Book Review: In Defense of Sanity by G. K. Chesterton
Chesterton has been to my 30’s what Ayn Rand was to my teens — an intellectual inspiration transcending social issues and politics. His work, particularly Orthodoxy, influenced my very epistemology changing how I evaluate fundamental ideas. Chesterton’s Fence has been a favorite heuristic in my work as a software consultant. I owe a lot of my good fortune in business and family life to his way of thinking.
And so for good reason I was long looking forward to diving into In Defense of Sanity. It sat on my book shelf for years while I read other authors attempting to broaden my horizons. Finally cracking it open recently felt like coming home after a long trip abroad. It may be no coincidence that this was not long after returning to the United States after six years of living in Japan.
In Defense of Sanity is an eminently satisfying and engrossing read for two reasons. Firstly, as a collection of short essays, it is incredibly accessible. Most of the articles are three to five pages, meaning you can get your fix between stops on the subway if need be. Secondly Chesterton’s style is just endlessly endearing. He is known as the master of paradox and whimsical turns of phrase for good reason. His style is extremely recognizable and easy to parody, much like Wes Anderson films. You could say he has a hipster-like quality as he generally positions himself as an outsider criticizing the foibles of modernity.
In truth though I don’t think Chesterton saw himself as a rebel or revolutionary. Rather he sought to stand up for the common man and the simple virtues of traditional life. This is the subtext of almost every essay in the book. With 67 essays total, it should go without saying that they are not all equally good. I dog-eared a lot of pages and noted six that I think are absolutely brilliant. There’s another ten or so that I would recommend to just about anyone interested in a critical view of modern culture. The rest are good but can get a bit stale if you read them one after another quickly. It is much like binge watching a TV show; if you’re not already a big fan it can get tiresome.
To call out a few of my favorites, I loved his analysis of Dickens in The Pickwick Papers. I always get a kick from writers writing about other writers. The Twelve Men, Babies and Distributism, and The Efficiency of the Police offer some of Chesterton’s best political, social, and economic commentary. It is truly admirable his talent for being a gadfly to both the utopian socialist left and the capitalist right in his criticisms of materialistic ideology.
There are lots of essays here I would recommend to people of all political persuasions. Christians in particular would do well to read this work and be reminded of the virtues of family life, humility, and loving thy neighbor. As Chesterton demonstrates these classic ideals do not require abandoning one’s faith and allowing modernism to run roughshod, but are in fact at the core of what makes life worth living. I am grateful to get that reminder where I am now in my own life, and most other readers will be too.
Grade: A-
