Tuesday, May 24, 2011

book talk: on chesterton, cheese and francophilia

By jove, if it isn't another Book Talk Tuesday!

On my dream (read: would-love-to-but-already-have-too-many-other-commitments-and-so-don't-have-enough-time-for-these-additions-to-the-list) summer reading list, there are the following books:


The G.K. Chesterton Biography. I mean, who wouldn't want to know more about the man who gave us such witty literary gems as:

"Fairy tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." 

and

"Without education, we are in a horrible and deadly danger of taking educated people seriously." 


and

"The word "good" has many meanings. For example, if a man were to shoot his grandmother at a range of five hundred yards, I should call him a good shot, but not necessarily a good man." 


right?!?


I want to read pretty much every book on Madame Fromage's Cheese-Reading List. She sure knows the way to my cheese-and-book-loving heart!


This book has been mentioned on a couple of other blogs, but it wasn't until I read Jamie's review on Charmingly Ordinary, that I decided I for sure wanted to read it. 

Looking back over today's list, I realize that there isn't any fiction (except for the Bulgakov on Mme. Fromage's list). What do you think--fiction: for or against? (or ambivilant?) I know what our friend Chesterton would say:

"Literature is a luxury; fiction is a necessity." 
— G.K. Chesterton

 Do you agree?

4 comments:

Cat said...

What lovely, powerful quotes...I adore the one about dragons! Must check this out :)

xx Cat brideblu

nic said...

mmhh, yes indeed. Mr. Chesterton never fails to excite my thinking...

Thanks for dropping by, Cat!

~nic

Jesse said...

Love Chesterton....but I've never been much of one for biographies....

nic said...

I know what you mean about biographies, jesse. I am not as much a fan of them as I am of memoir. Of course, if I had all the time in the world, I'd make myself read one now and then, you know, like making sure you have enough fiber in your diet ;)

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