The Man who was Thursday : A Novel

The story centres around seven anarchists in turn-of-the-century London who call themselves by the days of the week. Fearing an impending act of terrorism, Gabriel Syme is sent by Scotland Yard to infiltrate their ranks by becoming 'Thursday.' Elected undercover into the Central European Council of anarchists, Syme must avoid discovery and save the world from future bombings. Beyond the excitement of an elephant chase, duels, elaborate disguises and a hot-air balloon pursuit through the streets of London, Chesterton is most interested in the battle of ideas. Indeed, his real agenda is to expose the moral relativism and parlour nihilism for the devils he believed them to be in the world of his day. Chesterton’s classic novella tackles anarchy, social order, God, peace, war, religion, and human nature, somehow managing to combine them all into a delightful tale full of biting social commentary that is still relevant today.