The Club of Queer TradesBritish 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 language This 1905 collection of short stories is a splendid example of Chesterton's wicked style and devastating intellect. Revolving around the members of a London club who must invent their own wacky professions-and make a living from them-these tales send up the British class system, the state of London in the Victoria era, the ironies of the law, and more. Complete with the author's original illustrations, the stories include: . "The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown" . "The Painful Fall of a Great Reputation" . "The Awful Reason of the Vicar's Visit" . "The Singular Speculation of the House-Agent" . "The Noticeable Conduct of Professor Chadd" . "The Eccentric Seclusion of the Old Lady" |
Contents
| 1 | |
The Painful Fall of a Great Reputation | 27 |
The Awful Reason of the Vicars Visit | 47 |
The Singular Speculation of the HouseAgent | 67 |
V The Noticeable Conduct of Professor Chadd | 93 |
VI The Eccentric Seclusion of the Old Lady | 115 |
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Common terms and phrases
Adventure and Romance antimacassar asked Basil Grant Bingham British Museum brother Burrows Buxton Common Captain Fraser chair civilisation Club of Queer Colman constable course cried Rupert criminal dancing dark dear dinner door extraordinary face fact fellow flung garden Gloucester Road Station Greenwood grey grey street hair hand head heard house-agent knew knocked laughing laughter leaning Lieutenant Keith looked Lord Beaumont Lord Kitchener Major Brown mean milkman Miss Chadd Miss Mowbray Montmorency moustache Muriel Beaumont never night old gentleman old lady P. G. Northover pocket policeman Professor Chadd Purley Queer Trades replied Romance Agency round Rupert Grant scarcely seemed Sir Walter Cholmondeliegh Sloane Square smile sorry sort spoke staring stop strange street suddenly swung talking tell thing thought turned Vicar of Chuntsey voice walked whiskers Wimpole window woman words Yellow pansies Zulu
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