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Father Brown
Father Brown: The Essential Tales
G. K. Chesterton’s Father Brown may seem a pleasantly doddering Roman Catholic priest, but appearances deceive. With keen observation and an unerring sense of man’s frailties–gained during his years listening to confessions–Father Brown succeeds in bringing even the most elusive criminals to justice.
This definitive collection of fifteen stories, selected by the American Chesterton Society, includes such classics as “The Blue Cross,” “The Secret Garden,” and “The Paradise of Thieves.” As P. D. James writes in her Introduction, “We read the Father Brown stories for a variety pleasures, including their ingenuity, their wit and intelligence, and for the brilliance of the writing. But they provide more. Chesterton was concerned with the greatest of all problems, the vagaries of the human heart.”
This definitive collection of fifteen stories, selected by the American Chesterton Society, includes such classics as “The Blue Cross,” “The Secret Garden,” and “The Paradise of Thieves.” As P. D. James writes in her Introduction, “We read the Father Brown stories for a variety pleasures, including their ingenuity, their wit and intelligence, and for the brilliance of the writing. But they provide more. Chesterton was concerned with the greatest of all problems, the vagaries of the human heart.”
258 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1935
About the author
G.K. Chesterton
3,556 books5,277 followersGilbert Keith Chesterton was an English writer, philosopher, lay theologian, and literary and art critic.
He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.
Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.
He was educated at St. Paul’s, and went to art school at University College London. In 1900, he was asked to contribute a few magazine articles on art criticism, and went on to become one of the most prolific writers of all time. He wrote a hundred books, contributions to 200 more, hundreds of poems, including the epic Ballad of the White Horse, five plays, five novels, and some two hundred short stories, including a popular series featuring the priest-detective, Father Brown. In spite of his literary accomplishments, he considered himself primarily a journalist. He wrote over 4000 newspaper essays, including 30 years worth of weekly columns for the Illustrated London News, and 13 years of weekly columns for the Daily News. He also edited his own newspaper, G.K.’s Weekly.
Chesterton was equally at ease with literary and social criticism, history, politics, economics, philosophy, and theology.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
February 9, 2016
I give "Father Brown, The Essential Tales" three stars because G.K. Chesterton is a talented writer, and there are some beautiful moments of prose in these stories. They are worth reading primarily for those reasons above all others. I would give this collection a 2 star if I were basing my recommendation on the plots and twists of the tales themselves. In detective stories that is a vital element, and here they are lacking.
As a character Father Brown is interesting, insightful, and has moments of extreme profundity. His observations about human nature can be keen and often times get to the heart of humanity. However, he comes to these insights in the midst of stories that are dated, at times very hackneyed, and often completely implausible. Obviously this serves to detract from the tales, and yanks the reader out of the world of the story too often for one to completely get immersed in, and thus, enjoy them.
I liked this collection fine, but it does not deserve the iconic status some heap on it. Each story starts out slow, and the casual reader will get bogged down in the English colloquialisms and in Chesterton's very formal style. If one gets past that, as I have already mentioned, the writing is a joy. Don't just expect much from the plot, and you will be fine.
In the introduction to this collection P.D. James recommends not reading this book in one sitting, but rather reading each story as a separate piece and coming back to it in that manner. I endorse that recommendation. I read a single tale each time I finished another book, and approaching it in that way made its flaws more easily digestible.
I am glad that Father Brown is now part of my literary knowledge, and the tales have some lovely moments. But I hesitate to make it out to be any more than that.
As a character Father Brown is interesting, insightful, and has moments of extreme profundity. His observations about human nature can be keen and often times get to the heart of humanity. However, he comes to these insights in the midst of stories that are dated, at times very hackneyed, and often completely implausible. Obviously this serves to detract from the tales, and yanks the reader out of the world of the story too often for one to completely get immersed in, and thus, enjoy them.
I liked this collection fine, but it does not deserve the iconic status some heap on it. Each story starts out slow, and the casual reader will get bogged down in the English colloquialisms and in Chesterton's very formal style. If one gets past that, as I have already mentioned, the writing is a joy. Don't just expect much from the plot, and you will be fine.
