Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Cecil Chesterton's bio of GK back in print


Thanks to Inkling Books for reprinting this biography (which I have not read yet...) and which is now available through the ACS web site.
Most Chesterton fans are aware that G. K. Chesterton's younger brother Cecil published a biography of Gilbert in 1908. Unfortunately, except for a brief academic reprint in the 1960s, his book has been out of print ever since. Now, just one year shy of the centennial of its first publication, Inkling Books has brought out a Centennial Edition. As always with Inkling reprints, this book is enhanced to make its reading more enjoyable and informative.

All the original text is there, along with the book's four pictures. The new edition also includes the following.
* Three additional pictures, including a marvelous cover photograph of the Chesterton family from about 1908 supplied by Aidan Mackey.
* A foreword by Aidan Mackay, author and Chesterton scholar.
* An introduction by Brocard Sewell, who worked with Chesterton at G.K.'s Weekly.
* An appreciation of Cecil written by Gilbert. Cecil died just after the end of World War I of an illness acquired in the trenches.
* No less than 223 footnotes explaining historical and biographical details that are less well-known today than in 1908.
* A detailed index.
H/T Ellen, thanks.

2 comments:

  1. How critical was Cecil of his brother? I gotta read this.

    ReplyDelete

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