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The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare

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For a book that's as short as this one is, "The Man Who Was Thursday" is pretty packed.

G.K. Chesterton's classic novella tackles anarchy, social order, God, peace, war, religion, human nature, and a few dozen other weight concepts. And somehow he manages to mash it all together into a delightful satire, full of tongue-in-cheek commentary that is still relevant today.

As the book opens, Gabriel Symes is debating with a soapbox anarchist. The two men impress each other enough that the anarchist introduces Symes to a seven-man council of anarchists, all named after days of the week. In short order, they elect Symes their newest member -- Thursday.

But they don't know that he's also been recruited by an anti-anarchy organization. And soon Symes finds out that he's not the only person on the council who is not what he seems. There are other spies and double-agents, working for the same cause. But who -- and what -- is the jovial, powerful Mr. Sunday, the head of the organization?

Hot air balloons, elaborate disguises, duels and police chases -- Chesterton certainly knew how to keep this novel interesting. Though written almost a century ago, "The Man Who Was Thursday" still feels very fresh. That's partly because of Chesterton's cheery writing... and partly because it's such an intelligent book.

He doesn't avoid some timeless topics that make some people squirm. Humanity (good and bad), anarchy, religion and its place in human nature, and creation versus destruction all get tackled here -- disguised as a comic police investigation. And unlike most satires, it isn't dated; the topics are reflections of humanity and religion, so they're as relevant now as they were in 1908.

But the story isn't pedantic or boring; Chesterton keeps things lively by having his characters act like real people, rather than mouthpieces. From Symes to the Colonel to the mysterious Sunday himself, they all have a sort of friendly, energetic quality. "We're all spies! Come and have a drink!" one of the characters announces cheerfully near the end.

And of course, once the madcap police investigations are finished, there's still a mystery. Who is Sunday? What are his goals? And for that matter, WHAT is Sunday -- genius, force of nature, villain or god? The answer is a bit of a surprise, and as a reflection of Chesterton's beliefs, it's a delicate, intelligent piece of work.

"The Man Who Was Thursday" is a wacky little satire that will both amuse and educate you. Not bad for a book often subtitled "A Nightmare."

G K Chesterton was a man of many parts. Until now I mainly knew him as a champion of Christendom, an arch-foe of eugenics and an advocate for 'distributism', his "small is beautiful" economic alternative to Big Capitalism and Big Socialism.

Chesterton's "The Man Who Was Thursday" was my first experience with Chesterton the novelist. I wanted to like it but came away slightly disappointed. But maybe that's my fault, not his. I expected a thriller, in the mode of the Hitchcock movies I love. There are certainly thriller elements in Thursday, but it is I suspect, on reflection, as much a satire as anything else. There are also, I'm told, numerous allegorical references most of which I missed. The great 'Scientific American' mathematics correspondent Martin Gardner wrote an "Annotated Thursday", which I'm told helps illustrate Chesterton's very subtle images. I haven't read it and may have to to get a better appreciation of this undoubtedly well , finely crafted book.

Written in 1908, "Thursday" may have pioneered the modern spy novel. In some ways a century later it still seems very modern. Sure today we talk of 'terrorists', not 'dynamiters', but Chesterton's 'anarchist' baddies seem more modern than the 'reds' and 'nazis' of most 20th century spy thrillers. "Thursday" is set in the Edwardian world of Hansom Cabs and balloons, not the speeding cars and ubiquitous helicopters of modern action movies. Yet the story line seems modern. Undercover policemen disguised as anarchists. Undercover anarchists within the police. The high anarchist council itseld stacked to the rafters with undercover policemen. In the real world, fifty years on, the FBI's "Cointelpro" program, and the police penetration of the Black Panthers, seems an example of life imitating Chestertonian art.

Twists. Counter-twists. Counter-counter-twists. Hitchcock and the whole modern "spy" genre would seem to owe a lot to Chesterton. In some ways the 1908 "Thursday" has some parallels to the very "hip" "swinging sixties" spy spoofs. Thursday includes an elephant chase, a balloon escape and a whole dream story. In parts it's "spy/satire" reminded me of the James Coburn spoofs "Our Man Flint" and, the great, "The President's Analyst".

Chesterton does manage to sneak in, here and there, a few references relevant to his political and religious concerns. Here's one that sounds very contemporary and you could easily imagine it being quoted by Naomi Klein and other 21st century "anti-globalisation" activists.