In the introduction to this collection P.D. James recommends not reading this book in one sitting, but rather reading each story as a separate piece and coming back to it in that manner. I endorse that recommendation. I read a single tale each time I finished another book, and approaching it in that way made its flaws more easily digestible.
I am glad that Father Brown is now part of my literary knowledge, and the tales have some lovely moments. But I hesitate to make it out to be any more than that.
November 29, 2012
"Chesterton inherited from the aesthetes of the 1880s and 1890s the conviction hat a writer should be continuously 'bright' and epigrammatic...When he is really enthralled by a subject he is brilliant, without any doubt one of the finest aphorists in English literature." -- W.H. Auden
As P.D James writes in her introduction "Gilbert Keith Chesterton...was a man of letters*." By this she means that G.K. Chesterton is one of those authors who prolifically earned his living solely by what he wrote. He was poet, playwright, short story writer, intellectual thinker and novelist and onto that many have named him a Catholic apologist, theologian and debater. And he was an author who inspired C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien in their own patterns of thinking. Not only this he is noted for having been a fine critic and theorist in regards to other literary texts. As T.S. Elliot wrote, "there is not better critic living of Dickens himself than Mr. Chesterton." However of all his work, and having recently encountered G.K. Chesterton I have discovered that he wrote a vast library of work, it is his short stories featuring Father Brown which remain the most relevant to today's audiences even if his criticism of Dickens has influenced current academic thought on Dickens.
"[Father Brown] is one of the greatest of all great detective figures." -- Kingsley Amis
This volume is not one of the 'canon' collections of Father Brown. By this I mean that it is not one of the original collections of stories. Rather it is a collection of some of the finer tales about Father Brown. In my view it is an excellent collection to allow anyone to get into the world of Father Brown. The stories seem to appear in chronological order and each story is brilliant. I'll give you three reasons you must look at these stories, three things that draw me into any novel.
The writing
"But even if a single story disappoints, the quality of the writing never does. Chesterton never wrote an inelegant or clumsy sentence. The Father Brown stories are written in a style richly complex, imaginative, vigorous, poetic and spiced with paradoxes. He was an artist as well as a writer and he sees life with an artist's eye." -- P.D James 'the Introduction'"
I often, I must admit, skip through Introductions if they appear over long and tedious to read. I feel I need to read through the text first before looking at the theories and ideas apparent in the introduction. However in this case P.D. James wrote such a compelling introduction that I read it all the way through before starting a single story. Not only a compelling introduction, might I add, but a truthful one.
G.K. Chesterton writes incredibly beautifully. Beautiful is a word thrown around casually now but never is it truer than when applied to Chesterton's writing. His work is so precise and neat, his thought and genius incredibly apparent in every word. In many ways he is like Peake with his Gormenghast novels, albeit writing in a less florid manner and with less elongated words. However in his construction Chesterton is superb. Grammatically and punctually he is as close to perfect as a man can get in my view.
The themes
"In one respect G.K. Chesterton was ahead of his time. He was one of the first writers of detective fiction to realize that this popular genre could be a vehicle for exploring and exposing the condition of society and of saying something true about human nature." -- P.D James 'the Introduction'"
G.K. Chesterton does not write a traditional mystery novel. Yes there are murders, thefts and police. Yes there is crime. However what he looks at are the crimes beyond the crimes. The 'sinful' acts committed by men and women. Those emotional and moral attitudes which are behind the actual physical deed. Think what you like about Catholicism or Christianity, these are stories which anyone who likes to think about mystery and the human condition should read.
One fascinating aspect of the themes are evident in how in his stories Chesterton connects the characters to the themes. He makes care to draw out what the character's beliefs are. He indicates what their prejudices and desires might be due to their world views. He challenges how our beliefs lead us to do many different things in other words. And it is not atheists and agnostics who commit all the crimes. Many of the crimes are committed by the Christians in his tales. Thus he shows that all people can commit crimes, that no one is exempt from the law.
