A review by dwlejcjvg
The Autobiography of G. K. Chesterton by G.K. Chesterton, Randall Paine

3.0

I approach reading like one of those birds that goes about collecting shiny trinkets for its nest from wherever it can find them. What I keep in my nest is my own sense of Northernness (see C.S. Lewis, Surprised by Joy ). Ever since I was a child my mission has been to preserve and build on the Northernness. So I approached this book thinking that it would be a treasure trove of Chestertonian baubles and twigs, of which I already have an impressive collection hidden away. I was wrong. The gems are here, but they are few and far between, spread across deserts of talk about the politics and societies and journalistic industries of Chesterton’s time. If I was interested in Chesterton himself and in getting a complete picture of his thought and context, this might have been a good read; but since I am not I found it exhausting. Readers less selfish than I may find this a better read. The final chapter was wonderful and it alone is merits the third star.