Old Thunder - Joseph Pearce

A biography of this much revered and reviled figure, who remains one of the most important Christian writers of the 20th century. One of the most prolific and thought-provoking writers of his age, Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) still has a lasting effect on Britain. Well known for his literary collaboration and friendship with G.K. Chesterton, Belloc continues to fascinate, both as a social commentator and a master of finely crafted prose and verse. As President of the Oxford Union, he immersed himself in historical studies and championed Catholicism. Later, as a Liberal Member of Parliament, he became disillusioned with party politics, expressing his sentiments about both Socialism and Capitalism in his novels and pamphlets. He was and is admired for his understanding of modern England. His romantic and solitary character is found in his verse, and in the powerful love story of his long courtship of Elodie Hogan and his desolation after her death.