The characters
As mentioned, Chesterton bases his characters around their beliefs. Aside from that he makes enigmatic and eccentric characters who are fascinating to observe. Not only that the characters do not exist in a black and white morality but are nuanced and develop across the stories. Many of the reoccurring characters may change their opinions from book to book. A crook may become a hero. A hero may become a crook. In this way Chesterton shows the changeable nature of people and reveals with his characters a snapshot of the extraordinariness of everyday life.
The descriptions are first class. Chesterton mixes two description techniques excellently. At times he will fully flesh out a location, character or place and then at others he will write simply, allowing the reader to identify for themselves what a character is like. However he always writes in a way that links his characters to something unforgettable about them. Whether that be a jacket or hat they wear, some odd facial hair or even something about their posture.
In conclusion...
In a world where nearly anyone can publish books I would love to see more authors like G.K. Chesterton. People who write intellectually, challengingly and influentially. I'm not criticising self-publishing. I have found some excellent self-published books (I have also heard rumours of some terrible books from both self-publishing and publishing sources). What I merely question is how easily we allow books to get published in our times for the quick dollar. I know not everyone releases books for that reason but that's what marketing books is all about now sadly. It would be a shame if we could never see such authors as G.K. Chesterton again. Writers who write for artistic reasons and create stories with ideas and the aim to show something about the world.
I fully recommend you read any of The Father Brown short stories. They are excellent literature, some of the best mystery short stories I have found. In fact some of the best short stories around. Father Brown is a great mystery figure and Chesterton's work is grand inspiration. I think he deserves a place among the greats of literature for that reason. I also recommend his The Man Who Was Thursday.
*I only skipped the historical information about his date of birth for this quote, honestly!
March 11, 2012
The original Sherlock character, Father Brown is both humble priest and solver of mysteries. Chesterton affirms the nature of a "mind like Christ" through Father Brown, who demonstrates both strict reason and spiritual/philosophical truths in perceiving the true nature of men and women.
Here is one thing I loved about Father Brown. Where most crime-fighters and heroes in literature seem eager to see the law and enforce it, Father Brown's approach to both the innocent and guilty are different. Be assured that he is no morally ambiguous or passive anti-hero, but he is a hero who is humble, unambitious, serving, concerned with the spiritual consequences of the guilty. He does not punish in his justice, but guides the guilty towards their confession and acceptance of the reward for their crimes.
His Christian orientation shows in other ways that are just delightful. In one of my favorite scenes, he calls upon one of the greatest scientific minds in Europe. It has been 14 years since this great scientist was last called upon to consult, and this by the King of England himself. His astonishment that a pudgy local priest would presume to disturb him at his home for advice on the suitability in marriage of two local villagers is mirrored only by Father Brown's own astonishment at him.
"You see, they want to get married," said the man with the clerical hat. "Maggie MacNab and young Todhunter want to get MARRIED. Now, what can be more important that that?"
This book includes only a few of the short stories that compromise the complete collection, which numbers 5 books.
Here is one thing I loved about Father Brown. Where most crime-fighters and heroes in literature seem eager to see the law and enforce it, Father Brown's approach to both the innocent and guilty are different. Be assured that he is no morally ambiguous or passive anti-hero, but he is a hero who is humble, unambitious, serving, concerned with the spiritual consequences of the guilty. He does not punish in his justice, but guides the guilty towards their confession and acceptance of the reward for their crimes.
His Christian orientation shows in other ways that are just delightful. In one of my favorite scenes, he calls upon one of the greatest scientific minds in Europe. It has been 14 years since this great scientist was last called upon to consult, and this by the King of England himself. His astonishment that a pudgy local priest would presume to disturb him at his home for advice on the suitability in marriage of two local villagers is mirrored only by Father Brown's own astonishment at him.
"You see, they want to get married," said the man with the clerical hat. "Maggie MacNab and young Todhunter want to get MARRIED. Now, what can be more important that that?"
This book includes only a few of the short stories that compromise the complete collection, which numbers 5 books.
July 25, 2024
It feels a little sacrilegious to give my first Chesterton read only two stars, but I didn’t really like it and I don’t plan to read it again, so there you have it. The prose is great, but the characters and plots could not hold my attention in the least, and I had to drag myself through to the end. They were too short to be a great mystery and too long to be a great riddle. There are some great lines here, but I’d rather just read them in a book of aphorisms than read the stories again. It felt to me like Chesterton had ideas he wanted to get across here, not stories he wanted to tell.
