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Manalive cover art

Manalive

By: G. K. Chesterton
Narrated by: Kevin O'Brien
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Summary

This classic novel by the brilliant G. K. Chesterton tells the rollicking tale of Innocent Smith, a man who may be crazy - or possibly the most sane man of all. Arriving at a dreary London boarding house accompanied by a windstorm, Smith is an exuberant, eccentric, and sweet-natured man. Smith has a positive effect on the house - he creates his own court, brings a few couples together, and falls in love with a paid companion next door. All seems to be well with the world.

Then the unexpected happens: Smith shoots at one of the tenants, and two doctors arrive to arrest him, claiming that he's a bigamist, an attempted murderer, and a thief. But cynical writer Moon insists that the case be tried there - and they explore Smith's past history, revealing startling truths about what he does. Is he the wickedest man in Britain, or is he "blameless as a buttercup"?

Beautifully written, mixing the ridiculous with the profound, full of hilarious dialogue, and lushly detailed writing, Chesterton's main character Innocent Smith somehow manages to restore joy to all the dull and cynical lives around him. In this delightfully strange mystery, Chesterton demonstrates why life is worth living, and that sometimes we need a little madness just to know we are alive.

©1912; 2011 John Lane Company, NY; Ignatius Press (P)2010 Ignatius Press

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Innocent Seagoon

Of course, the voices were not the ones I'm used to hearing in my head when I read the book. But I was rather startled that Mr O'Brien should characterise Innocent Smith as Neddy Seagoon from the Goon Show. I was surprised that he should have heard of the Goons at all, but there he is, the incontrovertabe Seagoon!

Startlement, of course, is the very essence of Manalive. I found Mr O'Brien's delivery hard to take at first and I had to turn the volume down several times, but it is right, it.is right, it is absoutely right! I knew there was a book called Manalive, I thought I had it on my shelf, but that wasn't it. Now I've found it again. Thank you.

(And wouldn't it make a TREMENDOUS musical comedy!)

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