Chesterton has been called the "prince of paradox".Douglas, J.D.[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/135/52.0.htmlG.K. Chesterton, the Eccentric Prince of Paradox], 24 May 1974. ''Time'' magazine, in a review of a biography of Chesterton, observed of his writing style: "Whenever possible Chesterton made his points with popular sayings, proverbs, allegories—first carefully turning them inside out."''Orthodoxologist''Time October 11th, 1943 retrieved 10-24-2008 For example, Chesterton wrote the following:
Thieves respect property. They merely wish the property to become their property that they may more perfectly respect it.The Man Who Was Thursday/Chapter IVThe|Man Who was Thursday, ChapterIV
Chesterton is well known for his reasoned apologetics and even those who disagree with him have recognized the universal appeal of such works as ''Orthodoxy'' and The Everlasting Man. Douglas, J.D.[http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/135/52.0.htmlG.K. Chesterton, the Eccentric Prince of Paradox], 24 May 1974. "Like his friend Ronald Knox he was both entertainer and Christian apologist. The world never fails to appreciate the combination when it is well done; even evangelicals sometimes give the impression of bestowing a waiver on deviations if a man is enough of a genius." Chesterton, as a political thinker, cast aspersions on both liberalism and conservatism, saying:
The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected.Illustrated London News (1924-04-19)
Chesterton routinely referred to himself as an "orthodox" Christian, and came to identify such a position with Catholicism more and more, eventually converting to Roman Catholicism. George Bernard Shaw, Chesterton's "friendly enemy" according to Time, said of him, "He was a man of colossal genius".Click here to hide this biography