August 22, 2017
Unlike Dupin, Holmes, or Poirot, Father Brown is not an extraordinary person. He is the exact definition of a dull and ordinary man caught in extraordinary circumstances-- again and again, against all likelihood or plausibility. Nor does he claim to be a detective of any sort, not even amateur. His practice is not the science behind a crime but the experience of human behavior, and examining unspoken motives. Though not every story necessarily a gem, Chesterton's tales of Brown are a thing of genius, and the tradition has yet to faithfully followed.
May 3, 2024
Father Brown: The Essential Tales is supposed to be a "definitive collection" of fifteen of the Father Brown mysteries (short stories) by G. K. Chesterton, selected by the American Chesterton Society and with an introduction by P. D. James.
If you don't know about Father Brown, he's this little priest who uses his knowledge of human nature to solve crimes. But this being Chesterton, the writing is rich and lyrical and Father Brown is definitely not a conventional detective. He takes leaps of logic that end up making sense because it follows the human heart.
These stories are really more about the human condition as Chesterton saw it than a normal mystery. The writing is a lot more lyrical than something by say, Agatha Christie (who I also love dearly) and contains sentences like:
And
Father Brown is the central figure in all these stories. Occasionally, someone called Flambeau will appear, first as a master thief and then as a semi-private detective (and Father Brown's friend). But there isn't a Watson or Hastings, so it's best not to expect one. Of Flambeau, he is once described (as he packs for a boat journey):
Which I think is a wonderful description of him. My favourite stories definitely feature him.
I think the Father Brown stories are for fans of Chesterton, for people who already like Orthodoxy or The Man Who Was Thursday. While I adore his writing, I realise it's not for everyone so you may want to try a story or two before deciding if you want to read the whole book.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
If you don't know about Father Brown, he's this little priest who uses his knowledge of human nature to solve crimes. But this being Chesterton, the writing is rich and lyrical and Father Brown is definitely not a conventional detective. He takes leaps of logic that end up making sense because it follows the human heart.
These stories are really more about the human condition as Chesterton saw it than a normal mystery. The writing is a lot more lyrical than something by say, Agatha Christie (who I also love dearly) and contains sentences like:
"A man who does next to nothing but hear men's real sons is not likely to be wholly unaware of human nature."
And
"Humility is the mother of giants. One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak.
[...]
'I know a man,' he said, 'who began by worshipping with others before the altar, but who grew fond of high and lonely places to pray from, corners or niches in the belfry or the spire. And in one of those dizzy places, where the whole world seemed to turn under him like a wheel, his rained turned also and he fancied he was God. So that though he was a good man, he committed a great crime.' "
Father Brown is the central figure in all these stories. Occasionally, someone called Flambeau will appear, first as a master thief and then as a semi-private detective (and Father Brown's friend). But there isn't a Watson or Hastings, so it's best not to expect one. Of Flambeau, he is once described (as he packs for a boat journey):
"Flambeau had stocked it with such things as his special philosophy considered necessary. They reduced themselves, apparently, to four essentials: tins of salmon, if he should want to eat; loaded revolvers, if he should want to fight, a bottle of brandy, presumably in case he should faint; and a priest, presumably in case he should die."
Which I think is a wonderful description of him. My favourite stories definitely feature him.
I think the Father Brown stories are for fans of Chesterton, for people who already like Orthodoxy or The Man Who Was Thursday. While I adore his writing, I realise it's not for everyone so you may want to try a story or two before deciding if you want to read the whole book.
This review was first posted at Inside the mind of a Bibliophile
May 5, 2008
Nobody does notice the postman. Chesterton is a keen observer of 'us.' Always a bit of a moral included, as well as a word or two of true wisdom. Though the stories are dated in their physical social setting, they are a bit more than just fun reads. Recommended.
