art and literature. He then ventured into fiction with his novels The Napoleon of Notting Hill and The Man Who Was Thursday as well as a series of stories featuring Father Brown.

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    Reviews for The Ball and the Cross

    3.5/5

    103 ratings4 reviews

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    • 2/5
      I was disappointed in this work on many levels. On a positive note, the general story line is an interesting concept. However, Chesterton's writing style is dated and sometimes tedious, and many of his attempts at witty dialogue and/or compelling debate over religion versus atheism fall short. His preposterous ending did not help either.
    • 3/5
      As I have said in the past I really like G. K. Chesterton's writing. I still like his writing and in this book I appreciate his even handedness in the handling of two characters world views, so diametrically opposed that the driving motivation for a good part of the story is their search for a quiet place where they can duel to the death without interruption.If I have anything against the book it's that I was hoping for a different type of conclusion. That may be because I didn't understand the type of story it was when I started, I don't know. In any case, I was left not so much wanting more as I was left wanting something different.
    • 4/5
      Chesterton gives us the archetypal Christian and the archetypal atheist, embroiled in a series of exciting and often hilarious adventures throughout England as they try to find somewhere to duel in peace.Chesterton's characters are so passionate and full of joy in life that while they are not particularly realistic, I always get the sense that they are what people should be if they would only be true to themselves and to what is really important. For the most part I think Chesterton fairly presents both sides of the theism/atheism argument; the book's ending, while a bit over-the-top in full Chestertonian style (don't worry, I won't give it away), satisfyingly suggests that the question is one that must be solved through personal experience rather than debate - although as the book shows, both sides have a lot to learn through such debate as well.I was struck by the subtler point made throughout the novel that the sincerity of one's belief is much more important than holding the "correct" belief. This is an idea that also crops up in C. S. Lewis's work (unsurprising, since Lewis was heavily influenced by Chesterton) and which would serve us well in today's world where arguments over whose religion is the "correct" one are the source of so much division, anger, and violence.
    • 5/5
      The Ball and the Cross begins with a challenge of faith and honor - the pious Catholic Evan MacIan is so incensed by James Turnbull's skepticism about the origins of Christianity that he smashes one of his windows and they agree to settle the matter with a duel. The conflict gets thwarted at every turn though; the entire country becomes embroiled, if a little bit baffledly, in the duel - nobody has witnessed such sincere fervor about personal beliefs as MacIan and Turnbull both possess.So, in a peculiar way, the two become comrades, united by passion in an anti-septic and passionless world. Chesterton never spoonfeeds the reader a conclusion, much less a Moral, but he does open up avenues of religious dialogue. Plus, the book is terribly funny, with satire enough for everyone to appreciate. It has such a surprisingly modern feel to it, impressive since it was written a century ago. The issues touched upon are still discussed and relevant, and the religious versus the non-religious are (perhaps sadly) still treading the same ground today.