The Ball and the Cross

By: G. K. Chesterton

Narrated by: Gildart Jackson

Evan MacIan is a tall, dark-haired, blue-eyed Scottish Highlander and a devout Roman Catholic. James Turnbull is a short, red-haired, gray-eyed Lowlander and a devout but naïve atheist. The two meet when MacIan smashes the window of the street office where Turnbull publishes an atheist journal. This act of rage occurs when MacIan sees posted on the shop's window a sheet that blasphemes the Virgin Mary, presumably implying she was an adulteress who gave birth to an illegitimate Jesus.

When MacIan challenges Turnbull to a duel to the death, Turnbull is overjoyed. For 20 years, no one paid the slightest attention to his Bible bashing. Now at last someone is taking him seriously!

Public Domain (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Excellent

Oscar-level performance by reader. Highly entertaining. Well done. 1000 stars. The best it could’ve been.

If We Don't Fight About Some Things, We All Lose

Like The Napoleon of Notting Hill and The Man Who Was Thursday, this story is an existentially serious vision wrapped up in a breathtaking adventure. We’re shown where we were headed then (in 1909) and are headed (if not arrived at) now: a Brave New World where the elites make discussing faith – not to mention fighting about it – criminal.

“Marginalization” has become a buzz word of late, but in the case of religion – all religions – it’s been going on for a lot longer than most of us imagine, dampening essential discussions in what Father Richard John Neuhaus used to call “The Public Square”. The stark truth is, some things need to be fought about. Otherwise, we – everyone, atheists included – lose everything.

One reviewer has compared this book to Orwell’s vision, feeling that Chesterton got the jump on him. For me, Chesterton’s rational atheist James Turnbull rather resembles Orwell, a revolutionary who realizes in time the soulless future his longed-for revolution hoped to establish.

Gildart Jackson’s performance here could not be improved upon.

One of a kind

Any additional comments?

Surprising, clever, funny, and divinely thought provoking. Chesterton saw things about the world that we are still blind to. I highly recommend.

Most Remarkable Prophecy of the Previous Century

If The Everlasting Man was Chesterton getting the drop on all of modern apologetics. This is him outdoing Orwell before the poor sap was even able to hold a pen. If you want a story that looks into the effect of a world that is overcome by the spirit of the age, this is your stop. Some things are, in fact, worth fighting for.

A Great Read

Chesterton never disappoints, and the narrator added to the overall appeal of the book. I would highly recommend this audiobook.

Brilliant Classic

Parable adventure materialist rationalism vs Catholic way of life. Starts as a duel and ends in a madhouse.

Brilliant book

Chesterson is a master of paradox. From the main character not being able to explain why he broke the atheists window for blasphemy against the Virgin Mary when they won't let him talk about Religion. To the people wanting to let the atheist and the catholic fight a duel for a ladies honor but not for their beliefs.

Great storyteller!

Chesterton presents a discussion between atheist and a Christian in a very entertaining story. A short book and very much enjoyed.

Profoundly multilayered book

My first attempt at Chesterton fiction, and I was not at all disappointed. I love the way he weaved a compelling story and philosophical arguments together. I saw many fragments of orthodoxy and some of his other essays in parts of the story. The narrator was quite stilted and jarring at normal speed, but at 1.3x the speed, it was quite enjoyable.

Truly Extraordinary

Chesterton deftly weaves a parable that is uproariously delightful yet deeply sobering, unstintingly whimsical yet supercharged with Truth, and increasingly implausible - yet chillingly prophetic.