That Trip to California...

Gilbert magazine reported a story written by and about Dale Ahlquist, or someone with that name anyway, who reportedly went to California and tasted a lot of wine. In between the wine imbibing, there were some alleged talks about G.K. Chesterton. Sources cannot confirm nor deny that such talks took place.

I dunno. I think someone went to California and took in a lot of wine, I'm just not sure who. Or is that whom?

And Thomas Aquinas doesn't teach Chesterton? Well duh! Aquinas lived WAAAAY before Chesterton. Who wrote that story?????

Gilbert arrived...

...and so far, that's all I can say. I am in the midst of a major sewing project, and sewing and reading don't work at the same time, I found out.

The only think I know so far is there is an awesome review of a new book in it. ;-)

Oh, and rumor has it a certain columnist shall be returning next issue...any guesses?

New Issue of Gilbert...

....arriving at some mailboxes.

I, on the other hand, seem to have to always wait until my mailman is done reading it. ;-)

Our Man Chris Chan gets a mention

Chris's article criticizing the adaptations of Agatha Christie was noticed here.

Nov/Dec Gilbert Magazine

I had a chance to peruse the latest Gilbert today, and I enjoyed so many of the great articles I found there.

First, I have to say the opening editorial was great. But then, I was consulted on it (as the author of a book on Harry Potter, which included plenty of Chestertonian references). I was immediately drawn to the Aidan Mackey defense of Harry Potter, which I was pleased to read. Every time I read of another Chestertonian who understands the Potter books, I feel more reassured about writing my book. Aidan's article, "Plain Without a Sledgehammer", was something I could have written. My sentiments exactly.

I then looked at The Wise Men, an illustrated work by Beatrice Wilczynski. I enjoyed this work. I also noticed that sprinkled throughout the magazine, there were many little "The Three Wise Men" trivia bits, which I enjoyed reading and finding.

Next, I read Nick Milne's Harry Potter article, as I enjoy his work on line and since he's a previous Gilbert and Frances Scholarship winner, I knew he'd have something fascinating to say. And again, I felt I could say, my sentiments exactly. Another great article.

Then, since I've enjoyed James G. ("Gerry") Bruen, Jr.'s stories in the past, I skipped over to his "Terrific Tots" and found, once again, a modern Chestertonian article with a great punch line. This story idea is one I've actually had myself but never wrote, so I was glad to see Gerry do a great job of it. He actually made me feel sorry for Saundra's kids. Can I adopt them?!

Then, just because I always forget what I wrote, I read my review of Regina Doman's book, Waking Rose. I don't remember writing it that well, so I think some editor really improved it. ;-)

After that, because I am really a fan of Edward Chesterton's (partly because he was an amateur photographer, and I happen to like photographers, and partly because he was the father of someone I love), I enjoyed reading Dale Ahlquist's short article on Mr. Chesterton. I also had the idea while reading it that those scrap books could probably be found in some landfill in England somewhere, and someone should be looking for them. Someone should have run after the trash man, too. Yes, it is frustrating that Gilbert threw all those things away.

I forgot to mention that somewhere in there I read News with Views, because I always enjoy that feature.

More tomorrow.

The Bohemian Catholic Likes our Latest Gilbert

You can read her post here and comment if you wish. I'm taking my Gilbert on the road with me today and hope to devour it while passing the pastoral scenes of southeastern Wisconsin on our way to Madison to put up a relative's tree.

Happy Tuesday! One week till Christmas!

My Gilbert arrived!

I have to admit, I haven't had an afternoon free yet to just sit down and read right through it.

I really like the cover. As you can see, it is the marvelous image of Gilbert gazing up at a star, perhaps he is meditating on the Star of Bethlehem. Anyway, because it's Christmas time, that's what I imagine. And swirling around the star, or emanating from it, are all these papers and letters, as if inspiration is coming to him just from gazing at the star.

The other way I see it is the letters and papers coming from Gilbert's head, going up to the star. Almost as if he is giving his writing to the Christ Child, and standing there free and child-like, emptying himself and offering everything to God, letting it all go.

I like that image because, as a writer too, I often get caught up in things that need doing, words that need writing, and forget To Whom I am Offering Everything. And sometimes, I am so busy staring at the papers (or the computer screen) that I forget to look up and see the Star.

This Christmas, my hope is that we will each take a little time to stare at the stars, and open our hearts to the coming of Christ. Let Him into your heart this Christmas, to be the Word, the strength, the whatever-it-is-you-need, to be the Love that you love with, the Faith that you believe with, the Hope that you hope in.