December 13, 2022
This is the first of Chesterton's work that I've ever read. Being a fan of the television adaptation, it was surprising and interesting to discover how very different from the stories it is. (In my opinion, the TV series is a huge improvement.) I'm afraid I'm not a fan of Chesterton's flowery, antiquated style - particularly his dialogue - although he excels at creating atmosphere. The stories are clever, however, and become more to the point near the end of the volume. I thought "The Head of Caesar" and "The Strange Crime of John Boulnois" were the best of the bunch.
January 30, 2021
Chesterton is the man to read when you feel at odds with the world around you. When you wonder how suffering can lead to joy.
These stories are no exception. They are gems.
These stories are no exception. They are gems.
August 12, 2020
My rating 4.5
This book of short stories was enjoyable. My absolute favourite of them often included Flambeau. He’s just such an intriguing character, alongside the quaint Father Brown, and I found myself wishing him to be in every story. The good news is, he’s in plenty. The manner in which setting and character development was written was well done. Poetic even. I recommend this, especially if, like me, you haven’t the opportunity to dedicate to reading a full length novel all the time. I’d set this one down after reading one story and pick it up again to get lost in the mystery of another at a different time.
This book of short stories was enjoyable. My absolute favourite of them often included Flambeau. He’s just such an intriguing character, alongside the quaint Father Brown, and I found myself wishing him to be in every story. The good news is, he’s in plenty. The manner in which setting and character development was written was well done. Poetic even. I recommend this, especially if, like me, you haven’t the opportunity to dedicate to reading a full length novel all the time. I’d set this one down after reading one story and pick it up again to get lost in the mystery of another at a different time.
July 29, 2024
This one took me longer to get through than I’d expected. Father Brown, the character, is a pretty great concept, but I came away feeling like it was a slog to get through the Chesterton. My apologies if you love Chesterton, but I wasn’t feeling it. He considers himself witty and insightful; and that gets old fast. Also all the characters speak in Chesterton’s voice right down to the racial stereotypes! Stereotypes of THEMSELVES sometimes, no less! That was a thing. He also says nasty things about Presbyterians.
The mysteries are… fine. They do usually have a surprise twist, but overall the plots seemed a little time-worn. Mysteries are a pretty mature genre at this point.
The mysteries are… fine. They do usually have a surprise twist, but overall the plots seemed a little time-worn. Mysteries are a pretty mature genre at this point.
May 5, 2024
Father Brown is a Roman Catholic priest who is short in stature, clumsy, and all together blends into the furniture. However, Father Brown also solves crimes. He stars in shortstories that were originally serialized in newspapers between 1910 and 1936.
These stories are extremely well-written in terms of the language itself. The mysteries are compelling without being super macabre, and Father Brown as a character is a great detective. I've heard the 53 or so stories vary in quality, but this anthology is a very good collection of mysteries.
These stories are extremely well-written in terms of the language itself. The mysteries are compelling without being super macabre, and Father Brown as a character is a great detective. I've heard the 53 or so stories vary in quality, but this anthology is a very good collection of mysteries.
March 13, 2021
A charming collection of short stories featuring the benign little crime-solver, Father Brown. G.K. Chesterton’s writing and storytelling is first rate.
September 9, 2022
The last story is the best one.
April 6, 2015
Rather gentle murder mysteries steeped in Englishness. I wouldn't say these are light (there are after all corpses), but the stories offer little intensity of emotion and minimal character development. The introduction is excellent (I learned much about Chesterton that I did not know) and the second story, "The Secret Garden," was startling, but if I want English mysteries I think I would opt for Dorothy Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey.
April 17, 2016
An utter disappointment. I'd heard about Chesterton's Father Brown stories over the years, but had never read any until now.
These are supposed to be mystery stories, but the solutions are almost uniformly trite or inane. That would be ok if the characterizations were worthwhile. Unfortunately, Father Brown is an empty stick figure and his sometime sidekick, Flambeau, doesn't come close to being a Watson.
I won't be returning to Father Brown.
These are supposed to be mystery stories, but the solutions are almost uniformly trite or inane. That would be ok if the characterizations were worthwhile. Unfortunately, Father Brown is an empty stick figure and his sometime sidekick, Flambeau, doesn't come close to being a Watson.
I won't be returning to Father Brown.
