the 2007-2008

chesterton lecture series

Drawing by Roxolana Armstrong

ON G.K. CHESTERTON

Gilbert Keith Chesterton was born in London, England, in 1874. He received a classical education at St. Paul’s, London. Chesterton attended the Slade School of Art and became a journalist. During his career, which spanned decades, he produced over four thousand newspaper articles, over forty years of weekly newspaper columns, hundreds of poems, nearly two hundred short stories, several plays, and dozens of important books including The Man who was Thursday (1908), Orthodoxy (1908), The Everlasting Man (1922), St. Francis (1924), St. Thomas Aquinas: The Dumb Ox, (1933), and a series of beloved detective stories entitled, The Father Brown Mysteries.

Chesterton possessed a creative, insightful and encyclopedic mind. His works contributed to the study of history, philosophy, literary commentary, culture, and theology.

Chesterton’s writings inspired many of the leading minds of the twentieth century. He was read and admired by Gandhi, C. S. Lewis (who abandoned atheism after reading Chesterton’s The Everlasting Man), Ernest Hemingway, Evelyn Waugh, Agatha Christie, Orson Wells and many others. Etienne Gilson, the leading Medievalist of the twentieth century considered Chesterton’s biography of St. Thomas Aquinas as the finest work done on the Angelic Doctor. Clearly, Chesterton had a dramatic impact on twentieth century thought.

Unlike many academics trapped in their own sense of self-importance, Chesterton possessed a unique sense of self-deprecation and humor. His rotund physique and cigar smoking mannerisms betrayed a man of humility, laughter, and understanding.


Chesterton died in 1936 yet his vision of the world continues to provoke and inspire.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS SERIES

This series is designed to provide a forum for intellectual discussion and thought on culture, education, religion and ethics. It is sponsored by The Avalon School, an independent preparatory school for young men in grades three through twelve.

Founded in 2003, Avalon is dedicated to providing a classical education in the liberal arts tradition, and aims to ignite both the imagination and intellectual curiosity of each student.

Friday, October 26, 2007, 7:30 pm

Chuck Chalberg

"chesterton on islam "

Historian, professional re-enactor will take to the Avalon Stage once again, this time expounding on Chesterton's observations on Islam.

Reception

Q&A

Thursday, November 15, 2007, 7:30 pm

Taki Theodoracopulos

“Dishonesty in Public Discourse”

Taki is a Greek-born journalist and writer living in New York City, London and Switzerland. His column "High Life" has appeared in The Spectator for the past twenty-five years, and he has also written for National Review, the London Sunday Times, Esquire, Vanity Fair, the New York Press, and Quest Magazine, among others.

In 2002 Taki founded The American Conservative magazine with Pat Buchanan and Scott McConnell. He was also publisher of the British magazine Right Now!. He currently edits and writes for Taki's Top Drawer, an online magazine of "politics and culture".

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

George Marlin

George J. Marlin is the author/editor of ten books including Squandered Opportunities: New York’s Pataki Years (2006), The American Catholic Voter: Two Hundred Years of Political Impact (2004) and Fighting the Good Fight: A History of the New York Conservative Party (2002). In 1993, Mr. Marlin was the Conservative Party nominee for mayor of the City of New York, and in 1994 he served on Governor-elect Pataki's transition team. He served two terms as Executive Director and CEO of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. In that capacity he managed thirty-five facilities including the World Trade Center, LaGuardia, JFK, and Newark Airports, PATH Subway and the four bridges and two tunnels that connect New York and New Jersey. His articles have appeared in numerous periodicals including The New York Times, New York Post, National Review, Newsday, The Washington Times and the New York Daily News. Mr. Marlin is also general editor of The Collected Works of G.K. Chesterton.

Reception

Q&A

Check back for more Chesterton Series events

as they are scheduled.