Heretics

By: G. K. Chesterton

Narrated by: Philippe Duquenoy

Length: 6 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

Chesterton's compilation of essays in Heretics discusses the difference in Orthodoxy and Heretics, rational vs. irrational, and denial vs. affirmation. He questions the reason for the existence of man and the universe and calls out many prominent figures in the artistic and literary fields for their unorthodox ideas; thus labeling them heretics. He will have you thinking of favorite authors like Rudyard Kipling, Oscar Wilde, and H.G. Wells in a new light, challenging their ideals and morals.

He pleads for people to believe in something, but not to believe in just anything. He rails against the greatest mental destruction, having everything constantly denied to you and nothing affirmed. Chesterton believes that anyone who did not believe in the Christian God, was dangerous and were very wrong.

Nearly every minute of this book has a quotable passage that will really get you thinking about the meaning of life and the different ideas that are being put into the world. Heretics reveals to the listener that their deepest held values, beliefs, and moral compasses may be deeply flawed from within. Chesterton also hones in on the concept that ideas are the most dangerous thing we have in life and there are very real consequences to those ideas.

©2016 A.R.N. Publications (P)2016 A.R.N. Publications

Should be required reading

This should be required reading for philosophy intro classes. Chesterton gives you a lot to think about in a witty style that will give you some chuckles along the way.

Amazing book!

Chesterton explains why we are in the intellectual and social upheavals of today. I do not completely understand all that he criticizes in regards to the art, literature, and politics of his day, but I do understand the nature of the philosophy upon which these things are discussed. He ends with the thought that society will one day question if two and two equal four. He probably meant this metaphorically, but, today, political leaders are calling basic math truths bigoted. He certainly foresaw the death of truth in all areas of life as a necessary and inevitable consequence of the disbelief in moral and spiritual truths. The Heretics of yesterday have become the Orthodox of today snd so anyone declaring the truths of traditional Christianity and morality as well as objective truth in any area of life or science are now Heretics.

Readers should know that Chesterton’s style is unlike most works written today. I cannot really describe it accurately, but I will try. He shows the ridiculousness of certain people, behaviors, and ideas by pointing our how they differ from our real life experiences, often arguing that the opposite is true. Sometimes he seems to be arguing for one position, but he is arguing against it by pointing out its absurdity. He employs this technique in other books which are certainly classics such as Manalive and Orthodoxy which I also have purchased from Audible and have been delighted with both.

I highly recommend this work. The reader has a very pleasant voice but does not show much expression. It is an easy listen, though, which is what I want most in a reader.

A very interesting read with refreshing takes

Chesterton has a very engaging writing style which he loves to take concepts that we all take for granted and disect them to show the interesting stuff that is under the hood.

Dab on the Modernists

If there is anything to take from this book, it is that modern society is wrong, and we need to go back.

Typical Chesterton

This is a collection of Chesterton essays railing against his perceived enemies of his day. It's interesting because he writes so well. But some of the names and some of the issues will be lost on a read of today.

We need a GK Chesterton for the modern day.

I'll be happy to volunteer! Modern philosophy is dead. Bring back the culture that lead to so much progress!

Love it!

I have never listened to an author that makes me laugh out load so often. And there are few others that make me think so deeply about truly meaningful topics.

Reflections after reading the book

Just finished reading G. K. Chesterton’s book “Heretics”. What a genius he was. I am overwhelmed beyond expression. If ever I wanted to write books, this is the type of thing I have longed to write. I thought that the only way to communicate to our society in a way that they would accept and consider would be to write satire or comedy. But today after finishing this second book of Chesterton and today also listening to an excerpt of a film made by Charlie Chaplain at the beginning of the second world war satirizing Adolf Hitler, and which even Hitler himself watched twice, and to see that all of Chesterton’s brilliance and his stunning observations on the follies of modern thinking, and his defence of Christianity and to see Chaplin’s brilliant humour, who was the greatest comedian of the century and a man equally well known as Hitler himself, and to see that these two giants had so little impact on the trajectory of civilization, brings me almost into despair. Another observation I make from reading Chesterton is that I am just an ordinary bloke. When I see this man’s brilliance I realize that there is nothing special about me, and that I stand among giants and did not realize it in my foolishness. And I come to a new level of seeing myself before God, and I wonder that I am such a fool, but only see it with 72 years of age. Perhaps, if I had realized what a fool I am, I would never even have attempted to do a PhD. What I realize from Chesterton and Chaplin is that the greatest efforts of mankind will not raise them up to greatness in the sense that they can bring us salvation. And even the greatest of them is a fool, and none of them are worthy to be followed as our God. If I will always be a fool, and if my visions are always to be delusions, what am I to live for? I live for Christ.
I would have given this book a full rating but the narrator, though very brilliant in ability, read too fast and always gave me that feeling that he was rushing through the reading, thereby detracting from the amazing profundity of what he was reading.

Need to read again (and again and again)

Chesterton’s way with words and ideas is so profound and beautiful that it’s gonna take me more time with this book to really grasp the depths of his philosophy. Would recommend to anyone who’s looking for a commentary on modern philosophy and anyone looking for quotable literature.

Tough yet Deep

Good book, sometimes difficult for me to follow due to differing intelligence between GK and I