Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton
I was recommended the book by a friend when I was 18, and decided to read it since I knew of how profound an impact another Chesterton book (
The Everlasting Man) had played in C.S. Lewis's own conversion to Christianity (As Lewis wrote in
Surprised by Joy, "In reading Chesterton, as in reading MacDonald, I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful of his reading')
Orthodoxy, written when he was 34, recounts Chesterton embrace of orthodox Christianity (as "summarized in the Apostle's Creed"). I had difficulty at first adjusting to Chesterton's style, and indeed, it was a book that I had to go back to and contemplate in order to truly appreciate his arguments. But even the first time through I greatly enjoyed the verbal fireworks. It is perhaps his most quotable book (and considering he's one of the most quoted writers in the English language...). Intrigued by the book, I continued to read more of his books, and only later discovered that he was one of the
literary giants of the early 20th century
Chesterton has since become my favorite writer, and moreover, through Chesterton's works I have been introduced to many other writers whose views have influenced my outlook on life as well, writers I might never had even heard of had I not ever read Chesterton.