"..The poor have been rebels, but they have never been anarchists: they have more interest than anyone else in there being some decent government. The poor man really has a stake in the country. The rich man hasn't; he can go away to New Guinea in a yacht. The poor have sometimes objected to being governed badly; the rich have always objected to being governed at all. Aristocrats were always anarchists..."

Chesterton makes his political and religious points lightly and sparingly. They are asides, comments, not speeches. You could miss them if you weren't looking or if you didn't know what you were looking for. The story, not the sermon, ...and in 'Thursday' there are no sermons.., comes first. That would seem to be the ideal way for a novelist, or any artist, to make a political point.

Those who read "The Man Who Was Thursday" as an attack on free thought are taking it at a terribly literal level. Aptly subtitled "A Nightmare," it has the qualities of a dream: the sudden nonsensical leaps that make perfect sense, the joyful sense of play and paradox, and the anticipation of some Final Meaning that never quite arrives, yet still somehow satisfies. The transition from satirical detective story to spiritual allegory is suffused with a growing elation, hinting at truths we already knew, if we could only remember them. At its heart is the belief that every life, no matter how prosaic on the surface, despite its suffering - especially through its suffering - participates in the ongoing glory of Creation; and while Chesterton was writing from a distinctly Christian perspective, his story transcends any one orthodoxy. He was clearly drawing on the depths of the psyche in writing this book; one gets the feeling he was a little puzzled at its ultimate sources himself. Other reviewers have drawn different meanings from it - I have myself after various readings - but this is one of its chief delights. Read and decide for yourself!

For a book that's only about a hundred pages long, "The Man Who Was Thursday" is pretty packed.

G.K. Chesterton's classic novella tackles anarchy, social order, God, peace, war, religion, human nature, and a few dozen other weight concepts. And somehow he manages to mash it all together into a delightful satire, full of tongue-in-cheek commentary that is still relevant today.

As the book opens, Gabriel Symes is debating with a soapbox anarchist. The two men impress each other enough that the anarchist introduces Symes to a seven-man council of anarchists, all named after days of the week. In short order, they elect Symes their newest member -- Thursday.

But they don't know that he's also been recruited by an anti-anarchy organization. And soon Symes finds out that he's not the only person on the council who is not what he seems. There are other spies and double-agents, working for the same cause. But who -- and what -- is the jovial, powerful Mr. Sunday, the head of the organization?

Hot air balloons, elaborate disguises, duels and police chases -- Chesterton certainly knew how to keep this novel interesting. Though written almost a century ago, "The Man Who Was Thursday" still feels very fresh. That's partly because of Chesterton's cheery writing... and partly because it's such an intelligent book.

He doesn't avoid some timeless topics that make some people squirm. Humanity (good and bad), anarchy, religion and its place in human nature, and creation versus destruction all get tackled here -- disguised as a comic police investigation. And unlike most satires, it isn't dated; the topics are reflections of humanity and religion, so they're as relevant now as they were in 1908.

But the story isn't pedantic or boring; Chesterton keeps things lively by having his characters act like real people, rather than mouthpieces. From Symes to the Colonel to the mysterious Sunday himself, they all have a sort of friendly, energetic quality. "We're all spies! Come and have a drink!" one of the characters announces cheerfully near the end.

And of course, once the madcap police investigations are finished, there's still a mystery. Who is Sunday? What are his goals? And for that matter, WHAT is Sunday -- genius, force of nature, villain or god? The answer is a bit of a surprise, and as a reflection of Chesterton's beliefs, it's a delicate, intelligent piece of work.

It's also worth noting that the Digireads edition of this book is a very good one; it's about the size of a Dover Thrift book, but has relatively good paper, a flexible cover, and a tight binding that puts up with plenty of general book abuse. As inexpensive editions go, this is a good one.

"The Man Who Was Thursday" is a wacky little satire that will both amuse and educate you. Not bad for a book often subtitled "A Nightmare."

Chesterton may just become one of my favorite authors - even if this is the only work by him that I'll ever bother to read. Why? Because I don't want to encounter another work by him that may not live up to my impression of The Man Who Was Thursday.

This novel is a tremendous piece of literary writing.

I would lay down every possible memory from the book which I enjoyed or which intrigued me. But that would be long winding.

Suffice to say, Chesterton's wit is a sinister thing. It crops up at the most unexpected junctures and never fails to catch me by surprise.

