The Trees of Pride

British writer GILBERT KEITH CHESTERTON (1874-1936) expounded prolifically about his wide-ranging philosophies-he is impossible to categorize as "liberal" or "conservative," for instance-across a wide variety of avenues: he was a literary critic, historian, playwright, novelist, columnist, and poet. His witty, humorous style earned him the title of the "prince of paradox," and his works-80 books and nearly 4,000 essays-remain among the most beloved in the English languageBest remembered, perhaps, as a spinner of mystery tales, this novella-now hard to find in print-is the story of an "elderly schoolboy" squire, a wager, a murder, and the unlikely culprit behind the crime. Comically charming, in the author's notorious droll style, this is an excellent introduction to the genius of Chesterton.