The Ball and the Cross
A devout Catholic and a fervent atheist, outraged by each other’s beliefs, set out to settle their quarrel by a duel—only to find all of respectable, indifferent society determined to stop two men who actually take ideas seriously, chasing them across England in a fantastical adventure. Chesterton turns a battle of convictions into a rollicking, philosophical romance about faith, doubt, and the modern refusal to believe in anything. Witty, imaginative, and full of paradox, The Ball and the Cross blends theology with comic adventure. Provocative and entertaining, it is a spirited defense of passionate belief in an age of complacent unbelief.
About the Author
G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) was an English writer, critic, and Christian apologist famous for the Father Brown mysteries and sharp, paradox-loving essays. His playful intelligence made him one of the most quotable authors of his age.
See all books by G. K. Chesterton →
Listen to The Ball and the Cross Audiobook Free
Listen to The Ball and the Cross by G. K. Chesterton free online. The full audiobook (8 hr 36 min, 20 chapters, read by volunteer narrators) streams free on this page.
The Ball and the Cross (1909) is a public domain work.
| # | Chapter | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 01 - A Discussion Somewhat in the Air | 40:16 | |
| 2 | 02 - The Religion of the Stipendiary Magistrate | 30:40 | |
| 3 | 03 - Some Old Curiosities | 26:22 | |
| 4 | 04 - A Discussion at Dawn | 28:26 | |
| 5 | 05 - The Peacemaker | 14:33 | |
| 6 | 06 - The Other Philosopher | 28:10 | |
| 7 | 07 - The Village of Grassley-in-the-Hole | 20:21 | |
| 8 | 08 - An Interlude of Argument | 15:33 | |
| 9 | 09 - The Strange Lady | 33:34 | |
| 10 | 10 - The Swords Rejoined | 38:14 | |
| 11 | 11 - A Scandal in the Village | 31:31 | |
| 12 | 12 - The Desert Island | 18:18 | |
| 13 | 13 - The Garden of Peace | 18:47 | |
| 14 | 14 - A Museum of Souls | 30:51 | |
| 15 | 15 - The Dream of MacIan | 15:27 | |
| 16 | 16 - The Dream of Turnbull | 23:51 | |
| 17 | 17 - The Idiot | 32:10 | |
| 18 | 18 - A Riddle of Faces | 26:56 | |
| 19 | 19 - The Last Parley | 16:55 | |
| 20 | 20 - Dies Irae | 24:56 |
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