(I don't really like pasting quotes `coz it eats up space, but in this instance I do believe proof is called for:

"Why is it," he asked vaguely, "that I think you are quite a decent fellow? Why do I positively like you, Gregory?" He paused a moment, and then added with a sort of fresh curiosity, "Is it because you are such an ass?"

---

"I'm a policeman deprived of the help of the police. You, my poor fellow, are an anarchist deprived of the help of that law and organisation which is so essential to anarchy. The one solitary difference is in your favour. You are not surrounded by inquisitive policemen; I am surrounded by inquisitive anarchists.")

In a sense, this is a madcap tale of how `the man who was [called] Thursday' pursues an anarchist group's leader, the terrifying and mysterious man called `Sunday' with the help of several other characters who help make the story more and more bizarre.

Chock-full of twists - sometimes benignly predictable and sometimes too ludicrous for words - this novel is a rare treat. Even the Catholic allegorical bent is hardly something that fazed me, cynical git that I am.

Chesterton's narrative is at turns lyrical and wistful, sharp and witty. It is optimism couched in pessimistic premise. Reconciliation and resolution without the formulaic happy ending. A tumble down the rabbit hole without ever seeing where the hole gaped open.

They do say that a classic is one that everyone knows but hardly anyone reads (or something like that). And I admit that I was skeptical about this before turning the first page. By the second chapter however, I knew that this little piece of writing is one that unequivocally demands to be read.

The Man Who Was Thursday could have only been written by G. K. Chesterton, a remarkably versatile writer, essayist, and poet whose works defy categorization. Defoe created Friday; Chesterton gives us all seven days as well as philosophical policemen on the trail of anarchists. The plot verges on the bizarre, but somehow Chesterton manages to adroitly balance philosophy, suspense, and whimsy. My admiration and respect for the vivid imagination of Chesterton increases each time I return to this delightful book.

The Man Who Was Thursday is best enjoyed as a surprise. Avoid learning too much before your first reading. Afterwards, you undoubtedly will return to the reviews, simply to understand how others interpreted Chesterton's uniquely fascinating work.

The Man Who Was Thursday is so unexpected, so different, that I am convinced that most readers are compelled to share their reading experience with others. There are so many layers to the story, and so many unanswered questions. (Perhaps, this explains why this largely unfamiliar book has so many, many reviews.) I look forward to your own analysis of Chesterton's remarkable story. Cheers.

The Man Who Was Thursday has a terrific, somewhat fantastic plot. The twists and turns are headed somewhere, but the writing keeps you on edge throughout. The story concerns "anarchists" setting about to do some circa 1912 mischief; or are they?

The writing in this story is simply fantastic. Things like "we came out on a full-moon lit night, which ordinary circumstances would find romantic; for us, however, the landscape was more as if lit by a dead sun" make the hairs on your neck stand on end. This is the kind of writing---evocative, provocative, eloquent---that is so rare today. G.K. Chesterton's style is indeed elegant, yet follows the mannerisms of the characters active at different points of the story. He always lets us in on that part of the secret.

The reading is, quite honestly, a little winding at times; stick it out. You will learn new words! I can not recommend this book enough. I've already given out three copies and sent another to my sister-in-law for her Kindle.

Whichever side of the anarchy/anti-anarchy, too-much-government/too-little-government, government-as-evil-controller/government-as-saviour you may be on, you will find comfort and kindred souls here. A masterpiece. G.K. is a master of the written word as well as of human thought and emotion; our current troubled times deserve to re-discover this great talent. I urge you to find him at [...] at once.

The word that best describes "The Man Who Was Thursday" for me, is "witty." From start to finish it is an amusing read, with lots of fun little twists and an occasional dazzling insight. Linguistically, the style is different from what is common today, but not to the point of being unapproachable. (Unlike some classics.) The plot is straightforward and brisk--and with anarchist protestors gathering in cities around the world today, it all seems eerily relevant. This book is a diamond mine of quotable text.

Through most of the narrative I wondered why "Thursday" was thought of as a "speculative" title. It primarily reads like a mystery. Then it reaches a point where the veneer pulls away and the classification makes perfect sense...

Overall, I think "The Man Who Was Thursday" is an important read. Check it out.

First of all, I am no relation to Martin Gardner, whose annotated edition of this book is quite popular and definitely worth checking out if you want to dig deep into the symbolism and imagery of what is commonly referred to as Chesterton's best novel. However, if you Googled "Gardner + The Man Who Was Thursday" and ended up here, I hope you won't be too disappointed!

