Amazon.com: The Annotated Innocence of Father Brown (Oxford paperbacks) (9780192821645): G. K. Chesterton, Martin Gardner: Books

Have one to sell? Sell yours here
The Annotated Innocence of Father Brown (Oxford paperbacks)
 
 
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.

The Annotated Innocence of Father Brown (Oxford paperbacks) [Paperback]

G. K. Chesterton (Author), Martin Gardner (Editor)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)


Available from these sellers.


Formats

Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover --  
Paperback $16.29  
Paperback, October 27, 1988 --  

Book Description

October 27, 1988 Oxford paperbacks
To millions of readers, G.K. Chesterton will remain, above all else, the creator of Father Brown, that innocent, wise, self-effacing, sometimes scandalous priest-cum-detective. Father Brown, the second most famous mystery-solver in English literature, has always had a devoted following, not just in England, but throughout the world.
The first collection of Father Brown stories to be published and generally considered the best, The Innocence of Father Brown displays some of G.K. Chesterton's wittiest, most compelling, and original writing, containing marvelous descriptive scenes of both nature and city life, a dry humor, and, above all, deeply perceptive philosophical reflections. Martin Gardner has chosen the first British edition published in 1911 as the basis for this annotated volume. He includes notes that provide both background details about England at the turn of the century and textual variations, as well as a substantial Introduction and full bibliography. The Annotated Innocence of Father Brown will be an indispensable companion volume for Chesterton enthusiasts and a perfect introduction for newcomers to his work.

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Editorial Reviews

About the Author


About the Editor:
Martin Gardner, the world-famous popular writer on mathematics, science, and philosophy, is the annotator of several books, including The Annotated Snark, The Annotated Ancient Mariner, and The Annotated Alice, as well as the author of many other books, including The Sacred Beetle and Puzzles from Other Worlds.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 288 pages
  • Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (October 27, 1988)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0192821644
  • ISBN-13: 978-0192821645
  • Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5 x 0.9 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,389,600 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

 

Customer Reviews

8 Reviews
5 star:
 (6)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars for the text; 3 stars for the footnotes., November 27, 2000
By A Customer
I've read a lot of Chesterton in the last year or so, and I guess I have mixed feelings about his work in general and this book in particular. Chesterton provides extraordinarily beautiful word pictures. I feel like taking a trip to England just to see if the real English sky can match a fraction of the descriptions Chesterton gives it. (Smog abatement measures may have made a fair comparison impossible.) Chesterton's love of paradox can be fun, but it may be best to take it in small doses for optimal enjoyment. The Father Brown stories are short enough that the character development suffers in comparison with G.K.'s novels; on the other hand, these stories benefit from omission of some of the more bizarre flights of fancy found in his longer works.

Now for the footnotes. I've been reading Martin Gardner for a long time. As a young boy, I spent many hours in the local library reading and enjoying his columns in archived copies of Scientific American. I must say that I find his footnotes in this book somewhat obtrusive. They seem to give away too much of the plot too early, and are probably, therefore, best for a second reading of the text. Gardner has deep philosophical differences with Chesterton, and although he does a fairly good job of restraining himself, there are occasions when he apparently can't resist giving us his two cents. I found that a little annoying. The footnotes in the Ignatius edition of _The Man Who Knew to Much_ are an example of what I would have preferred in this book.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Ingenious, entertaining and spiritually insightful, October 20, 2000
By 
Sheila L. Beaumont (South Pasadena, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   
"The Innocence of Father Brown" is the first book of G.K. Chesterton's ingenious, thoughtful and lyrically written mystery short stories featuring the unassuming little priest who solves crimes by imagining himself inside the mind and soul of the criminal and understanding his motives. The stories are full of paradox, spiritual insight, and "Chestertonian fantasy," or seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary.

This particular edition is enhanced by Martin Gardner's extensive notes, which are both entertaining and illuminating. He points out that it's worthwhile to take your time in reading GKC's stories so you can savor their many arresting, beautifully worded sentences. And by reading too fast, you might also miss out on some very subtle puns (there's one in the story "The Secret Garden" that would have gone right past me had not Mr. Gardner pointed it out!).

At the end, you'll find an index of annotations, plus a comprehensive Father Brown bibliography compiled by Chesterton expert John Peterson. If you enjoy this book, you'll probably also like "The Annotated Thursday," Gardner's edition of GKC's "The Man Who Was Thursday."

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Master of Paradoxes, well built crimes, October 20, 1999
By 
CLAUDIO (P.O. Box 30283, NAIROBI Kenya) - See all my reviews
A masterpiece. GK Chesterton here introduces his character, and does it with flying colours (first & second short stories are impeccable, and offer two elegant surprises to the reader). Chesterton was the master of paradoxes, and his style ranks him among the greatest British writers of all times. No doubt these are crime stories (or whodounits) but they are also literary masterpieces.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews






Only search this product's reviews



Inside This Book (learn more)
Browse and search another edition of this book.
Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Search Inside This Book:


What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
 

Your tags: Add your first tag
 

Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Customer Discussions

This product's forum
Discussion Replies Latest Post
No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 


Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
Search all Amazon discussions
   
Related forums



So You'd Like to...



Look for Similar Items by Category


Look for Similar Items by Subject