Ball and the Cross (Chesterton - Dover)

Author: G. K. Chesterton ISBN: 9780486288055 Binding: paperback Section: Fiction Like much of G. K. Chesterton's fiction, "The Ball and the Cross" is both witty and profound, cloaking serious religious and philosophical inquiry in sparkling humor and whimsy. Serialized in the British publication "The Commonwealth" in 1905-06, Chesterton's second novel first appeared in book form in America in 1909, delighting and challenging readers with its heady mixture of fantasy, farce, and theology. The plot of "The Ball and the Cross "chronicles a hot dispute between two Scotsmen, one a devout but naive Roman Catholic, the other a zealous but naive atheist. Their fanatically held opinions--leading to a duel that is proposed but never fought--inspire a host of comic adventures whose allegorical levels vigorously explore the debate between theism and atheism. Martin Gardner's superb introduction to "The Ball and the Cross" reveals the real-life debate between Chesterton and a famous atheist that pr