A book about how to be good in a world that may not be.

A brilliant book -- read it instantly.

Superb plot, stunning writing, gives you Chesterton's patented ethical vertigo when you begin to wonder whether he hates anarchists or sympathizes with them. (This was the era of the Haymarket riot.)

Unlike C.S. Lewis' Narnia books (a pale shadow compared to this work) you do not have to be Christian to enjoy the depth and power of this book.

Very, very highly recommended. (And very influential on later Fantasy.) ( )

It would probably be best to get hit by a bus just before you get to the end of this book. Tense chase sequences and a quickly increasing desire to find out exaclty what is going on are let down by the ridiculous half baked ending.
A good yarn but the exciting romp through europe and london only lead to disapointment and a little bit of anger. ( )

On the cover of The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare, there's a sentence from a review by Kingsley Amis where he calls this book "The most thrilling book I have ever read." Clearly, strong recommendations from well-known authors can be a powerful selling tool, but I'll admit, it was the rest of the cover that sold me on this book. You can't always judge by it, sure, but you can certainly be reeled in by an attractive one. Look at this! Can you feel the energy? It's a small little volume, too, but on paper that's more appealing than the usual mass-market paperback. The crisp white and the stark black and red... Hats off to the art department at Penguin. Something about this small volume called to me and after reading the back cover description, I knew this was going to be good.

The best way that I've found to describe this book is that it feels like you're reading a car chase. In a good way. No, the whole book is not a car chase (though there is a car chase at one point), but it's a fantastic thriller that had me riveted as it raced through twists and turns in the plot, which featured poets, anarchy, and the question of what makes reality.

G.K. Chesterton published this book in 1908 and it opens on the meeting of two poets in turn of the century London -- Lucian Gregory and Gabriel Syme. Gregory loses his temper when Syme suggests that Gregory is not a true anarchist. So to prove his commitment to anarchy, Gregory extracts a vow of silence from Syme and then takes him to a secret meeting of anarchists... only to find (after Syme requests a similar promise from Gregory) that Syme is part of a secret anti-anarchy group of Scotland Yard. The two are at an impasse, unable to expose the other, and so Gregory is completely at a loss when Syme gives a rousing speech at the meeting and the secret agent is elected to serve as the local representative (called "Thursday") on the worldwide Central Council of Anarchists. And this is only the beginning as Syme joins the Council and meets its president, Sunday, who comes to represent all that Syme is battling against in this world.

Wikipedia will tell you that Adam Gopnik ran a piece in The New Yorker which described this book as "one of the hidden hinges of twentieth-century writing, the place where, before our eyes, the nonsense-fantastical tradition of Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear pivots and becomes the nightmare-fantastical tradition of Kafka and Borges." Even 101 years later, I could feel that this was that missing literary link that finally made me understand how the jump to writing and appreciating Kafka's work was made possible. That tradition of literature was never my focus, and I feel that had I been asked to read this before Kafka in school, I could have found a more coherent place for it in the sequence of literary styles. I had always been dissatisfied with explanations of how Kafka brought forth such a surreal narrative, fully-formed in its own unique style, a man suddenly made insect. I knew there must have been some premonitory clue, and here I feel as though I've stumbled upon something that makes that a little clearer. Though it seems amusing to use the term "clarity" here, as the simultaneous trust in and distrust of reality is what makes it all terrifying/fascinating.

Oh, and it might be narcissistic, but I'm always going to have a small affinity for a book that treats redheads with respect. There's a fantastic line that you can bet I'll remember: "My red hair, like red flames, shall burn up the world." Awesome. And I'll leave you with an early paragraph where Syme is speaking with Gregory's sister that I particularly enjoyed:

He stared and talked at the girl's red hair and amused face for what seemed to be a few minutes; and then, feeling that the groups in such a place should mix, rose to his feet. To his astonishment, he discovered the whole garden empty. Everyone had gone long ago, and he went himself with a rather hurried apology. He left with a sense of champagne in his head, which he could not afterwards explain. In the wild events which were to follow, this girl had no part at all; he never saw her again until all his tale was over. And yet, in some indescribable way, she kept recurring like a motive in music through all his mad adventures afterwards, and the glory of her strange hair ran like a red thread through those dark and ill-drawn tapestries of the night. For what followed was so improbable that it might well have been a dream. ( )