Only a few days remain, have a Blessed Advent.

Happy 10th Anniversary ACS! 10 Ideas for Celebrating the 10th on the 20th!

Ten years is a pretty long time in the web world, so I think we should celebrate. You can:

1) Drink a toast to the American Chesterton Society and their web presence, which has introduced thousands more to the good news of Chesterton's writing. *Clink*!

2) Become a member of the American Chesterton Society, and enjoy all the benefits therein.

3) Purchase a book from the American Chesterton Society and support the cause (getting Chesterton into more schools, homes and minds in this country--which could help everything from economics to religion to next year's election).

4) Read a Chesterton book or watch a Chesterton video.

5) Invite Dale to come to speak to your group about Chesterton.

6) Invite Nancy to come to speak to your group about Children and Chesterton.

7) Plan right now to attend the conference June 12-14 2008 at St. Thomas University in St. Paul, MN.

8) Buy a Chesterton Christmas ornament for your tree. Buy two and give one away.

9) Plan to start up a local Chesterton Society and discuss your favorite Chesterton book with a bunch of like-minded people.

10) Pray for the Chesterton Society. We need the Guidance, Help and Love of Heaven to keep us going.

*Cheers*!

Great Scot! Gilbert's on Time!

Perhaps the world will stop spinning. Perhaps it is un-Chestertonian. But we have great news! And a cover to unveil.

If this isn't the most gorgeous cover you've ever seen on a Gilbert magazine, I'll eat my blog. ;-)

For the first time in my [Sean Dailey's] four+ years as editor, we made deadline. The December issue was sent to press yesterday, meaning the issue will be mailed to subscribers before the end of November. Readers will get their December issue in December, rather than in Lent, ;-).
This issue contains some Harry Potter discussions. There is also a very special treat: a 13-page spread consisting of an illustrated version of Chesterton's poem "The Wise Men." (Illustrated by Beatrice Wilczynski, [scroll down]who died in 1984).
A second very special treat is a color cover by Ben Hatke. Finally, there is a write-up of the Rochester Chesterton Conference, on Chesterton and Conversion.--from Sean Dailey, Editor-in-Chief, Gilbert

Letters

Note to Editor: Top of page 5: first class postage is now 41 cents. No wonder your letters to the editor come in so slowly. :-)

Gregory Bohen's letter to the editor is fascinating. And shows how widely spread Chesterton's stuff is. Here is a place in Texas, a place I am fairly certain Chesterton never visited (correct me if I'm wrong) which has two folders of over 500 handwritten pages of Chesterton's, including illustrations! What a find. I enjoyed reading Mr. Bohen's discovery and was glad to see some of the illustrations reproduced for our enjoyment. The best part was where he said the papers still smelled of tobacco smoke. (See pages 5-6 of the latest [July/August 2007] issue.)

What?

I was reading Tremendous Trifles, and came across this astonishing and puzzling line:

"Chesterton's and Francis (sic) Blogg's marriage to Walt Whitman.

(Editorial note: Female Frances with an "e", male Francis with an "i")

What? Gilbert and Frances were never married to Walt Whitman, heaven forbid! It took several readings to understand the sentence:

"Peter's lengthy essays cover every topic imaginable, from the meaning of "Ordinary Time" to Chesterton's and Francis (sic) Blogg's marriage (missing comma here) to Walt Whitman.

Just one little missing comma. Tee hee!

Gilbert Here: Conference Issue Rocks!

I spent the better part of yesterday immersed in my Gilbert, reliving the glory days of June 2007, the people I met, the conversations I had, the beer I tried...looking at all the glorious pictures and remembering the fun of it all.

If I have one regret, its that I mentioned that Dawn Eden stutters. Could you all forget I said that, please? I think I might have hurt her feelings. Sorry, Dawn. Your talk was fantastic. I guess the stutter took me by surprise, your pictures just exude this generous and zippy personality, which, of course, can go along with a stutter...oh dear, I feel I'm just digging my hole bigger and better stop. It's kind of like GKC, when people mention his voice, they recall how soft spoken and high pitched his voice was, and based on his looks, it just didn't go. That's the kind of Chestertonian comparison I wanted to make. And Dawn is just as wise and intelligent as Chesterton.

Front cover: I feel I must mention to anyone not in attendance at the closing banquet that the "Chestertones" were just a complete cover for Anne-Sophie Olsen to show off her tremendous violin talent. The rest of them were all hacks.

