I’ve introduced a new section on Ooter’s Place where I plan to post recommendations of some of my favorite works. And to inaugurate it, I’ve chosen to discuss one of my favorite novels, Manalive, from one of my favorite authors, G. K. Chesterton. I hope the description inspires you to give this little book a chance to win you over (the full text is available for free online). If you decide to check out the book (or have read it before), feel free to leave a comment below or write to me and tell me what you thought of it.
You may also like
As a writer, I’m interested in the ways language is used (and abused), and especially with expressions that make no sense. From […]
First of all, I hope all my neighbors in Ontario and Quebec have safely survived the storm that roared through our provinces […]
Of all the expressions I don’t understand, “thank goodness” is my favorite. Without any other consideration, however, I’d regard the term a […]
I’m very happy to announce the sale of my flash fiction story “The Transplant” to Daily Science Fiction. This will be my […]
2 thoughts on “G. K. Chesterton’s Manalive”
Hi – I have just discovered your blog and enjoyed having a wander around it. My book club has just enjoyed a surreal time and a wonderful discussion of Manalive. I thought it was good and funny – if rather strange but then that is part of its charm. Have you read the club of queer trades, also by chaesterton – I thought that was slightly more interesting.
A pleasure to read your blog
Hannah
Hi Hannah,
Thanks for the nice comments about my blog. I agree that the strangeness of Manalive is part of its charm — I think Chesteron would agree too. I have read Club of Queer Trades and I enjoyed it; if you’re interested in mystery short fiction, I can’t recommend strongly enough Chesterton’s Father Brown stories. The best are among the greatest mystery short stories ever written; and the worst are still a fun read.
Karl