The Man Who Was Thursday
by G. K. Chesterton
G. C. Chesterton's classic short story is devoted to anarchy, social order, God, peace, war, religion, human nature, and a few dozen other weighty concepts. And somehow he manages to put all this together, combining it into a wonderful satire full of language-related interpretations that prevail today. When the book opens, Gabriel Symes argues with a soap box anarchist. The two men make such an impression on each other that an anarchist introduces Symes to a council of seven anarchists, named after the days of the week. Soon after, on Thursday, they elect Symes as their newest member. But they don't know that he was also hired by an anti-anarchist organisation. And before long, Symes learns that he's not the only one on the council who isn't what he seems. There are other spies and double agents who all work for the same thing. But cheerful, mighty Mr. Sunday, who is the head of the organization and what is it? Balloons, intricate disguises, duels, and police chases go all the way to putting together this satirical spy novel that is both nutritious and entertaining.