April 4, 2016
This is a collection of fifteen short stories featuring the Catholic priest, Father Brown, as he is called upon to solve a variety of mysteries. While dated, they are still an excellent read.
September 4, 2016
Very enjoyable, sometimes showing their age, some stories more clever and better than others but always very well written. Glad to have more insight into the classics of the mystery genre.
June 26, 2017
Everything about this book delighted me. The combination of intricate old-school mystery and solid Catholic theology could not have been purer catnip. Chesterton buries beautiful morals in his stories, and I swooned over lines like "You attacked reason. It's bad theology." There's a straightforwardness to these stories and Father Brown's faith, which don't require the reader to be religious (and in fact reward reason over superstition), but which certainly feel affirming if you happen to be Catholic. Much as I love conflict, challenge, and moral / philosophical demandingness in the books I read, reading this felt like relaxing with a circle of understanding girlfriends who might push the occasional difficult issue but mostly make you feel you're doing pretty well with your life. I dragged it out as long as I could, and I'm terribly sorry it's over.
As to this specific edition and its collection of stories, it seemed pretty thorough and the stories included were wonderful. I haven't read any other Father Brown collections, so I don't have much grounds for comparison.
As to this specific edition and its collection of stories, it seemed pretty thorough and the stories included were wonderful. I haven't read any other Father Brown collections, so I don't have much grounds for comparison.
April 22, 2020
These 15 essential tales of the inimitable Father Brown are treasures. I have watched the series on BBC for years, so when I received this book as a gift, I was so glad to read them. These tales are very good indeed. As much as I enjoy the television series, these tales are superior. Very, very tricky and smart, and the real fictional Father Brown is very different from the on-screen one. When I read short stories I like to pick one that I liked the most. In this book it was The Man in the Passage. This is one that I couldn't come close to figuring out. It's very tricky and as with all these stories, very well-written. It is also quite hilariously funny. The characters are so well-described, even in a story of a few pages. This I think is Chesterston's genius. He says everything that needs to be said in as few well-chosen, descriptive words as possible. These are very literary little stories, and they are sure to entertain anyone who enjoys insightful and entertaining mysteries.
March 18, 2024
A friend of mine has read all of the Father Brown stories and really liked them, so I decided it was time for me to experience these classics for myself. The Complete Stories was checked out of my library, so I started with The Innocence of Father Brown and this book. Because there's considerable overlap between the two compilations, I had already read approximately half of the stories in this book before I started it.
These stories were written around 1917, so it was to be expected that the style would be old-fashioned. Yet the Sherlock Holmes short stories were written approximately 35 years earlier, and Agatha Christie's works were written at approximately the same time, and that writing doesn't seem as stilted. The mysteries are somewhat interesting, and the solutions are surprising, but descriptions are overblown and the philosophizing becomes hard to take.
I still haven't decided whether or not to request The Complete Stories.
These stories were written around 1917, so it was to be expected that the style would be old-fashioned. Yet the Sherlock Holmes short stories were written approximately 35 years earlier, and Agatha Christie's works were written at approximately the same time, and that writing doesn't seem as stilted. The mysteries are somewhat interesting, and the solutions are surprising, but descriptions are overblown and the philosophizing becomes hard to take.
I still haven't decided whether or not to request The Complete Stories.
October 9, 2017
Chesterton moralizes and proselytizes with a hammer (condemning his vicious characters, but also, more subtly, those of his readers who don't share his Catholic perspective). He is an undeniably gifted writer, and these gifts are on display here, but though his prose style is admirable, his storytelling is dry and tedious. The would-be Chesterton reader might consider looking elsewhere before this collection. The Man Who Was Thursday, for instance, displays a shrewdness and subtlety entirely lacking in the Father Brown stories—the storytelling in the former is far more energetic and whimsical.
As P.D. James notes in the introduction, Father Brown is good in small doses. The character of Brown is delightfully charming for 50 pages or so. He becomes tedious after more than that.
As P.D. James notes in the introduction, Father Brown is good in small doses. The character of Brown is delightfully charming for 50 pages or so. He becomes tedious after more than that.