Here is a book that can (and should!) be read many times. Those familiar with Chesterton's writing will not be surprised to learn that there is quite a lot packed into such a small book, much of which simply cannot be gleaned in a single reading. For those not familiar with Chesterton, this makes a grand introduction!

While there is plenty of merit to plumbing the depths of hidden meaning and philosophy contained in The Man Who Was Thursday (which addresses such weighty issues as anarchy,government, religion, ethics, morality, and the nature of good and evil), it can also be read as simply a great, fun story! In my most recent reading of this book, this was all I was after. I read it in just a few hours, didn't spend much time thinking about it, and thoroughly enjoyed it, yet again! This review will reflect this experience. There are many others who have broken down the "deeper meaning" of the book much better than I would.

Gabriel Symes, a.k.a. "Thursday", is a poet-turned-philosopher-turned-detective-turned-secret agent who infiltrates the Supreme Council of Anarchists (each of whom has a code name based on the days of the week) and attempts to foil an assassination-by-bombing plot. Along the way, readers are led down dark alleys, over rooftops, across the English Channel, and through more plot twists than any "whodunit" tale you can imagine! Our hero engages in high stakes espionage, automobile gun battles, and a swashbuckling duel to the death, climaxing in a standoff where it seems the entire world has turned against him!

The Man Who Was Thursday, one of the pioneering novels in the detective/spy genre, was written in 1908 (the same year as Chesterton's non-fiction masterpiece, Orthodoxy), but feels every bit as exciting as any modern thriller. Though the Edwardian world may have moved at a slower pace -- at one point Thursday uses a hansom cab to chase a man fleeing on an elephant -- the action certainly does not. You'll likely find the pages turning at an extraordinary pace from the first to the last!

And, of course, the story is laced with Chesterton's famous wit and knack for turning a phrase. Known for his fine aphorisms, the author is at his quotable best in this book. Here's one of my favorites:

"It may be conceded to the mathematicians that four is twice two. But two is not twice one; two is two thousand times one. That is why, in spite of a hundred disadvantages, the world will always return to monogamy."

In short, if you're a lover of literature, consider this a must-read.

For a book that's as short as this one is, "The Man Who Was Thursday" is pretty packed.

G.K. Chesterton's classic novella tackles anarchy, social order, God, peace, war, religion, human nature, and a few dozen other weight concepts. And somehow he manages to mash it all together into a delightful satire, full of tongue-in-cheek commentary that is still relevant today.

As the book opens, Gabriel Symes is debating with a soapbox anarchist. The two men impress each other enough that the anarchist introduces Symes to a seven-man council of anarchists, all named after days of the week. In short order, they elect Symes their newest member -- Thursday.

But they don't know that he's also been recruited by an anti-anarchy organization. And soon Symes finds out that he's not the only person on the council who is not what he seems. There are other spies and double-agents, working for the same cause. But who -- and what -- is the jovial, powerful Mr. Sunday, the head of the organization?

Hot air balloons, elaborate disguises, duels and police chases -- Chesterton certainly knew how to keep this novel interesting. Though written almost a century ago, "The Man Who Was Thursday" still feels very fresh. That's partly because of Chesterton's cheery writing... and partly because it's such an intelligent book.

He doesn't avoid some timeless topics that make some people squirm. Humanity (good and bad), anarchy, religion and its place in human nature, and creation versus destruction all get tackled here -- disguised as a comic police investigation. And unlike most satires, it isn't dated; the topics are reflections of humanity and religion, so they're as relevant now as they were in 1908.

But the story isn't pedantic or boring; Chesterton keeps things lively by having his characters act like real people, rather than mouthpieces. From Symes to the Colonel to the mysterious Sunday himself, they all have a sort of friendly, energetic quality. "We're all spies! Come and have a drink!" one of the characters announces cheerfully near the end.

And of course, once the madcap police investigations are finished, there's still a mystery. Who is Sunday? What are his goals? And for that matter, WHAT is Sunday -- genius, force of nature, villain or god? The answer is a bit of a surprise, and as a reflection of Chesterton's beliefs, it's a delicate, intelligent piece of work.

"The Man Who Was Thursday" is a wacky little satire that will both amuse and educate you. Not bad for a book often subtitled "A Nightmare."