See the picture of Dawn? Doesn't she just look friendly? Don't you just wish she lived next door?

Aidan Mackey. What a gentleman. What a wealth of Chestertonian knowledge. It was so fun to be able to ask him "anything".

Dale Ahlquist. What a cut up. If you never heard him talk about Chesterton, you might wonder if he ever takes life seriously. But then, he's a true Chestertonian, and knows how to take things "lightly"--a wonderful quality.

More notes....when I return to you here on Monday.

If you are on the Chesterton Society mail list...

you recently got a letter in the mail. As I'd previously mentioned, the letter informed us that quite soon (October) the membership fee will have to go up. You probably noticed that postage rates increased recently (we did) and that translates into $$ lost each issue of Gilbert magazine. In an effort to continue to gain readership (as we are celebrating 10--TEN!--years of publication) and to ensure that we continue to publish the magazine, the annual membership fee (which includes a subscription) will be increasing soon.

That means if you are thinking about joining, join now. If you are thinking about subscribing, subscribe now. If you are thinking about donating, donate now. If you are thinking about making a sandwich, go do it. Then come back and join.

Who is Roy F. Moore?

In a mysterious turn of events, a seret agent has informed the Blogmistress (me) of a thought-provoking mystery(?) in the latest Gilbert magazine. This agent believes the mistake might reveal a pseudonymoninous personage amonst the Gilbert writers.

After all, who is Roy F. Moore? Has anyone ever met him? At a conference, anywhere? Supposedly he wrote a column in this months issue about Distributism. (see page 34). But a careful reading of the Table of Contents either reveals an editing error, or.... (dah, dah, dah--sung in decending ominous-sounding tones) the truth.

I'm off to do laundry and I'll leave you to discuss.

Back to Gilbert

One of the columnists I particularly enjoy reading is Kyro Lansberger. And this month's "Finding a New Horizon" was partiularly good.

I love hearing how people stumbled upon Chesterton, and this is one of those stories. Well educated, well read, summa cum laude in political science; found himself in a Yugoslavian village and discovered he didn't know nothing. Discovers Chesterton. Well, read the column to find out how that happened.

Suffice it to say, Chesterton is Kyro's "New Horizon" and he finds its been expanding ever since. Yep.

The Return of the Angels

There is a reprint of an article in the latest Gilbert magazine which hasn't been seen for 104 years, from the Daily News, March 14, 1903. Unless you happen to have an old copy of the Daily News, of course.

I loved it, and thought what an amazing time it must have been to be able to read Gilbert regularly in print, writing stuff like this 104 years ago! Such logic and clear thinking! It explains his whole conversion to the faith, even though he wouldn't officially convert until 1922. Still, this shows his acceptance of Christianity as true in 1903. He also discusses the faith of religion and the faith of scientism, evolution, rationalism and reason. You could have a whole High school level course just on this one essay.

And that's one of the things I love about Chesterton. If you haven't yet, hurry and get your membership with subscription (ask to start with June/July 2007 so you can read this Daily News article, worth the price in my mind) before the rates go up, which, I warn you as one who knows, it is going to soon.

Are You A Fan of GKC?

I hadn't really considered myself a "fan" of Chesterton's, since he's dead, the term didn't seem to apply in my mind. However, Chris Chan's essay in the current issue of Gilbert Magazine has me thinking I am. If there weren't this group, this "fandom" of Chesterton's, I think he would be quite obscure today.

So, are you a fan?

Editorial

This Gilbert is the Summer Movie Edition. The editorial is about "The Trouble with Hollywood" and mentions three movies, Sunrise, The Crowd and Street Angel as among the greatest films ever made.

I've never heard of any of them, nor seen them. Anyone else? I may have to take a trip to Blockbuster.

My new Gilbert arrived!

Prepare to discuss tomorrow.

Cheese

I hope you are having lots of American food this 4th of July, to which I wish you a happy and safe holiday, including, but not limited to, cheese.

Speaking of cheese, --and how smoothly she throws that into this sentence, eh?--for those of you enamored with the poetry of our young man Rob at the closing banquet at the Chesterton Conference, a poem devoted to tales of cheese, and hoping to see or read that poem again, I have good news.

A member of our Society has been in direct contact with Rob and has ordered him to send his poem in for publication, which Gilbert magazine will directly publish. If you do not have a membership, which includes a subscription, now is the time for all good men (inclusive) to come to the aid of their Chesterton Society. Join. Read. Eat cheese. Thank you.