November 5, 2022
Chesterton's unassuming and gentle Roman Catholic priest/detective is easily one of my favorite literary creations. Working in the medium of mystery stories, the detective is usually swarthy, brilliant, enigmatic, and eccentric; bar the brilliance, Father Brown is none of these. He uses his clumsy, quiet nature in a beautiful way to shock everyone around him with his wondrously rational explanations of seemingly impossible circumstances. But, what makes him so brilliant is his understanding of the human spirit, and his simple, yet mysterious faith. Also, his little comic quips are wonderful. Loved these stories.
High recommendation to any interested in fun mystery or Inklings-esque writing.
High recommendation to any interested in fun mystery or Inklings-esque writing.
March 5, 2023
This collection of stories was a fun read. I appreciate P.D. James introduction because of the tips on approaching the book. I went into it knowing that some stories I wouldn’t like as much as others, which I did find to be the case. He also mentions that these stories should be savored slowly one at a time and not read too quickly and I’m glad I took that advice to heart. They are interesting tales to read when you don’t have a lot of time to read (each story took me about 20-30 minutes to read). Or to read in between other books. Some stories I would give 5 stars, others not so much. Some of them I found difficult to understand and others I felt ended too abruptly. Overall I enjoyed most of them and the character of Father Brown and his personality was very enjoyable.
December 6, 2021
This was my first Chesterton read. How to review it? Unsure, I paraphrased. From the Biographical Note: Of the more than fifty Father Brown stories, some may not appeal, and some will be your favorites, but the quality of the writing never disappoints, Chesterton never wrote a clumsy or inelegant sentence. From the Introduction by P. D. James: From his romantic view of England, his deep faith, and his teeming imagination, he created a unique amateur detective.
Of the fifteen stories in this collection, my head and shoulders favorite was The Blue Cross, followed by The Secret Garden, which Chesterton selected for inclusion in A Century of Detective Stories.
Of the fifteen stories in this collection, my head and shoulders favorite was The Blue Cross, followed by The Secret Garden, which Chesterton selected for inclusion in A Century of Detective Stories.
August 31, 2018
Collection of short mystery stories that can each be read in a sitting . Chesterton has a way of turning a phrase which makes the descriptive parts of the reading entertaining. The mysteries themselves are well designed. At least in this collection, Father Brown himself is so boring he is almost an anti-hero. He has none of the quirks of say Poirot or Holmes, but the humility and humor his author endowed him are enjoyable if subtle.
April 7, 2019
Father Brown is a lovable character. He gives the impression of being a quiet, unnoticeable person, who is far to ecclesiastical to understand real life. However, he has a sharp brain behind his saintly demeanour that can trip up the unwary and astound the rest.
I can't help picturing Kenneth More as Father Brown, even though I have seen the good priest portrayed more recently on television by Mark Williams.
All in all, a good read, especially if you're not keen on violent stories.
I can't help picturing Kenneth More as Father Brown, even though I have seen the good priest portrayed more recently on television by Mark Williams.
All in all, a good read, especially if you're not keen on violent stories.
April 20, 2020
I love Chesteron's writing style, and the prose alone made the book worth reading. Like most collections, the stories themselves were hit or miss, but a few of them were quite good. A few of them have also not aged well and there were some cringeworthy moments as well.
Overall, the collection was a decent read, with some fantastic writing and some piercing insights about human nature that were offset by implausible mysteries.
Overall, the collection was a decent read, with some fantastic writing and some piercing insights about human nature that were offset by implausible mysteries.
September 27, 2020
Wonderfully clever stories about the sleuthing exploits of Father Brown by the great English Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton. The style is a little dated, and some stories are better than others, but all in all a very enjoyable way to wind down before drifting off to sleep and blissful dreams of Father Brown, armed with nothing more than his umbrella and his quick wit, in hot pursuit of his nemesis Flambeau.
June 16, 2022
So glad that I was able to get my hands on a copy of this book! There were at least four storylines that I recognized as being reformatted for the TV series! The book certainly stretched my vocabulary! I love the Father Brown character both in print and in audio visual format! I am glad to see that Flambeau has been tweaked in the TV series to be more like the Flambeau of the short stories, not so rough and tough and violent as he was in season one!
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