The Wisdom of Father Brown - Softcover

The Wisdom of Father Brown is the second book in the series of cases involving the eccentric yet competent detective.

Invented by renowned author, essayist and journalist G. K. Chesterton, Father Brown is an amateur sleuth whose day job involves preaching to his congregation at church. Chesterton himself was a committed Christian who wrote volumes of essays and fiction surrounding faith and spirituality, and would base his Father Brown stories upon a priest - Father John O'Connor - he himself knew.

Despite its intention as a parody, the Father Brown books became a popular hit in early 20th century Britain as well as the USA. Today they remain a well-considered and much-liked classic series which fans of detective fiction return to more than a century after their original publication.

Characterised by his easily digestible style, ready use and exposure of paradox, and his use of wit and humour to advance argument, Chesterton's fiction and non-fiction writings on the topics of human behaviour and wider society remain relevant and poignant to this day.

G.K. Chesterton was born in 1874 in the district of Kensington - London, England. After studying art at the Slade School, and literature at University College in London, the young writer embarked on what was to become a daring and unique literary career. Although his greatest desire was to be known as a journalist, Chesterton would also author volumes of poetry, together with piercing criticisms of contemporary society and its views. His fiction works would sell well, with titles such as "The Man Who Was Thursday", a thriller combining espionage and metaphysics, and "The Everlasting Man", which chronicles mankind's spiritual journey. Following his authorship of many essays surrounding Christianity and Catholicism, Chesterton converted to Catholicism in 1922. The author is also popularly known for his Father Brown books - a priest and detective, this popular character first appeared in "The Innocence of Father Brown". Chesterton died of heart failure at home in 1936, and was posthumously lauded and venerated by figures both literary and religious. In the 21st century, he has been considered a possible figure for canonization for his ample writings on Christianity.