Read at Project Gutenberg. I do believe this is one of the weirdest stories I have ever encountered. ( )

i was able to download this audiobook through itunes and it was pretty interesting. It was my first time reading, rather listening to such an intense and off the subject book. If came to me as a surprise. I had a difficult time understanding a few things, but i was able to finish the book without hesitation, so i would say its a good one... ( )

I've never read anything by Chesterton, but I found his caricature of anarchists circa 1900 to be amusing. He seemed to me to have somewhat of a negative view of anarchists, typical of the bomb-throwing nihilist stereotype that originated during that time. The wikipedia entry seems to indicate that the anarchism in the book was primarily a metaphor for a rebellion against God. That is more than likely the intention from what I know of Chesterton's other work.I found the writing to be unusually entertaining, which may indicate that I am starved for masterful literary works, but I suspect that Chesterton is an exceptional writer by any standard. ( )

It has been several years since I picked up a mystery novel and this is my first Chesterton read. My copy deleted the full title, "...A Nightmare" which is unfortunate because it gave some a hint to the complex, vibrant and paradoxical tone of the book - everything a good mystery should be. Not the nail-biting sort and without a complex ending, however, it remains a literary treat to be indulged and is refreshing to read. ( )

There are good books, and ones that knock your socks off. This one knocks your socks off. Bizarre plot and incredible writing and a deep theme make this a great book. ( )

You've got to be curious about any book described as a "surreal anarchist fantasy" (Wordsworth edition introduction). I was pleased to find the classic wit of Chesterton on every page.

This book's paradoxical. Chesterton's writing is expansive and leisurely, yet the pace of the mystery is breathtaking at times. It's difficult to find a writer who can make paragraph length blocks of dialogue come alive so effortlessly.

The plot itself is very curious. The story's about a group of seven anarchists (named after the days of the week), who have been infiltrated by a spy from Scotland Yard. I hesitate to share any more lest I give too much of the plot away. By the last couple chapters, I found myself questioning how Chesterton could possibly bring such a tale a fitting conclusion without being predictable. He exceeded my expectations. I'll return to that last chapter more than once to let it sink in.

Chesterton's at his best: relaxing and thrilling, silly and profound. The entire narrative is laced with Christian symbolism that comes to a poignant theological head without sounding preachy. This is a great summer read. ( )

The question "What is your favorite book?" has always been impossible for me to answer, but this is the only book I have ever felt comfortable defaulting to. I've read it at least a half a dozen times since I discovered a copy of it in a used bookstore when I was in middle school; I will probably reread it a dozen more in the next ten years. I get something different out of it every time I reread it.

The story itself makes no sense, until you come back to the subtitle: A Nightmare. Like a dream, or a nightmare, there is a thread of sense beneath the nonsense, and the mad escapades of the Supreme Anarchist Council are some how more deeply real even in their absurdity. One could call the story a parable, or a fable, but like the costumes worn by the protagonists toward the end of the book, the disguised elements of the story serve only to reveal more of its inner truth.

This book is full of great quotes and is one of the finer examples of Chesterton's witty and unique style of storytelling. Like quite a lot of his fiction, it is a story with Christian meaning woven into it; it's not necessary to be a practicing Christian to understand or get something out of the story, but some of the allegory may escape a reader who is unfamiliar with the basics of the book of Genesis.

When I finish this book I always feel a little bit bewildered, sort of mentally out of breath. I usually end up reading it in one or two sittings, propelled irresistibly toward the fantastic (in the original sense of the word) conclusion.This book defies genre, plot summary, and most attempts at interpretation, so all I can say is that you should read it for yourself, and see what you make of it. ( )

Based on a dream Chesterton had after eating too much lobster pizza. Prose so purple no one has ever had to write such purple prose again. ( )

This book is part thriller, part fantasy, and even part comedy. It is certainly a strange combination, and not always successful.
The was written during a time of anarchist bombings in London, and takes the core idea of the plot from those events. Detective Syme is assigned by Scotland Yard to infiltrate a group of anarchists. Each man is named for a day of the week. As he gets to know the men, he begins to fear for his safety. But the more he learns, the more he realizes none of them are exactly what they appear to be on the surface.
The complete title of this novella is The Man Who Was Thursday: A Nightmare. I think one must keep that in mind when reading, as the events and situations can come at the reader at near breakneck speed.
The book's ending was a bit disappointing, but overall I will give this one 3-1/2 stars. ( )

Gabriel Syme, a poet about town, is recruited by Scotland Yard to infiltrate the anarchist movement. He is introduced through his friend Lucian Gregory into anarchist circles, where he surprisingly elected to the European Council of Anarchists, a group of seven men each known merely by a day of the week, led by the fearsome Sunday. However, as Syme gets to know his co-conspirators, he discovers that none is what he first appears. As a result, his safety appears increasingly under threat, or will he be able to foil Sunday?

It is worth noting the subtitle of this novel, because this isn't the place for gritty realism. Syme's life becomes increasingly bizarre, resulting in an utterly surreal climax that, whilst it might be trying to make a point, isn't very satisfactory. As a result, this is an uneasy mixture of thriller - and there are some tense chase sequences - and the fantastical.

All in all, a very peculiar little book, which I suppose is why, 100 years after its original publication, it is still in print. ( )

Um polícia infiltra-se num grupo anarquista cujos membros têm como nomes os dias da semana e procura impedi-lo de concretizar o seu plano malévolo. Uma vez no grupo, infiltrado sob o nome de Quinta-Feira, percebe que as coisas nem sempre são como parecem...
Demasiado previsível, o fim deixa muito a desejar...

A policeman infiltrates an anarchist group whose members are named after the days of the week and seeks to stop their evil plan. Once in the group, infiltrated under the name of Thursday, he realises things aren't always as they seem...
Too predictable, the ending is very unsatisfying... ( )

This book starts out with possibilities. Two strangers are quickly introduced and for no particular reason vie to become members of an international anarchist council that apparently threatens the world. A series of peculiar events follow that tweak the readers expectations without offering any more explanation for their purpose. You quickly get the idea that something besides a cloak-and-dagger story must be going on, but the point of it all is obscure.

In the end it all turns into a Christian allegory of sorts which I confess I don't understand, or care about. Something about how everybody is blind within their own little world, but we're all sent out from God to find God? Whatever.

To the extent that the book has interest it lies in the author's depiction of turn-of-the-century perspectives and life. How do you escape from the dastardly foe? Grab a horse, or a hansom cab. Automobiles are available for even faster escape, but harder to find. All right-thinking moral creatures are male, and regard the lower classes as the salt of the earth and basically honest.

Funny how the excuse for this story (an anarchist plot to subvert the world) is so similar to countless more recent spy and detective novels. The device was hackneyed then, and its hackneyed now.

Chesterton is famous for his writing style, and he does write well for a man of his time. He uses numerous turns phrase (paradoxes especially) and raises philosophical ideas to fill out his inadequate plot. ( )

NPR - three books to read for a cocktail party - Firoozeh Dumas

7.0

I found a recommendation of this book in an article in the Atlantic, sought it out online and acquired an unusual printed on demand hardcover - it has Harry Lyme from the Thin Man movie on the cover. I was disappointed. The plot is the gradual revelation of a group of anarchists as all being in an intellectual police force, all recruited by the same man who is also the head of the anarchists association. They are named for the days of the week, with “Sunday” as the chief anarchist. There is a great deal of philosophical speculation and discussion, and an improbable chase across London, ending in the revelation that Sunday is somehow God Almighty. Antique language, unbelievable plot and characters, ending in religious blather. ( )

A detective inflitrates a gang of anarchists in London, cunningly gaining entry to the super-secretive 'Council of Days', led by the godly Sunday. His mission: to prevent a plot to blow up the Czar on his visit to Paris.

The first half of the book is an exciting tale of wit and invention, but soon the tale becomes grossly absurd; the climax is surely allegorical but for me it was greatly unsatisfying, especially considering all the drama that had led to it. ( )

How does one review this? Let's see, it is the story of a dream, and as with all dreams I suppose, is open to interpretation. I'm not sure what to make of the meaning of it, the meaning floats in and out of my mind and I can't pin it down. However, the story itself was fun, quick to read and full of lovely word images. Now I must go and read more about it, then possibly read it again. Reading it again would be a pleasure. ( )

It's a classic spy novel of sorts. It's also absolutely hilarious, beautifully written, and happens to be a Christian allegory. I didn't quite catch all the allegorical elements, but I enjoyed it immensely just the same. ( )

A fantastical story with more twists and turns than a labyrinth; this was a great read. I was able to anticipate some of the “surprises” but that in no way diminished my pleasure and the ending was magnificent—although many reviewers disliked it because it did not neatly tie up all the loose ends. However, this book was not about answers but questions. ( )

G.K. Chesterton's best. On a rollicking nightmarish journey, he manages to keep all hidden until the last moment. ( )

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